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The document promotes various ebooks available for download on ebookmass.com, including titles on data lakes, motor control, behavioral health, and more. It highlights the importance of understanding customer expectations in implementing a data lake strategy, as well as the technical and organizational considerations involved. The content emphasizes practical tips and best practices for data scientists and architects to successfully design and operationalize data lakes.

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Practical
Implementation
of a Data Lake
Translating Customer Expectations
into Tangible Technical Goals

Nayanjyoti Paul
Practical
Implementation of a
Data Lake
Translating Customer
Expectations into Tangible
Technical Goals

Nayanjyoti Paul
Practical Implementation of a Data Lake: Translating Customer
Expectations into Tangible Technical Goals
Nayanjyoti Paul
Edison, NJ, USA

ISBN-13 (pbk): 978-1-4842-9734-6 ISBN-13 (electronic): 978-1-4842-9735-3


https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4842-9735-3

Copyright © 2023 by Nayanjyoti Paul


This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved by the Publisher, whether the whole or
part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of
illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way,
and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software,
or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed.
Trademarked names, logos, and images may appear in this book. Rather than use a trademark
symbol with every occurrence of a trademarked name, logo, or image we use the names, logos,
and images only in an editorial fashion and to the benefit of the trademark owner, with no
intention of infringement of the trademark.
The use in this publication of trade names, trademarks, service marks, and similar terms, even if
they are not identified as such, is not to be taken as an expression of opinion as to whether or not
they are subject to proprietary rights.
While the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of
publication, neither the authors nor the editors nor the publisher can accept any legal
responsibility for any errors or omissions that may be made. The publisher makes no warranty,
express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein.
Managing Director, Apress Media LLC: Welmoed Spahr
Acquisitions Editor: Celestin Suresh John
Development Editor: James Markham
Coordinating Editor: Mark Powers
Cover designed by eStudioCalamar
Cover image by Arek Socha on Pixabay (www.pixabay.com)
Distributed to the book trade worldwide by Apress Media, LLC, 1 New York Plaza, New York, NY
10004, U.S.A. Phone 1-800-SPRINGER, fax (201) 348-4505, e-mail [email protected],
or visit www.springeronline.com. Apress Media, LLC is a California LLC and the sole member
(owner) is Springer Science + Business Media Finance Inc (SSBM Finance Inc). SSBM Finance
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please visit https://www.apress.com/gp/services/source-code.
Paper in this product is recyclable.
Table of Contents
About the Author��������������������������������������������������������������������������������vii

About the Technical Reviewer�������������������������������������������������������������ix

Preface������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������xi

Introduction���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������xiii

Chapter 1: Understanding “the Ask”����������������������������������������������������1


Objective: Asking the Right Questions������������������������������������������������������������������1
The Recommendations�����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������2
Decide on the Migration Path, Modernization Techniques,
Enhancements, and the Cloud Vendor�������������������������������������������������������������2
Assess the Current Challenges������������������������������������������������������������������������6
Understand Why Modernizing Data Platforms Is Hard�������������������������������������7
Determine the Top Five Issues to Solve�����������������������������������������������������������9
Determine What Is Available On-Premise vs. on the Cloud���������������������������10
Create the Meetings Needed Throughout the Project������������������������������������12
Define Common Terms and Jargon���������������������������������������������������������������16
Key Takeaways����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������17

Chapter 2: Enabling the Security Model���������������������������������������������19


Objective: Identifying the Security Considerations���������������������������������������������19
The Recommendations���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������20
PII Columns: RBAC, ABAC Features����������������������������������������������������������������21
Central Access Control����������������������������������������������������������������������������������27

iii
Table of Contents

Authentication and Authorization (SAML vs. PING, etc.)��������������������������������31


Strategy for Data Obfuscation�����������������������������������������������������������������������44
GDPR and Other Data Privacy������������������������������������������������������������������������46
Ownership of the Platform, Interaction with Other
Stakeholders (CISO, Legal Teams, etc.)����������������������������������������������������������48
Legal/Contractual Obligations on Getting/Connecting Data from
a Third Party on the Cloud�����������������������������������������������������������������������������50
Key Takeaways����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������51

Chapter 3: Enabling the Organizational Structure������������������������������53


Objective: Identifying the Organizational Structure and Role������������������������������53
The Recommendations���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������54
Example Template for the Project������������������������������������������������������������������54
Key Takeaways����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������62

