This week on the Myths and Legends podcast, we'll start the story of the

VOLSungs, a legendary Norse family who finds that, somehow, a downward spiral

of revenge leads inexorably towards destruction and violent deaths for

literally everyone involved. Then, in the mythological creature of the week, I'll

talk about a friendly ice gnome from the Alps, who is really just a helpful

ball of frozen beard. This is the Myths and Legends podcast, episode 3a, the Norse and

the Furious, Breddy's Drift.

The saga of the VOLSungs is a Norse tale from the 1400s, though that's really

just the only surviving main script that we have. The real story is much older. It's

set in a violent world with many warring kingdoms in the north, where all of the

following can get you and everyone you love killed. Insults, perceived insults,

hints of insults, legitimately best unit competitor, your father or grandfather

having a problem with someone, or just not wishing to bake bread with a

dangerous animal in it. It's a land of swords, dragons, werewolves and

meat. If you've ever played the game Skyrim, it's basically that, though

somehow more confusing, dangerous and unreasonable. As we get closer to the

story of Sigur and they drag in Fatheneer, a cursed ring will appear, which

actually served as the inspiration for the one ring from Lord the Rings. The

Norse gods are mildly active in these stories, and if you aren't familiar I'll

just introduce them as they appear. It starts up north, where a young man,

Siggy, is said to be the son of Odin. Odin, if you don't know, is the chief god of

the Norse deities, the Asyr, and their realm of Asgard. He's the all-father, and

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