Says Gudrun, "Nay, lay no ill words on her, for in all things she
is to thee as to her own daughter."

"Ah," says Brynhild, "she is the beginning of all this hale that
biteth so; an evil drink she bare to Sigurd, so that he had no
more memory of my very name."

"All wrong thou talkest; a lie without measure is this," quoth
Gudrun.

Brynhild answered, "Have thou joy of Sigurd according to the
measure of the wiles wherewith ye have beguiled me! Unworthily
have ye conspired against me; may all things go with you as my
heart hopes!"

Gudrun says, "More joy shall I have of him than thy wish would
give unto me: but to no man's mind it came, that he had aforetime
his pleasure of me; nay not once."

"Evil speech thou speakest," says Brynhild; "when thy wrath runs
off thou wilt rue it; but come now, let us no more cast angry
words one at the other!"

Says Gudrun, "Thou wert the first to cast such words at me, and
now thou makest as if thou wouldst amend it, but a cruel and hard
heart abides behind."

"Let us lay aside vain babble," says Brynhild. "Long did I hold
my peace concerning my sorrow of heart, and, lo now, thy brother