Chapter 4: The Data Lake Setup���������������������������������������������������������63


Objective: Detailed Design of the Data Lake�������������������������������������������������������63
The Recommendations���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������63
Structuring the Different Zones in the Data Lake������������������������������������������64
Defining the Folder Structure of the Zones with a Hierarchy������������������������67
Managing Data Sensitivity as Part of the Folder Structure Design����������������71
Setting the Encryption/Data Management Keys for Organizing Data������������73
Looking at Data Management Principles�������������������������������������������������������77
Understanding Data Flows����������������������������������������������������������������������������81
Setting the Right Access Control for Each Zone������������������������������������������145
Understanding File Formats and Structures in Each Zone��������������������������147
Key Takeaways��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������150

iv
Table of Contents

Chapter 5: Production Playground���������������������������������������������������151


Objective: Production Playground���������������������������������������������������������������������151
The Recommendations�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������152
What Is a Production Playground?��������������������������������������������������������������153
What Issues Will This Address?�������������������������������������������������������������������154
What Is a Production Playground Not ?�������������������������������������������������������155
What Does the Production Playground Consist Of?�������������������������������������155
Key Takeaways��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������158

Chapter 6: Production Operationalization����������������������������������������159


Objective: Production Operationalization����������������������������������������������������������159
The Recommendations�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������160
Key Takeaways��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������165

Chapter 7: Miscellaneous�����������������������������������������������������������������167
Objective: Advice to Follow�������������������������������������������������������������������������������167
Recommendations��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������167
Managing a Central Framework Along with
Project-­Specific Extensions�������������������������������������������������������������������������167
Allowing Project Teams to Build “User-­Defined Procedures” and
Contribute to the Central Framework����������������������������������������������������������168
Advantages and Disadvantages of a Single vs. Multi-account Strategy�����169
Creating a New Organizational Unit AWS Account vs. Onboard Teams
to a Central IT Managed AWS Account��������������������������������������������������������171
Considerations for Integrating with Schedulers������������������������������������������172
Choosing a Data Warehouse Technology�����������������������������������������������������173
Managing Autoscaling���������������������������������������������������������������������������������174
Managing Disaster Recovery�����������������������������������������������������������������������175

v
Table of Contents

AWS Accounts Used for Delivery�����������������������������������������������������������������176


Data Platform Cost Controls������������������������������������������������������������������������178
Common Anti-patterns to Avoid�������������������������������������������������������������������187
Poor Metadata Management�����������������������������������������������������������������������189
Key Takeaways��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������193

Index�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������195

vi
About the Author
Nayanjyoti Paul is an associate director and
chief Azure architect for GenAI and LLM
CoE for Accenture. He is the product owner
and creator of patented assets. Presently, he
leads multiple projects as a lead architect
around generative AI, large language models,
data analytics, and machine learning. Nayan
is a certified master technology architect,
certified data scientist, and certified Databricks
champion with additional AWS and Azure
certifications. He has been a speaker at conferences like Strata Conference,
Data Works Summit, and AWS Reinvent. He also delivers guest lectures at
universities.

vii
About the Technical Reviewer
Arunkumar is an architect with 20+ years of
experience in the IT industry. He has worked
with a wide variety of technologies in the
data, cloud, and AI spaces. He has experience
working in a variety of industries such as
banking, telecom, healthcare, and avionics.
As a lifelong learner, he enjoys taking on new
fields of study and challenging himself to
master the necessary skills and knowledge.

ix
Preface
This book explains how to implement a data lake strategy, covering the
technical and business challenges architects commonly face. It also
illustrates how and why client requirements should drive architectural
decisions.
Drawing upon a specific case from my own experience, I begin with
the consideration from which all subsequent decisions should flow: what
does your customer need?
I also describe the importance of identifying key stakeholders and the
key points to focus on when starting a project. Next, I take you through
the business and technical requirements-gathering process and how to
translate customer expectations into tangible technical goals.
From there, you’ll gain insight into the security model that will allow
you to establish security and legal guardrails, as well as different aspects of
security from the end user’s perspective. You’ll learn which organizational
roles need to be onboarded into the data lake, their responsibilities,
the services they need access to, and how the hierarchy of escalations
should work.
Subsequent chapters explore how to divide your data lakes into zones,
organize data for security and access, manage data sensitivity, and use
techniques for data obfuscation. Audit and logging capabilities in the
data lake are also covered before a deep dive into designing data lakes to
handle multiple file formats and access patterns. The book concludes by
focusing on production operationalization and solutions to implement a
production setup.

xi
Preface

After completing this book, you will understand how to implement a


data lake and the best practices to employ while doing so, and you will be
armed with practical tips to solve business problems.

