Live Your Myths

Scandinavian Legend | From Princess to Pirate: The Story of Alfhild

By 2dogsBfun

Legend Origins: Scandinavia

This legend was written in the 12th century by the historian Saxo Grammaticus about the feisty teenage daughter of a fifth century Goth King, Siward. Now this is how the legend begins. Like a good father, King Siward wanted to defend his baby girl's chastity from any lust-crazed young man. So Alfhild's beauty was hidden by robes and her bedchambers were guarded by a snake and a viper. The door was also bolted shut. 

You'd think Siward's over-protective precautions would have made any young man after the princess's heart think twice before going after Alfhild. Not Alf, the son of the Danish King Sigar!  Apparently, the prince loved a woman who played hard to get. Alf is said to have stormed into her chambers, dressed in bloodied animal skins, killed the viper by putting some red-hot iron down its throat and killed the snake with a spear to the throat.

Rather surprisingly, Siward didn't get rid of Alf but left him with the choice to marry Alfhild. The princess, though charmed by Alf's heroics, took some advice from her mother. Her mother encouraged her to not marry the prince. So Alfhild ditched Prince Charming and became a pirate. It is never explained by Saxo why Alfhild took this course of action. Anyway, Alfhild turned out to be well-suited for a life of pillaging and plundering rather then one of a traditional princess. Somehow, over time, Alfhild became the leader of a male pirate crew, who were enchanted by her beauty and taken in by her ability to kick butt. With this group, Alfhild began preying on ships in the coast of Finland.

Unfortunately for Alfhild, her former beau hadn't given up the chase yet. Unknowingly to them, Alf's friend Borgar, had his ship attacked by the princess' pirate crew. During the fight, Borgar knocked off the helmet of one of the pirates,  revealing the beautiful Alfhild. Still very much in love with Alfhild, Alf stopped the fight and later married her. Therefore, Alfhild left her days of swashbuckling behind her and becomes a princess once more and had a daughter. And I guess they lived happily ever after.

I'm sure many of you are wondering why Alfhild didn't just stay a pirate but became a mother and a wife. This is because during the fifth century, women apparently didn't get a choice.