win her. So furious was she at the dreadful insult which
had been placed upon her by Gudrun that she attempted to take Gunnar's
life. She still loved Sigurd, and could never forgive Gunnar and his
sister for robbing her of him. So terrible was her grief that she sank
into a deep slumber in which she remained for seven days, no one daring
to waken her. Finally Sigurd succeeded in doing so, and she lamented to
him how cruelly she had been deceived; she declared that he and she
had been destined for one another, and that now she had received for
a husband a man who could not match with him. Sigurd begged her not to
harbour a grudge against Gunnar, and told her of his mighty deeds--how
that he had slain the king of the Danes, and also the brother of Budli,
a great warrior--but Brunhild did not cease to lament, and planned
Sigurd's death, threatening Gunnar with the loss of his dominions and
his life if he would not kill Sigurd. Gunnar hesitated for a long time,
but at length consented, and calling Hogni, ordered him to slay Sigurd
that they might thus obtain the treasure of the Rhinegold. Hogni was
aghast at this, and reminded him that they had pledged their oaths to
Sigurd.

Then Gunnar remembered that his brother Gutthorm had sworn no oath of
loyalty to Sigurd, and so might perform the deed. They plied him with
wolf and snake meat to eat, so that he might become savage by nature,
and they tried to excite his greed with tales of the Rhinegold treasure.
Twice did Gutthorm make the attempt as Sigurd lay in bed, but twice
he was deterred from slaying him by the hero's penetrating glance. The
third time, however, he found him asleep and pierced him with his sword.
Sigurd awoke and hurled his own sword after Gutthorm, cutting him in
two. He then died, stating that he knew Brunhild to be the instigator
of the murder. Gudrun's grief was frantic, and at this Brunhild laughed
aloud as if with joy; but later she became more grief-stricken than
Sigurd's wife herself, and determined to be done with life. Donning
her richest array, she pierced herself with a sword. As she expired she
requested to be burned on Sigurd's funeral pyre, and also prophesied
that Gudrun would marry Atli, and that the death of many heroes would be
caused thereby.

Gudrun's Adventure

Gudrun in her great sorrow fled to the court of King Half of Denmark,
at which she tarried for seven years. Her mother Grimhild learned of
her place of concealment and attempte