What You Will Learn


Specifically, by reading this book, you will

• Understand the challenges associated with


implementing a data lake

• Explore the architectural patterns and processes used


to design a new data lake

• Design and implement data lake capabilities

• Associate business requirements with technical


deliverables to drive success

Who This Book Is For


This book was written for data scientists and architects, machine learning
engineers, and software engineers.

xii
Introduction
I landed at the airport and took an Uber to my customer’s office. I was
supposed to meet with the program manager on the customer side. After
the initial process and getting myself “checked in,” I entered the conference
room that was booked for our team. I knew most of the team from other
projects, but I was meeting a few of them for the first time. After the usual
greetings and a few of my colleagues congratulating me on my new role, I
was ready for the day to unfold.
This customer was a big organization, and there was a clear
“separation of concerns” from multiple teams. The schedule was set up,
and our first tasks were to get acquainted with the different organizational
units, identify the key stakeholders, and understand the stakeholders’
primary “asks.” It was important for my team to understand the key
organizational units and have one-on-one initial discussions. We needed
to connect with the following people and teams:

–– We needed to know the owner of this platform. This


typically includes who will own this data lake as a
platform from the customer’s point of view. Who will
pay the bills and eventually be the key decision-maker
for all technical and business decision-making? We
identified the senior VP of engineering as the key
stakeholder. We set up a one-hour call with him to
understand his expectations and his vision of the
future-state data lake.

xiii
Introduction

–– We wanted to know the team that was handling all the


data and analytics today. As the customer had an
on-premise footprint, we wanted to know the engineer-
ing team who had been managing the entire data and
analytics platform on-premise up to now. Eventually
they would be cross-trained and be the data engineer-
ing team in the cloud after we delivered the data lake.
As all the information of source systems, data onboard-
ing processes, current business reporting needs, etc.,
were managed by them, we needed to understand the
current business process of this team and document
them so that we could draw some parallels for what it
might take to transition those workload and business
requirements into the cloud as part of this journey. We
invited the engineering leads to an initial one-hour call.
–– We needed to connect with the chief information
security officer (CISO) and her team. Venturing into the
cloud was a new entity for my customer. Apart from the
technical questions and recommendations, we needed
to understand the business, contractual, and general
organizational obligations of what was permitted (and
what was not) from a security standpoint. We knew that
every organization has a set of predefined policies that
must be followed. Some of these guidelines come from
geography (like GDPR), some come from industry (like
HIPAA or financial data restrictions), and others may
come from data residency (like data sitting in the
customer’s own on-premise data center versus the
public cloud). Nevertheless, we needed to connect with
this team and understand what these policies meant for

xiv
Introduction

this customer and what considerations we needed to


take when we designing the platform as a whole. We
ended up setting up another one-hour call with
this team.

–– Next we set up a call with the “cloud engineering” team.


This was a new team, and they had started some
groundwork in laying out the “laws of the land,” mostly
in terms of network, services whitelisted, getting access
to a cloud network, access and onboarding of resources
to the cloud system, etc. We wanted to be acquainted
with the current process. Also, from a delivery point of
view, this project was a shared responsibility. Some of
the key aspects that our customer would still be “own-
ing” was the platform management and onboarding
part. Additionally, the strategies around disaster
recovery, high availability, etc., were going to be a
“shared responsibility.” Hence, it was critical for us to
work closely with the cloud engineering team, so we
scheduled a one-hour initial discussion with them.

–– Next was the DBA team. The DBA team currently


owned the databases on-premise but was also respon-
sible for eventually owning any databases, data marts,
and data warehouses that would be set up on the cloud
as part of this program. We set up a one-hour meeting
with them too.

