A Summary of the Story about Hagbard and Signe             

Young Hagbard from Vågan, the beautiful Signe from Steig, and her merciless father - Sigar - chieftain and priest, the most powerful man in Hålogaland.
These are the main characters in this old story of love and power, realted to the more famous stories of Bendik and Årolilja - and Romeo and Juliet.
Sigar has given his joung, beautiful daughter away to a Russian prince, and the maids at Steig are preparing for the royal wedding. Prominent men from all over Hålogaland have come to the Sigar Thing to put forth their appears brfore king Sigar wanting to marry his daughter. As Sigar says no, the conflict becomes clear to everyone.

But Hagbard knows how to get in touch  with his beloved Signe. He dresses in a woman´s robe and asks for å place at the sewing table beside Signe. Telling king Sigar that he is daughter of the king at Bjarkøy, he is even granted å place beside Signe in her bedroom. When one of the maids, the evil Beret, discovers what has happenen - and tells king Sigar, the tragedy comes to a conclusion. But before the final hanging Hagbard and Signe agree to get together in the kingdom of death.


Standing at the scaffold, Hagbard asks for a final wish - that they hang his red robe in the gallows first. When Signe sees his robe she puts fire to her maiden´s bower and burns herself to death. In this way they can walk  together across Gjalla Bridge into the kingdom of death.
When the realizes what dreadful consequences his inexorable stubbornness has led to, he orders the evil maid to be buried alive.
 

Ord fra Håvamål

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