she had pledged her troth to Sigurd, and is thereupon placed in
chains by Hogni. Seven days she sleeps, and no one dares to wake
her. Finally Sigurd succeeds in making her talk, and she tells
him how cruelly she has been deceived, that the better man had
been destined for her, but that she had received the poorer one.
This Sigurd denies, for Giuki's son had killed the king of the
Danes and also Budli's brother, a great warrior. Moreover,
although he, Sigurd, had ridden through the flames, he had not
become her husband. He begs her therefore not to harbor a grudge
against Gunnar.

Brynhild remains unconvinced, and plans Sigurd's death, and
threatens Gunnar with the loss of dominion and life, if he will
not kill Sigurd. After some hesitation, Gunnar consents, and,
calling Hogni, informs him that he must kill Sigurd, in order to
obtain the treasure of the Rhinegold. Hogni warns him against
breaking his oath to Sigurd, when it occurs to Gunnar, that his
brother Gutthorm had sworn no oath and might do the deed. Both
now proceed to excite the latter's greed, and give him wolf's and
snake meat to eat to make him savage. Twice Gutthorm makes the
attempt, as Sigurd lies in bed, but is deterred by the latter's
penetrating glance. The third time he finds Sigurd asleep, and
pierces him with his sword. Sigurd, awakening at the pain, hurls
his own sword after his murderer, fairly cutting him in two. He
then dies, protesting his innocence and designating Brynhild as
the instigator of his murder. Brynhild at first laughs aloud at
Gudrun's frantic grief, but later her joy turns into sorrow, and
she determines to share Sigurd's death. In vain they try to
dissuade her; donning her gold corselet, she pierces herself with
a sword and begs to be burned on Sigurd's funeral pyre. In dying