–– Next was the data governance team. One of the key


reasons to move into the cloud (apart from the obvious
reasons of low-lost, easy maintenance, and limitless
storage and compute capacity) was to keep track of and
audit everything that was going on. We believed in a

xv
Introduction

“governance-­first” approach, and our customer


believed in that too. They wanted to keep an audit and
lineage trail of everything that would be happening on
the cloud so that the data lake (lake house) did not
become a swamp. An easy and centralized governance
process would make “things” in the data lake very
organized. Additionally, it would introduce data dis-
covery and search capability that would become a
crucial feature for building and establishing a data
marketplace and catalog to “shop for” all the data
(products) hosted on the data lake (lake house).

–– We also connected with the “business” users who were


the key stakeholders of the system. They were sup-
posed to use and consume data or analytics outcomes
from the platform. We had teams like data science,
business intelligence, C-suite executives, etc., who were
waiting to be onboarded onto the platform for different
reasons and rationales. We set up independent calls
with them to understand what “success” meant
for them.
–– Lastly, we wanted to quickly connect with our partner
teams. For example, the public cloud offering was from
AWS, and we wanted to connect with the AWS leads to
understand what was currently in ­discussion for this
implementation. Similarly, we connected with the
Collibra team that was providing the Collibra software
as an enterprise data catalog solution. Coming from a
consulting company, we have partnerships with both
vendors, and hence it was critical for us to be in sync
with them.

xvi
Another Random Document on
Scribd Without Any Related Topics
the name of the dragon (here Regin’s brother, Fafnir). The Voluspo
(stanza 12) names a Regin among the dwarfs, and the name may
have assisted in making Regin a dwarf here. Hreithmar: nothing is
known of him outside of this story. Othin, Hönir and Loki: these same
three gods appear in company in Voluspo, 17–18. Andvari’s fall:
according to Snorri, who tells this entire story in the Skaldskaparmal,
Andvari’s fall was in the world of the dark elves, while the one where
Loki killed the otter was not; here, however, the two are considered
identical. With his eyes shut: according to Snorri, Otr ate with his
eyes shut because he was so greedy that he could not bear to see
the food before him diminishing. Ron: wife of the sea-god Ægir, who
draws down drowning men with her net; cf. Helgakvitha
Hjorvarthssonar, 18 and note. Snorri says that Loki caught the pike
with his hands.

1. Snorri quotes this stanza. Water’s flame: gold, so called because


Ægir, the sea-god, was wont to light his hall with gold. [360]

2. Snorri quotes this stanza. The name of the speaker is not given in
the manuscripts. Oin: nothing further is known of Andvari’s father.
Norn: cf. Voluspo, 20.

3. Stanzas 3–4 may well be fragments of some other poem.


Certainly Loki’s question does not fit the situation, and the passage
looks like an extract from some such poem as Vafthruthnismol. In
Regius the phrase “Loki spake” stands in the middle of line 1.

4. The manuscript does not name the speaker. Vathgelmir (“Raging


to Wade”): a river not elsewhere mentioned, but cf. Voluspo, 39.

Prose. Snorri says Andvari’s ring had the power to create new gold.
In this it resembled Baldr’s ring, Draupnir; cf. Skirnismol, 21 and
note. [361]

5. This stanza apparently comes from a different source from


stanzas 1–4 (or 1–2 if 3–4 are interpolated) and 6–10; cf.
Introductory Note. In the Volsungasaga Andvari lays his curse
particularly on the ring. Gust: possibly a name for Andvari himself, or
for an earlier possessor of the treasure. Brothers twain: Fafnir and
Regin. Heroes eight: the word “eight” may easily have been
substituted for something like “all” to make the stanza fit the case;
the “eight” in question are presumably Sigurth, Gotthorm, Gunnar,
Hogni, Atli, Erp, Sorli and Hamther, all of whom are slain in the
course of the story. But the stanza may originally not have referred to
Andvari’s treasure at all.

Prose. Andvaranaut: “Andvari’s Gem.”

6. Snorri quotes this stanza, introducing it, as here, with “Then Loki
said” in the prose. Regius omits this phrase, but inserts “said Loki” in
line 1. [362]

8. The word translated “maid” in line 2 is obscure, and “gold” may be


meant. Apparently, however, the reference is to the fight between
Sigurth and the sons of Gjuki over Brynhild. The manuscript does not
name the speaker, and many editions assign this stanza to
Hreithmar.

