The Völsunga Saga on Brynhild

The Story Of The Volsungs, (Volsunga Saga) > With Excerpts From The Poetic Edda > Introduction

• comparison: Brynhild is considered a diminished character in the Nibelungenlied compared to her saga portrayal

  "Brynhild loses a great deal, and is a poor creature when compared with herself in the saga"

The Story Of The Volsungs, (Volsunga Saga) > With Excerpts From The Poetic Edda > Translators' Preface.

• attribution: Brynhild's awakening and her wise counsels to Sigurd come from the Lay of Sigrdrifa

  "Then comes the waking of Brynhild, and her wise redes to Sigurd, taken from the Lay of Sigrdrifa"

The Story Of The Volsungs, (Volsunga Saga) > CHAPTER XX. Of Sigurd's Meeting with Brynhild on the Mountain.

• attestation: Brynhild was identified as a Valkyrie who had been punished by Odin

  "she smote down Helm-Gunnar in the fight; and Odin, in vengeance for that deed, stuck the sleep-thorn into me"

• attestation: Brynhild taught thought-runes claiming she was wiser than all others in rune knowledge

  "Thought-runes shalt thou deal with, If thou wilt be Of all men fairest-souled wight"

• attestation: Brynhild offered Sigurd ale mixed with fame and runes of wisdom

  "Beer bring I to thee, Fair fruit of the byrnies' clash, Mixed is it mightily, Mingled with fame"

• attestation: Brynhild taught Sigurd war-runes to be carved on sword hilts, naming Tyr twice

  "Runes of war know thou, If great thou wilt be! Cut them on hilt of hardened sword, Some on the brand's back, Some on its shining side, Twice name Tyr therein."

• attestation: Brynhild taught sea-runes for ship safety, ale-runes against betrayal, birth-runes to help women in labor, and wave-runes for healing

  "Sea-runes good at need, Learnt for ship's saving"

The Story Of The Volsungs, (Volsunga Saga) > CHAPTER XXI. More Wise Words of Brynhild.

• attestation: Brynhild counseled Sigurd to be kind to friends and kin, and to bear wrongs with patience

  "Be kindly to friend and kin, and reward not their trespasses against thee; bear and forbear, and win thereby long enduring praise of men."

The Story Of The Volsungs, (Volsunga Saga) > CHAPTER XXIV. Sigurd sees Brynhild at Hlymdale.

• relationship: Brynhild was Heimir's foster-daughter who had returned to his home after her time in battle

  "In those days came home to Heimir, Brynhild, his foster-daughter"

• attestation: Brynhild sat embroidering Sigurd's great deeds: the slaying of Fafnir, the taking of the treasure, and Regin's death

  "she sat, overlaying cloth with gold, and sewing therein the great deeds which Sigurd had wrought, the slaying of the Worm, and the taking of the wealth of him, and the death of Regin withal."

The Story Of The Volsungs, (Volsunga Saga) > CHAPTER XXV. Of the Dream of Gudrun, Giuki's daughter.

• attestation: Brynhild identified Sigurd son of Sigmund as the greatest of men, who slew Hunding's sons and avenged his father

  "Sigurd, the son of Sigmund the king; a youngling was he in the days when he slew the sons of Hunding, and revenged his father, and Eylimi, his mother's father."

The Story Of The Volsungs, (Volsunga Saga) > CHAPTER XXVII. The Wooing of Brynhild.

• attestation: Brynhild recalled fighting alongside the king of the Greeks and her weapons being stained with blood

  "I have been in battles with the king of the Greeks, and our weapons were stained with red blood"

• attestation: Brynhild sat armed with sword, helm, and byrny, requiring her suitor to be the first and best of men

  "she sat like unto swan on billow, having a sword in her hand, and a helm on her head, and being clad in a byrny, "O Gunnar," she says, "speak not to me of such things, unless thou be the first and best of all men""

The Story Of The Volsungs, (Volsunga Saga) > CHAPTER XXVIII. How the Queens held angry converse together at the

• attestation: The quarrel began when Brynhild refused to stand lower in the river, asserting her husband's superiority

  "I am minded to think that my father is mightier than thine, and my true love has wrought many wondrous works of fame"

• attestation: Brynhild waded farther into the river than Gudrun, claiming her husband was the mightier man

  "Brynhild waded the farthest out into the river; then asked Gudrun what that deed might signify.

Brynhild said, "Yea, and why then should I be equal to thee in this matter more than in others?""

• attestation: Brynhild claimed her true love had ridden through the flame and brought her many gifts, implying it was Gunnar

  "my true love has wrought many wondrous works of fame, and hath ridden the flaming fire, whereas thy husband was the thrall of King Hjalprek."

• comparison: Brynhild declared that Sigurd's slaying of Fafnir was worth more than all of Gunnar's might

  "Sigurd slew Fafnir, and that only deed is of more worth than all the might of King Gunnar."

