User:SirLeMonk/Fáfnir/Bibliography

[first source] MacCulloch, J. A. Celtic and Scandinavian Religions, Chicago Review, 2005, pp. 139–140.

 * [The story of the dwarf Andvari’s treasure, which became that of the Nibelungs, tells of a snake or dragon. Loki killed the brother of Regin and Fafnir, Ottar, who had taken the shape of an otter. For this he, with Odin and Haenir (merge the a and e), had to fill the otters’s skin with gold. Loki procured the gold from Andvari and it was given to Hreithmar, father of Regin and Fafnir. These now asked their father for a share of the gold, but he refused, and was slain by Fafnir. Going to the heath with the gold he turned himself into a snake or dragon and curled himself round it. By use of a magic sword Sigurd slew Fafnir in this shape. Regin, who had accompanied him, cut out Fafnir’s heart and bade Sigurd roast it. Sigurd put his finger to it to see if it were cooked, burnt his finger and put it to his mouth. Now he could understand the speech of birds. That dragons or snakes guard treasure is widespread belief, but the point to note here is that secret knowledge is the result of eating the dragon’s heart, which Regin had intended for himself. This is based on the belief that certain serpents possess wisdom or supernatural knowledge. If the part of such a reptile is eaten that knowledge passes to the eater.]

[second source] The Hutchinson Dictionary of World Mythology, Helicon Pub., Abingdon, 2005, pp. 90.

 * Page 90: [Fafnir: Giant of Scandinavian myth. Fafnir killed his father Hreidmar to gain possession of a great horde of treasure and changed into a dragon to guard it. He was later killed by the young hero Sigurd the VolSung.]

[third source] Lurker, Manfred. The Routledge Dictionary of Gods and Goddesses, Devils .., Routledge, London, 2004, pp. 61.

 * "Fafnir: (‘gripper’, ‘clasper’) In Germanic mythology, a demonic being who killed his father and then, in dragon form, guarded the great golden treasure of the Nibelungs, until slain by Sigurd (Siegfried)."