wishes to see Hogni's bleeding heart. At first the heart of a
slave is cut out and brought to him, but Gunnar recognizes it at
once as that of a coward. Then they cut out Hogni's heart, who
laughs at the pain. This Gunnar sees is the right one, and is
jubilant, for now Atli shall never obtain the treasure, as Gunnar
alone knows where it is hid. In a rage Atli orders Gunnar to be
thrown to the snakes. Though his hands are bound, Gunnar plays
so sweetly with his toes on the harp, which Gudrun has sent him,
that all the snakes are lulled to sleep, with the exception of an
adder, which stings him to the heart, so that he dies.

Atli now walks triumphantly over the dead bodies, and remarks to
Gudrun that she alone is to blame for what has happened. She
refuses his offers of peace and reconciliation, and towards
evening kills her two sons "Erp" and "Eitil", and serves them at
the banquet, which the king gives for his retainers. When Atli
asks for his sons, he is told that he had drunk their blood mixed
with wine and had eaten their hearts. That night when Atli is
asleep, Gudrun takes Hogni's son "Hniflung", who desires to
avenge his father, and together they enter Atli's room and thrust
a sword through his breast. Atli awakes from the pain, only to
be told by Gudrun that she is his murderess. When he reproaches
her with thus killing her husband, she answers that she cared
only for Sigurd. Atli now asks for a fitting burial, and on
receiving the promise of this, expires. Gudrun carries out her
promise, and burns the castle with Atli and all his dead
retainers. Other Edda songs relate the further adventures of
Gudrun, but they do not concern us here, as the "Nibelungenlied"
stops with the death of the Nibelungs.