- Agilaz
.
The Proto-Germanic form of the legend may only be guessed at, but it appears likely that Egil was a renowned archer who defended a keep together with his wife
Aliruna , against numerous attackers. The testimony of the Pforzen buckle is uncertain beyond naming "Aigil" and "Ailrun", possibly adding that they fought a battle at theIlz river. TheFranks Casket shows the scene of Aegil and his wife enclosed in the keep, with Aegil shooting arrows against attacking troops.Völundarkviða
In the
Völundarkviða , Egil is a son of a Finn king, his elder brother beingSlagfinn , his younger oneVölund . The three brothers marryvalkyrie s they encounter inswan s' form, Slagfinn marriesHladgud , and Völund marriesHervör , daughters of kingHlödver , while Egil marriesÖlrún , a daughter of the Roman Emperor (Kiár ofValland ).Thidreks saga
In the
Thidreks saga , Egil acts as a masterly archer, once he is forced by kingNidung to shoot an apple from the head of his son. He readies two arrows, but succeeds with the first one. Asked by the king what the second arrow was for, he said that had he killed his son with his first arrow, he would have shot the king with the second one. This tale is directly comparable to the legends ofWilliam Tell andPalnetoke . As opposed to Tell's case, the king doesn't try to punish Egil for his openness, but, to the contrary, commends him for it (chapter 128). Völund is crippled by Nidung and held captive at his court. To help his brother, Egil shoots birds and collects their feathers, of which Völund makes a pair of wings. Völund ties a bladder filled with blood around his waist and flies away. Nidung commands Egil to shoot his fleeing brother, who hits the bladder, deceiving Nidung, and so Völund gets away (chapter 135).ee also
*
Wayland the Smith
* [http://www.franks-casket.de/english/appendix04.html] „The Tradition of the Weland Saga“
* Picture and article [http://www.franks-casket.de/english/lid00.html] ÆGILI on theFranks Casket References
* Alfred Becker: “Franks Casket. Zu den Bildern und Inschriften des Runenkästchens von Auzon (Regensburg, 1973), pp 154 - 186, "Zur Wielandsage"
* Robert Nedoma, "Noch einmal zur Runeninschrift auf der Gürtelschnalle von Pforzen" in: Alemannien und der Norden, ed. Naumann (2004), 340-370.
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