9. The manuscript includes “said Hreithmar” (abbreviated) in the


middle of line 1, and some editors have followed this. [363]

10. Hreithmar’s daughters do not appear elsewhere. It has been


suggested that originally stanza 10 was followed by one in which
Lofnheith lamented her inability to avenge her father, as she was
married and had no son.

11. Apparently an interpolation (cf. Introductory Note). Vigfusson


tries to reconstruct lines 2 and 4 to fit the Ljothahattr rhythm, but
without much success. Hreithmar urges his daughter, as she has no
sons, to bear a daughter who, in turn, will have a son to avenge his
great-grandfather. Grundtvig worked out an ingenious theory to fit
this stanza, making Sigurth’s grandfather, Eylimi, the husband of
Lyngheith’s daughter, but there is absolutely no evidence to support
this. The stanza may have nothing to do with Hreithmar. [364]
13. This and the following stanza may be out of place here, really
belonging, together with their introductory prose sentence, in the
opening prose passage, following the first sentence describing
Regin. Certainly they seem to relate to Regin’s first meeting with
Sigurth. Stanzas 13–26, interspersed with prose, are quoted in the
Nornageststhattr. Stanzas 13–18 may be the remnants of a lost
poem belonging to the Helgi cycle (cf. Introductory Note). Hardy wolf:
warrior, i.e., Sigurth.

14. Yngvi’s heir: Yngvi was one of the sons of the Danish king
Halfdan the Old, and traditionally an ancestor of Helgi (cf.
Helgakvitha Hundingsbana I, 57 and note). Calling Sigurth [365]a
descendant of Yngvi is, of course, absurd, and the use of this phrase
is one of the many reasons for believing that stanzas 13–18
belonged originally to the Helgi cycle. The threads, etc.: another link
with Helgi; cf. Helgakvitha Hundingsbana I, 3–4. As Helgi was
likewise regarded as a son of Sigmund, stanzas 13–14 would fit him
just as well as Sigurth.

Prose. Gnitaheith: cf. Gripisspo, 11 and note. Fear-helm: the word


“ægis-hjalmr,” which occurs both here and in Fafnismol, suggests an
extraordinarily interesting, and still disputed, question of etymology.
Gram: according to the Volsungasaga Regin forged this sword from
the fragments of the sword given by Othin to Sigmund (cf. Fra
Dautha Sinfjotla and note).

15. Regarding the sons of Hunding and Eylimi, father of Sigurth’s


mother, all of whom belong to the Helgi tradition, cf. Fra Dautha
Sinfjotla and note.

Prose. The fleet, and the subsequent storm, are also reminiscent
[366]of the Helgi cycle; cf. Helgakvitha Hundingsbana I, 29–31, and II,
prose after stanza 16. A man: Othin.

16. Rævil’s steeds (Rævil was a sea-king, possibly the grandson of


Ragnar Lothbrok mentioned in the Hervararsaga), sail-horses and
sea-steeds all mean “ships.”

17. Sea-trees and roller-steeds (the latter because ships were pulled
up on shore by means of rollers) both mean “ships.”

18. The Volsungasaga quotes this stanza. Hnikar and Fjolnir: Othin
gives himself both these names in Grimnismol, 47; Feng (“The
Seizer”) does not appear elsewhere. According to the Volsungasaga,
no one knew Othin’s name when he came to Volsung’s house and
left the sword there for Sigmund. [367]

19. This and the following stanzas are strongly suggestive of the
Hovamol, and probably came originally from some such collection.

23. This stanza is clearly an interpolation, drawn in by the


[368]common-sense advice, as distinct from omens, given in the last
lines of stanza 22. Moon’s sister: the sun; cf. Vafthruthnismol, 23 and
note. Wedge-like: the wedge formation (prescribed anew in 1920 for
the United States Army under certain circumstances) was said to
have been invented by Othin himself, and taught by him only to the
most favored warriors.

24. Goddesses: Norse mythology included an almost limitless


number of minor deities, the female ones, both kind and unkind,
being generally classed among the lesser Norns.

25. This stanza almost certainly had nothing originally to do with the
others in this passage; it may have been taken from a longer version
of the Hovamol itself.

