MORRIS, William and Eirikr MAGNUSSON (translators). Volsunga Saga: The Story of the Volsungs and Niblungs, with Certain Songs from the Elder Edda. Translated from the Icelandic. [London: Printed at the Chiswick Press; Published by Longmans]. 1901.
4to. Later half brown morocco, black gilt morocco lettering piece to spine, marbled boards, pp. xii + 113; text printed in black and red; a very nice, clean copy, with the spare spine label tipped in; spine a little sunned, a little browning to edges, previous owner's small green inkstamp to top right corner of flyleaf, generally very clean, very good.
This translation was first published in 1875 and is here reprinted with the Golden type designed by William Morris for the Kelmscott Press. This translation by Morris and Magnusson tells the story of the Icelandic hero Sigmund and his son Sigurd, culminating in the latter's slaying of the dragon Fafnir, his tragic dalliance with Brynhild and Gudrun and his subsequent demise. Best known to contemporary audiences through Wagner's Ring cycle, this tale was of central cultural importance to Morris; in his preface, he declares that it should be to “all our race what the Tale of Troy was to the Greeks”.
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