Weyland

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Depiction of the hamstrung smith Weyland from the front of the Franks Casket.

Weyland (also spelled Wayland, Weland and Watlende) is the mythical smith-god of the Saxon immigrants into Britain. He is synonymous with the North-Germanic/Norse Völundr of the Völundarkviða, a poem in the Poetic Edda.

Weyland had two brothers, Egil and Slagfiðr (Slagfid/Slagfinn). In one version of the myth, the three brothers lived with three Valkyries: Ölrún, Alvitr and Svanhvít. After nine years, the Valkyries left their lovers. Egil and Slagfiðr followed, never to return. In another version, Weyland married the swan maiden Hervör, and they had a son, Heime; Hervör later left him. In both versions, his love left him with a ring; in the former myth, he forged seven hundred duplicates of this ring.

At a later point in time, he was captured in his sleep by king Nidud in Nerike who ordered him hamstrung and imprisoned on the island of Sævarstöð. There he was forced to forge items for the king. Weyland's wife's ring was given to the king's daughter, Bodvild. Nidud wore Weyland's sword.

For revenge, Weyland killed the king's sons when they visited him in secret, fashioned goblets from their skulls, jewels from their eyes, and a brooch from their teeth. He sent the goblets to the king, the jewels to the queen and the brooch to the kings' daughter. When Bodvild took her ring to him to be mended, he took the ring and seduced her, fathering a son and escaping on wings he made.

He is particularly associated with Wayland's Smithy, a burial mound in Oxfordshire. This was named by the Saxons, but the megalithic mound significantly predates them. It is from this association that the superstition came about that a horse left there overnight with a small silver coin (a groat) would be shod by morning.

Popular culture

• The character "Weyland Smith" is prominent in the "Animal Farm" story arc of the Fables comic book. He is the administrator of "the Farm" — the rural property in upstate New York State where non-human-appearing Fables must live, to preserve the secret of their existence. He is briefly imprisoned as part of the abortive revolution against the Fabletown government, and is replaced as administrator by Rose Red, with whom he becomes involved. This version of Weyland Smith is a genius with tools and machinery, and during his time in captivity, he is forced to alter "mundy" weaponry to be used by non-human Fables. He fights in the war with the wooden soldiers sent by the Adversary and eventually gives his life protecting Fabletown.

• Another reference is the character Wayland "John" Smith in The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper. This Smith serves as a vital guide and protector to the novel's protagonist, Will Stanton. He is one of the mystical and immortal "Old Ones," masquerading as a normal human being in the modern world; unlike other Old Ones however, Smith aids the servants of both the Light and the Dark in his capacity as a smith.

• The character Wayland Smith also appears in Raymond E. Feist's 1988 fantasy novel, A Faerie Tale.

• The character Waylon Smithers from the T.V. show The Simpsons may potentially be named after the mythical figure.

• In the TV series Robin of Sherwood the episode called "The 7 swords of Wayland" is about 7 swords which are according to an old legend "The 7 swords of Wayland" possesed with the powers of Light and Darkness. The names of the Swords are: Morax, Solas, Orias, Elidor, Beleth, Albion and Flauros.

See also

• Balmung
• culture of Nericia
• Deor
• Flibbertigibbet
• Franks Casket
• Nidud
• Sigurd
• Wayland's Smithy

External links

• [article on Wayland the Smith, also deals with Egil]

• [Weland on the Franks Casket; Essay on the saga]

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