Prose. Lyngvi: the son of Hunding who killed Sigmund in jealousy of


his marriage with Hjordis; cf. Fra Dautha Sinfjotla and note. The
Volsungasaga names one brother who was with Lyngvi in the battle,
Hjorvarth, and Sigurth kills him as readily as if he had not already
been killed long before by Helgi. But, as has been seen, it was
nothing for a man to be killed in two or three different ways. [369]
26. Bloody eagle, etc.: the Nornageststhattr describes the manner in
which the captured Lyngvi was put to death. “Regin advised that they
should carve the bloody eagle on his back. So Regin took his sword
and cleft Lyngvi’s back so that he severed his back from his ribs, and
then drew out his lungs. So died Lyngvi with great courage.”

Prose. In Regius there is no break of any kind between this prose


passage and the prose introduction to the Fafnismol (cf. Introductory
Note). [370]
[Contents]
FAFNISMOL
The Ballad of Fafnir
[Contents]

Introductory Note
The so-called Fafnismol, contained in full in the Codex Regius,
where it immediately follows the Reginsmol without any indication of
a break, is quoted by Snorri in the Gylfaginning (stanza 13) and the
Skaldskaparmal (stanzas 32 and 33), and stanzas 6, 3, and 4
appear in the Sverrissaga. Although the Volsungasaga does not
actually quote any of the stanzas, it gives a very close prose parallel
to the whole poem in chapters 18 and 19.

The general character of the Fafnismol, and its probable relation to


the Reginsmol and the Sigrdrifumol, have been discussed in the
introductory note to the Reginsmol. While it is far more nearly a unit
than the Reginsmol, it shows many of the same characteristics. It
has the same mixture of stanza forms, although in this case only
nine stanzas (32–33, 35–36 and 40–44) vary from the normal
Ljothahattr measure. It shows, though to a much less marked extent,
the same tendency to introduce passages from extraneous sources,
such as the question-and-answer passage in stanzas 11–15. At the
same time, in this instance it is quite clear that one distinct poem,
including probably stanzas 1–10, 16–23, 25–31, and 34–39,
underlay the compilation which we here have. This may, perhaps,
have been a long poem (not, however, the “Long” Sigurth Lay; see
introductory note to Brot af Sigurtharkvithu) dealing with the Regin-
Fafnir-Sigurth-Brynhild story, and including, besides most of the
Fafnismol, stanzas 1–4 and 6–11 of the Reginsmol and part of the
so-called Sigrdrifumol, together with much that has been lost. The
original poem may, on the other hand, have confined itself to the
Fafnir episode.

In any case, and while the extant Fafnismol can be spoken of as a


distinct poem far more justly than the Reginsmol, there is still no
indication that the compiler regarded it as a poem by itself. His prose
notes run on without a break, and the verses simply cover a dramatic
episode in Sigurth’s early life. The fact that the work of compilation
has been done more intelligently than in the case of the Reginsmol
seems to have resulted chiefly from the compiler’s having been
familiar with longer consecutive verse passages dealing with the
Fafnir episode. [371]The Reginsmol is little more than a clumsy
mosaic, but in the Fafnismol it is possible to distinguish between the
main substance of the poem and the interpolations.

Here, as in the Reginsmol, there is very little that bespeaks the


German origin of the Sigurth story. Sigurth’s winning of the treasure
is in itself undoubtedly a part of the earlier southern legend, but the
manner in which he does it is thoroughly Norse. Moreover, the
concluding section, which points toward the finding of the sleeping
Brynhild, relates entirely to the northern Valkyrie, the warrior-maiden
punished by Othin, and not at all to the southern Brynhild the
daughter of Buthli. The Fafnismol is, however, sharply distinguished
from the Reginsmol by showing no clear traces of the Helgi tradition,
although a part of the bird song (stanzas 40–44, in Fornyrthislag
form, as distinct from the body of the poem) sounds suspiciously like
the bird passage in the beginning of the Helgakvitha
Hjorvarthssonar. Regarding the general relations of the various sets
of traditions in shaping the story of Sigurth, see the introductory note
to Gripisspo.

