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Fafnir

Mythology
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A dwarf who transformed into a dragon after being corrupted by cursed gold.

Detailed Definition
Originally a son of Hreidmar, Fafnir murdered his father for the treasure of Andvari, including the ring Andvaranaut, and became a dragon guarding it. He was slain by Sigurd. In poetry, Fafnir embodies greed’s transformative curse and the tragic fall from kinship to monstrosity, central to heroic sagas like the Völsunga saga.
Example
Example in poetry:
Fafnir, once a dwarf, turned dragon by greed for cursed gold; In the Völsunga Saga, Sigurd slays him and tastes his blood to gain wisdom; Poets use Fafnir as a symbol of corruption through avarice; His transformation warns of wealth’s dehumanizing power; Skalds describe his lair as “Fafnir’s bed,” a kenning for hoards; Modern verse explores his tragedy as loss of kinship for gold.
Additional Notes
Fafnir’s transformation from dwarf to dragon after hoarding Andvaranaut (a cursed ring) illustrates the corrupting power of greed; his slaying by Sigurd (with Reginn’s guidance) is central to the Völsunga saga—poets may use Fafnir to explore moral decay, obsession, or the hero’s confrontation with inner and outer monsters.
Also Known As
Fáfnir
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