Hagbard and Signy
This article is about the original Hagbard of Scandinavian mythology, for Karl Koch, see Hagbard (Karl Koch)
Hagbard and Signy (Signe), or Habor and Signild were a pair of lovers in Scandinavian mythology whose legend was widely popular in ancient Scandinavia. The heroes' connections with other legendary characters place the events in the 4th or the 5th century AD. Hagbard and his brother Haki were famous sea-kings and the nephews of king Siggeir of the Völsunga saga (see Haki for his battles over the throne of Sweden). Ethically, they were consequently Geats although Gesta Danorum makes them Daner.
Hagbard fell in love with Signy, the daughter of king Sigar (the nephew of king Siggeir of the Völsunga saga), who loved him in return. However, due to a feud between Hagbard and her brothers he did not dare asking for her hand.
Dressed as a woman, he had access to her room and she promised him that if he was discovered and killed, she would not stay alive either.
A treacherous maid told Signy's father about the liaison and Hagbard was caught and sentenced to death. When the execution was about the be performed, Hagbard wanted to be certain of Signy's fidelity and asked the executioner to hang his coat in the gallows.
When Signy saw Hagbard's coat, she set her house on fire and burnt herself to death. Happy about her fidelity, Hagbard saw to it that his own execution was performed immediately.
This legend was widely popular in Scandinavia, and as early as the 10th century, Thjodholf of Hvin, as Snorri quotes him, used the kennings the cold horse of Signy's lover and Hagbard's scarf.
The popularity of the legend did not cease with the end of the Viking Age but continued for several centuries. All over Scandinavia there are locations where the legend is said to have taken place, such as Zealand, Jutland, Nerike, Uppland, Halland, Blekinge, Rogaland, Nordland, etc.
One example is a location in Nerike, named Segersjö (Sigar's lake), which has two cairns called Hagbard's cairn and Signy's cairn.
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This article contains content from the Owl Edition of Nordisk familjebok, a Swedish encyclopedia published between 1904 and 1926, now in the public domain.