Witege, Witige or Wittich (; Gotho-) or Vidrik "Vidga" Verlandsson ( + Viðga or Videke + Verlandsson, Vallandsson, or Villandsson) is a character in several Germanic heroic legends, poems about Dietrich von Bern, and later Scandinavian ballads.
In German legends, he was one of the warriors of Dietrich von Bern, but betrayed him and took instead the side of his wicked Uncle Ermenrich. In one of the Scandinavian ballads (TSB E 119), he won particular fame in his duel with Langben Rese/Risker (the giant Etgeir in the Þiðrekssaga).
During the Middle Ages, he became the son of Wayland the Smith and Böðvildr, and this entitled him to carry a hammer and tongs in his coat of arms. Later the origin of his name "Wayland's son" was forgotten, but the fame of the character prevailed. During the 16th and the 17th centuries, this led to the idea that his name "Villandsson" referred to Villand Hundred in Skåne, and the hundred duly began to use his coat of arms as its own. Wudga wielded the sword Mimung, forged by his father, as was the helmet he wore. His mount was the stallion Schimming, one of the finest horses of its age.
Widsith
One of the earliest appearances of Wudga is in the poem Widsith, lines 123-130, where he appears together with his friend Háma (Heimir):
Waldere
In the Anglo-Saxon fragment known as Waldere, Wudga (Widia) is mentioned together with his father Wayland in a praise of Mimung, Waldere's sword that Weyland had made.
Partly on the basis of this allusion, Jennifer Lorden has argued that, although he is not named in the poem, the five allusive vignettes that comprise the first half of the Old English poem Deor trace the birth and career of Widia.
Middle High German Dietrich Poems
In the so-called fantastical Dietrich poems, Witege is one of Dietrich von Bern's warriors. In Laurin, Witige accompanies Dietrich and is responsible for destroying the dwarf King Laurin's rose garden. Dietrich then saves him from Laurin's wrath. Witige accompanies Dietrich, Hildebrand, and Dietleib into Laurin's kingdom and is captured. Dietleib arranges for their escape and the destruction of the dwarf kingdom. In Virginal, Witige, together with Heime, is one of the warriors who saves Dietrich from captivity in the hands of giants—a situation reminiscent of that in Waldere. He is also mentioned as one of Dietrich's warriors in the Rosengarten zu Worms, battling the giant Asprian.
In the so-called "historical" poems, which seem to take place after the fantastical ones, Witege has betrayed Dietrich and joined his wicked Uncle Ermenrich. No surviving poem relates the story of how Witege came to betray Dietrich, however; it is merely assumed as the situation from which the poems begin. One version of the Rosengarten, the reason is because Dietrich's man Wolfhart is angry that Witege had refused to fight unless he received Schemming—Witege requests to leave in order to avoid a feud and Dietrich allows him, reminding him of his oaths. In Dietrichs Flucht, Witege is responsible for capturing a large number of Dietrich's men. In order to have them returned, Dietrich must leave his kingdom. Witege is captured by Dietrich during the latter's attempt to reclaim his kingdom in Italy; Dietrich forgives Witege and trusts him with Ravenna. Witege soon betrays Dietrich, however, and hands the city over to Ermenrich, slaughtering the inhabitants. In the Rabenschlacht, Witege reluctantly kills the two sons of Etzel and Dietrich's brother Diether when he is forced to fight them. He is then pursued into the sea by a vengeful Dietrich, but saved by a mermaid. In Alpharts Tod, Witege and his companion Heime fight and kill the young warrior Alphart. Witege kills Alphart from behind in order to save Heime's life. He is nevertheless portrayed as reluctant to fight against his former friend Dietrich. He is mentioned as having slain the young Nuodunc in the Nibelungenlied.
Witege's horse Schemming and his sword Mimming are mentioned in multiple poems. One version of Virginal mentions that he bears a banner with a silver serpent and a hammer and tongs. In one version of the Rosengarten (A), Dietrich gives Schemming to Witege to encourage him to fight. In another, it is mentioned that Witege had lost Schemming to Dietrich, having originally received the horse from his father. In Dietrichs Flucht, however, Dietrich gives Witege Schemming when he has returned to his side. Schemming is the horse that saves Witege in the Rabenschlacht. Wielant the smith is mentioned as Witege's father in multiple poems.