The Story Of The Volsungs, (Volsunga Saga) > CHAPTER XXIX. Of Brynhild's great Grief and Mourning.

• attestation: Brynhild accused Gunnar of deceiving her with the ring that should have been her morning-gift from Budli

  "What didst thou with that ring that I gave thee, even the one which King Budli gave me at our last parting"

• attestation: After the quarrel, Brynhild took to her bed in grief and Gunnar went to see her

  "After this talk Brynhild lay a-bed, and tidings were brought to King Gunnar that Brynhild was sick"

• attestation: Brynhild confessed she never loved Gunnar though she hid this from others

  "Never looked I at Gunnar in such a wise that my heart smiled on him; and hard and fell am I to him, though I hide it from others."

The Story Of The Volsungs, (Volsunga Saga) > CHAPTER XXX. Of the Slaying of Sigurd Fafnir's-bane.

• attestation: Brynhild declared she would lose realm, wealth, life, and Gunnar unless Sigurd was slain

  "Thou shalt lose both realm and wealth, and thy life and me, for I shall fare home to my kin, and abide there in sorrow"

The Story Of The Volsungs, (Volsunga Saga) > CHAPTER XXXI. Of the Lamentation of Gudrun over Sigurd dead, as it is

• relationship: Brynhild is identified as Budli's daughter

  "Then spake Brynhild, Budli's daughter"

• attestation: Brynhild stood by a pillar and fire flashed from her eyes as she looked upon Sigurd's wound

  "By a pillar she stood And strained its wood to her; From the eyes of Brynhild, Budli's daughter,"

• attestation: Brynhild blames Atli, her own brother born of Budli, for bringing bale upon them

  "None but Atli Brought bale upon us, My very brother Born of Budli."

The Story Of The Volsungs, (Volsunga Saga) > CHAPTER XXXII. Of the Ending of Brynhild.

• attestation: Brynhild tells Gunnar she dreamed his bed was cold and he would ride into the hands of his foes

  "Such a dream I had, Gunnar, as that my bed was acold, and that thou didst ride into the hands of thy foes"

• attestation: Brynhild weeps for what she had previously prayed for with laughter

  "And now none might know for what cause Brynhild must bewail with weeping for what she had prayed for with laughter"

• attestation: Brynhild reminds Gunnar he blended his blood with Sigurd's blood and broke that oath by slaying him

  "dimly didst thou remember how thou didst blend thy blood with the blood of Sigurd, and with an ill reward hast thou rewarded him for all that he did well to thee"

• relationship: Brynhild had plighted herself to the son of King Sigmund and no other

  "in those days I plighted myself to the son of King Sigmund and no other"

• attestation: Brynhild requests to be burned on one side of Sigurd with a drawn sword laid between them, as when they shared a bed

  "burn me thereon on one side of the King of the Huns, and on the other those men of mine, two at the head and two at the feet, and two hawks withal"

• attestation: Brynhild prophesies that Gudrun and Gunnar will be reconciled through the counsel of Grimhild the Wise-wife

  "speedily shall ye be at one again with Gudrun by the rede of Grimhild the Wise-wife"

• attestation: Brynhild requests a great funeral pyre for herself, Sigurd, and those slain with him, covered with Gaulish red cloth

  "Let make a great bale on the plain meads for all of us; for me, and for Sigurd, and for those who were slain with him, and let that be covered over with cloth dyed red by the folk of the Gauls"

The Story Of The Volsungs, (Volsunga Saga) > Part Of The Lay Of Sigrdrifa (1) > The Lay Called The Short Lay Of Sigurd.

• attestation: Brynhild sat through evenings with craft enough to plan all manner of ill

  "Sigurd a-riding Amidst their rout; The wise young Volsung Who knew of all ways"

• attestation: Brynhild's sore urging bears too much on Gunnar, driving the plot against Sigurd

  "Brynhild's sore urging O'ermuch on thee beareth."

• attestation: Brynhild wavered whether to fight and fell folk because of her brother, which would have been famous but caused sorrow

  "Wavered the mind Within me then, If to fight I should fall And the felling of folk, Bold in Byrny Because of my brother"

• attestation: Brynhild let all sink to peace and grew minded for the mighty treasure, the red-shining rings of Sigmund's son, wanting no other man's wealth

  "So I let all sink Into peace at the last: More grew I minded For the mighty treasure, The red-shining rings Of Sigmund's son; For no man's wealth else Would I take unto me."

