A Story of Norse Mythology: Fafnir and His Heart of Greed

Today I wanted to share something a little different. This month I took a historical archetypes and mythologies class, and as one of our last assignments we were to research a mythical creature and its origins. I had a lot of fun pulling the information together, and I wanted to share! My retelling of the myth is quite abridged, so if you are interested I would definitely recommend reading a more rounded version. Because it is a myth, there are differing versions out there. I hope you enjoy!

Information/Appearance:

Fafnir is from Nordic Mythology. He is a dwarf turned dragon due to his greed. He is known to have a monstrous form and a cold heart. At times he is described as slithering or lumbering, so I am unsure as to whether he has legs or not (Fafnir: The Dragon…). In the Poetic Edda he is said to both crawl and to be a “worm” (Bellows, H.A.). Since our current understanding of dragons is that of a four legged reptilian monster with a pair of wings, I lean toward this interpretation. However, it seems he could be either a Wyrm or a Dragon in the technical sense of the words. His main weakness is the underside of his belly, as that is where Sigurd strikes him. 

Myth of Fafnir:

This story focuses on a dwarf who transforms into a dragon. It begins when Loki, Odin, and Hoenir are traveling to the waterfall of Andvari. Loki spears fafnir’s brother Otr in otter form, not knowing his true nature. The gods later arrive at Hreidmar’s house, who is Fafnir’s father. But, his father, seeing Loki with the pelt of his son, immediately demands a weregild. 

The gods travel back to Andvari’s waterfall and fish out his red gold treasure. Andvari, out of anger, curses his gold. When the gods give the treasure to Hreidmar, his sons Fafnir and 

Regin asked to share in it. But, when Hreidmar refuses, avarice raises its ugly head in Fafnir and he murders his father. Fanir then hides the treasure away to keep it for himself. 

Over time, as his treasure grew, he transformed into a hideous beast: a dragon.

But, Regin would not let his brother rest. He creates a sword for the legendary Sigurd. Sigurd then hides in a trench and slices Fafnir open as he passes over. In his dying moments, Fafnir warns Sigurd about his family’s history and the curse of the gold. 

Regin then cuts out his brother’s heart and he and Sigurd roast it over a fire. When Sigurd’s finger gets burned, he sucks on it, ingesting some of Fafnir’s blood. This gives him the ability to converse with animals. Sigurd soon learns from the animals that Regin plans to kill him for the treasure, and he acts quickly, slaying Regin in his sleep. 

Siguard eats the rest of Fafnir’s heart, which gives him great wisdom. He then sets home with the treasure, forever changed (Fafnir: The Dragon…). 

The non-mythological purpose this creature served:

The non-mythological purpose this creature served was to warn the community of avarice and blood feuds. This theme of avarice is first foreshadowed in Loki killing Otr and taking his pelt. It is then reflected in Andvari cursing the gold out of anger, and Hreidmar not sharing it with his sons. The culmination of the avarice is when Fafnir murders his father. Its effects are then seen as Fafnir morphs into a grotesque monster. But even still, the effects are felt through the rest of the family as Sigurd then kills Regin. 

Resources:

Bellows, H. A. (1936). The Poetic Edda: Fafnismol. In The Poetic Edda (p. 370). Sacred‑Texts. 

Retrieved Sep 26, 2025, from https://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/poe/poe24.htm 

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. Fafnir. (n.d.). Britannica.  Retrieved Sep 26, 2025, 

from https://www.britannica.com/topic/Fafnir 

Fafnir: The Dragon-Dwarf and Curse of Avarice. (n.d.). Norsegarde. Retrieved Sep 26, 2025, 

fromhttps://www.norsegarde.com/blogs/lore-and-mythology/fafnir-the-dragon dwarf-and-curse-of-avaricesrsltid=AfmBOooVPmxee_Q6MNIO

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