horse
Grani
Sigurðr's horse, chosen from King Hjálprekr's herd: he carries Fáfnir's gold and will bear no rider but Sigurðr through Brynhildr's fire.
Grani is Sigurðr's horse. Reginsmál says Sigurðr chose him from King Hjálprekr's herd Reginsmál, prose 1, and in Grípisspá Grípir has his man take Grani when Sigurðr arrives Grípisspá 5.
He has three tasks in the story. He carries the gold: Sigurðr loads Fáfnir's hoard on his back Skáldskaparmál 40, so that "Grani's burden" became a kenning for gold Skáldskaparmál 44. He carries Sigurðr through Brynhildr's fire. Gunnarr's horse Goti would not leap the flames, and Grani "would go under no man but Sigurdr" Skáldskaparmál 41. Brynhildr herself remembers the hero "who gold-decked sat on Grani's back" Sigurðarkviða hin skamma 36. And he mourns. In Guðrúnarkviða II he comes back riderless from the assembly, sweating, and bows his head to the grass when Guðrún questions him Guðrúnarkviða II 4-5. In the Fragment, "the gray horse mourns by his master dead" Brot af Sigurðarkviðu 7.
Grani's name turns up in other poems as a familiar reference point. Völundr speaks of gold "on Grani's way" Völundarkviða 16, and Sigrdrífumál lists "Grani's breast" among the places where runes were cut Sigrdrífumál 17.
In the sources
Quoted from the hosted translations; each line is checked against the text when the site is built. Select a reference to read it in context.
Sigurth went to Hjalprek's stud and chose for himself a horse, who thereafter was called Grani.
for Grani would go under no man but Sigurdr.
The head of Grani was bowed to the grass, The steed knew well his master was slain.
In modern culture
Not from the medieval sources.
Völsunga saga adds that Odin, as an old man, helped Sigurðr choose Grani and that the horse came of Sleipnir's line; the Eddas do not say this. Wagner gives Brünnhilde a horse called Grane.