• attestation: Brynhild says she had given herself to the great king who sat amid gold on Grani's back; his eyes and visage were unlike Gunnar's

  "For myself had I given To that great king Who sat amid gold On the back of Grani; Nought were his eyes Like to your eyen, Nor in any wise Went his visage with yours"

• attestation: Brynhild loved one and none other, the gold-decked may had no divided heart

  "One I loved, One, and none other, The gold-decked may Had n"

• attestation: Brynhild says all her wrongs will be known to Sigurd when she comes among the dead

  "Sigmund's son"

• attestation: Brynhild requests that eight of her thralls and five bondwomen be burned on the bale with her, along with other wealth

  "Burn eight of my thralls"

• attestation: Brynhild prophesies Gudrun shall be given to a great noble one, not with her goodwill, and Atli her brother born of Budli will come to win her

  "Thou shalt give Gudrun Unto a great one, Noble, well-praised Of the world's folk; Not with her goodwill, Or love shalt thou give her; Yet will Atli Come to win her, My very brother, Born of Budli."

• attestation: Brynhild prophesies Gunnar will be fain to win Oddrun but Atli will prevent it; they shall meet in secret and she will love him as Brynhild would have

  "Fain wilt thou be Oddrun to win, But thy good liking Shall Atli let; But in secret wise Shall ye win together, And she shall love thee As I had loved thee"

• attestation: Brynhild prophesies Atli will cast Gunnar into a strait worm-close

  "But with all ill Shall Atli sting thee, Into the strait worm-close Shall he cast thee."

The Story Of The Volsungs, (Volsunga Saga) > Part Of The Lay Of Sigrdrifa (1) > The Hell-Ride Of Brynhild.

• attestation: After Brynhild's death two bales were made: Sigurd's was burned first, then Brynhild was burned on the other in a chariot hung with goodly hangings

  "After the death of Brynhild were made two bales, one for Sigurd, and that was first burned; but Brynhild was burned on the other, and she was in a chariot hung about with goodly hangings."

• attestation: Brynhild drove in her chariot down to Hell and passed by an abode of a giantess who challenged her

  "Brynhild drave in her chariot down along the way to Hell, and passed by an abode where dwelt a certain giantess, and the giantess spake"

The Story Of The Volsungs, (Volsunga Saga) > Part Of The Lay Of Sigrdrifa (1) > The Giant-Woman

• attestation: The giantess tells Brynhild she may not pass through her stone-pillared stead; it would be more seemly to sit sewing cloth than to seek another's love

  "Nay, with my goodwill Never goest thou Through this stone-pillared Stead of mine! More seemly for thee To sit sewing the cloth, Than to go look on The love of another."

• attestation: The giantess asks what Brynhild does coming from the land of the Gauls and whether she has washed men's blood from her hands

  "What dost thou, going From the land of the Gauls, O restless head, To this mine house? Golden girl, hast thou not, If thou listest to hearken, In sweet wise from thy hands The blood of men washen?"

• attestation: The giantess says Brynhild, Budli's daughter, was the worst ever born, having gotten death for Giuki's children and destroyed their goodly dwelling

  "Thou, O Brynhild, Budli's daughter, Wert the worst ever born Into the world; For Giuki's children Death hast thou gotten, And turned to destruction Their goodly dwelling."

The Story Of The Volsungs, (Volsunga Saga) > Part Of The Lay Of Sigrdrifa (1) > Brynhild

• attestation: Brynhild says the giantess should not blame her; she roved warring in days gone by and shall ever be deemed the higher of the two

  "Nay, blame me naught, Bride of the rock-hall, Though I roved a warring In the days that were; The higher of us twain Shall I ever be holden When of our kind Men make account."

• attestation: Brynhild tells her tale from the chariot: the Hlymdale people called her Hild under helm

  "Hild under helm, The Hlymdale people, E'en those who knew me, Ever would call me."

• attestation: Brynhild was one of eight sisters whose shapes a wise king bade them bear under an oak-tree

  "The changeful shapes Of us eight sisters, The wise king bade Under oak-tree to bear"

• attestation: At twelve winters old Brynhild swore oaths of love to a young lord

  "Of twelve winters was I, If thou listest to wot, When I sware to the young lord Oaths of love."

• attestation: Brynhild sent Helmgunnar the old to Hell among the folk of the Goths and gave victory to Aud's brother; this made Odin overwroth with her

  "Thereafter gat I Mid the folk of the Goths, For Helmgunnar the old, Swift journey to Hell, And gave to Aud's brother The young, gain and glory; Whereof overwrath Waxed Odin with me."

The Story Of The Volsungs, (Volsunga Saga) > Part Of The Lay Of Sigrdrifa (1) > Brynhild Spake:

• attestation: Brynhild curses the House of the Niblungs to be brought to naught as oath-breakers, reminding Gunnar they let blood run in one footstep

  "So now all ye, O House of the Niblungs, Shall be brought to naught, O ye oath-breakers!

  "Think'st thou not, Gunnar, How that betid, When ye let the blood run Both in one footstep?"

• attestation: Brynhild tells Gunnar of grim dreams: a dead-cold hall, his bed cold, and Gunnar riding reft of bliss and laden with fetters among foes

  "In dreams, O Gunnar, Grim things fell on me; Dead-cold the hall was, And my bed was a-cold, And thou, lord, wert riding Reft of all bliss, Laden with fetters 'Mid the host of thy foemen."