THE SCENE: Fans of witchy brews will appreciate this recipe, which is cooked up by a trio of siblings who want to convince the reluctant Guttorm to try to murder the legendary warrior Sigurd (a decision that Guttorm will later regret).
THE TEXT: Now the two brothers talked together: “let us urge Guttorm on to this deed.” They called him to them and offered him gold and great power to perform the act. They took a snake and the flesh of a wolf and cooked them and gave this to him to eat, as the skald says:
Some took wood-fish
Some sliced a wolf’s carrion
Some gave to Guttorm
The Wolf’s flesh
Mixed with ale.
They used these and many other kinds of witchcraft. And with this nourishment and [the brothers’] persuasion and everything else, Guttorm became so violent and fierce that he promised to do the deed.
– The Saga of the Volsungs, 13th Century AD