The Fafnismol, together with a part of the Sigrdrifumol, has indirectly


become the best known of all the Eddic poems, for the reason that
Wagner used it, with remarkably little change of outline, as the basis
for his “Siegfried.”
[Contents]

Sigurth and Regin went up to the Gnitaheith, and


found there the track that Fafnir made when he
crawled to water. Then Sigurth made a great trench
across the path, and took his place therein. When
Fafnir crawled from his gold, he blew out venom, and
it ran down from above on Sigurth’s head. But when
Fafnir crawled over the trench, then Sigurth thrust his
sword into his body [372]to the heart. Fafnir writhed
and struck out with his head and tail. Sigurth leaped
from the trench, and each looked at the other. Fafnir
said:

1. “Youth, oh, youth! | of whom then, youth, art


thou born?
Say whose son thou art,
Who in Fafnir’s blood | thy bright blade reddened,
And struck thy sword to my heart.”

Sigurth concealed his name because it was believed


in olden times that the word of a dying man might
have great power if he cursed his foe by his name.
He said:

2. “The Noble Hart | my name, and I go


A motherless man abroad;
Father I had not, | as others have,
And lonely ever I live.”

[373]

Fafnir spake:

3. “If father thou hadst not, | as others have,


By what wonder wast thou born?
(Though thy name on the day | of my death thou
hidest,
Thou knowest now thou dost lie.)”

Sigurth spake:

4. “My race, methinks, | is unknown to thee,


And so am I myself;
Sigurth my name, | and Sigmund’s son,
Who smote thee thus with the sword.”

Fafnir spake:

5. “Who drove thee on? | why wert thou driven


My life to make me lose?
A father brave | had the bright-eyed youth,
For bold in boyhood thou art.”

Sigurth spake:

6. “My heart did drive me, | my hand fulfilled,


And my shining sword so sharp;
Few are keen | when old age comes,
Who timid in boyhood be.”

[374]

Fafnir spake:

7. “If thou mightest grow | thy friends among,


One might see thee fiercely fight;
But bound thou art, | and in battle taken,
And to fear are prisoners prone.”

Sigurth spake:

8. “Thou blamest me, Fafnir, | that I see from afar


The wealth that my father’s was;
Not bound am I, | though in battle taken,
Thou hast found that free I live.”

Fafnir spake:

9. “In all I say | dost thou hatred see,


Yet truth alone do I tell;
The sounding gold, | the glow-red wealth,
And the rings thy bane shall be.”

Sigurth spake:
10. “Some one the hoard | shall ever hold,
Till the destined day shall come;
For a time there is | when every man
Shall journey hence to hell.”

Fafnir spake:

11. “The fate of the Norns | before the headland


[375]
Thou findest, and doom of a fool;
In the water shalt drown | if thou row ’gainst the
wind,
All danger is near to death.”

Sigurth spake:

12. “Tell me then, Fafnir, | for wise thou art famed,


And much thou knowest now:
Who are the Norns | who are helpful in need,
And the babe from the mother bring?”

Fafnir spake:

13. “Of many births | the Norns must be,


Nor one in race they were;
Some to gods, others | to elves are kin,
And Dvalin’s daughters some.”

Sigurth spake:
14. “Tell me then, Fafnir, | for wise thou art famed,
And much thou knowest now: [376]
How call they the isle | where all the gods
And Surt shall sword-sweat mingle?”

Fafnir spake:

15. “Oskopnir is it, | where all the gods


Shall seek the play of swords;
Bilrost breaks | when they cross the bridge,
And the steeds shall swim in the flood.

16. “The fear-helm I wore | to afright mankind,


While guarding my gold I lay;
Mightier seemed I | than any man,
For a fiercer never I found.”

Sigurth spake:

17. “The fear-helm surely | no man shields


When he faces a valiant foe;
Oft one finds, | when the foe he meets,
That he is not the bravest of all.”

Fafnir spake:

18. “Venom I breathed | when bright I lay


By the hoard my father had; [377]
(There was none so mighty | as dared to meet me,
And weapons nor wiles I feared.)”

Sigurth spake:

19. “Glittering worm, | thy hissing was great,


And hard didst show thy heart;
But hatred more | have the sons of men
For him who owns the helm.”

Fafnir spake:

20. “I counsel thee, Sigurth, | heed my speech,


And ride thou homeward hence;
The sounding gold, | the glow-red wealth,
And the rings thy bane shall be.”

Sigurth spake:

21. “Thy counsel is given, | but go I shall


To the gold in the heather hidden;
And, Fafnir, thou | with death dost fight,
Lying where Hel shall have thee.”

Fafnir spake:

22. “Regin betrayed me, | and thee will betray,


Us both to death will he bring; [378]
His life, methinks, | must Fafnir lose,
For the mightier man wast thou.”
Regin had gone to a distance while Sigurth fought
Fafnir, and came back while Sigurth was wiping the
blood from his sword. Regin said:

23. “Hail to thee, Sigurth! | Thou victory hast,


And Fafnir in fight hast slain;
Of all the men | who tread the earth,
Most fearless art thou, methinks.”

Sigurth spake:

24. “Unknown it is, | when all are together,


(The sons of the glorious gods,)
Who bravest born shall seem;
Some are valiant | who redden no sword
In the blood of a foeman’s breast.”

Regin spake:

25. “Glad art thou, Sigurth, | of battle gained,


As Gram with grass thou cleansest;
My brother fierce | in fight hast slain,
And somewhat I did myself.”

[379]

Sigurth spake:

26. “Afar didst thou go | while Fafnir reddened


With his blood my blade so keen;
With the might of the dragon | my strength I
matched,
While thou in the heather didst hide.”

Regin spake:

27. “Longer wouldst thou | in the heather have let


Yon hoary giant hide,
Had the weapon availed not | that once I forged,
The keen-edged blade thou didst bear.”

Sigurth spake:

28. “Better is heart | than a mighty blade


For him who shall fiercely fight;
The brave man well | shall fight and win,
Though dull his blade may be.

29. “Brave men better | than cowards be,


When the clash of battle comes;
And better the glad | than the gloomy man
Shall face what before him lies.

30. “Thy rede it was | that I should ride [380]


Hither o’er mountains high;
The glittering worm | would have wealth and life
If thou hadst not mocked at my might.”
Then Regin went up to Fafnir and cut out his heart
with his sword, that was named Rithil, and then he
drank blood from the wounds. Regin said:

31. “Sit now, Sigurth, | for sleep will I,


Hold Fafnir’s heart to the fire;
For all his heart | shall eaten be,
Since deep of blood I have drunk.”

Sigurth took Fafnir’s heart and cooked it on a spit.


When he thought that it was fully cooked, and the
blood foamed out of the heart, then he tried it with his
finger to see whether it was fully cooked. He burned
his finger, and put it in his mouth. But when Fafnir’s
heart’s-blood came on his tongue, he understood the
speech of birds. He heard nut-hatches chattering in
the thickets. A nut-hatch said:

32. “There sits Sigurth, | sprinkled with blood,


And Fafnir’s heart | with fire he cooks; [381]
Wise were the breaker | of rings, I ween,
To eat the life-muscles | all so bright.”

A second spake:

33. “There Regin lies, | and plans he lays


The youth to betray | who trusts him well;
Lying words | with wiles will he speak,
Till his brother the maker | of mischief avenges.”

A third spake:

34. “Less by a head | let the chatterer hoary


Go from here to hell;
Then all of the wealth | he alone can wield,
The gold that Fafnir guarded.”

A fourth spake:

35. “Wise would he seem | if so he would heed


The counsel good | we sisters give; [382]
Thought he would give, | and the ravens gladden,
There is ever a wolf | where his ears I spy.”

A fifth spake:

36. “Less wise must be | the tree of battle


Than to me would seem | the leader of men,
If forth he lets | one brother fare,
When he of the other | the slayer is.”

A sixth spake:

37. “Most foolish he seems | if he shall spare


His foe, the bane of the folk;
There Regin lies, | who hath wronged him so,
Yet falsehood knows he not.”
A seventh spake:

38. “Let the head from the frost-cold | giant be


hewed,
And let him of rings be robbed;
Then all the wealth | which Fafnir’s was
Shall belong to thee alone.”

Sigurth spake:

39. “Not so rich a fate | shall Regin have [383]


As the tale of my death to tell;
For soon the brothers | both shall die,
And hence to hell shall go.”

Sigurth hewed off Regin’s head, and then he ate


Fafnir’s heart, and drank the blood of both Regin and
Fafnir. Then Sigurth heard what the nut-hatch said:

40. “Bind, Sigurth, the golden | rings together,


Not kingly is it | aught to fear;
I know a maid, | there is none so fair,
Rich in gold, | if thou mightest get her.

41. “Green the paths | that to Gjuki lead, [384]


And his fate the way | to the wanderer shows;
The doughty king | a daughter has,
That thou as a bride | mayst, Sigurth, buy.”
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