The Guests of Odin (14 page)

Sigurd rode for many miles before reaching the mountain Hindarfjoll, and then he turned south, towards Frakkland. Ahead on the mountain, he saw a light, as if a great fire was burning. He went towards it and found a rampart of shields with a banner fluttering above. Sigurd went over the rampart and saw a figure clad in armour lying there asleep. He took the helmet off the figure and saw that it was a woman. Her mailcoat was so tight it seemed to have grown into her flesh. He cut her free with Gram and she awoke. Her name was Brynhild. She asked if he was Sigurd.

He
confirmed this, and added, “I have heard that you are the daughter of a great king.”

She told him, “Two kings fought long ago, an old warrior-king of the Goths named Hjalm-Gunnar, to whom Odin promised victory, and another named Agnar, who was young and strong. I gave Agnar victory against Odin’s wishes and Odin said that I would never again be victorious, but would marry. I vowed that I would only marry a man who knew no fear. Then Odin stabbed me with a thorn that put me into a deep sleep from which none could waken me.”

They drank together and Brynhild instructed Sigurd concerning the runes and warfare and other matters. They pledged that they would marry. The next day Sigurd rode on until he came to the farm of Hlymdale, in Svavaland, where Brynhild had been fostered by Heimir. Her sister was named Bekkhild, and she had stayed at home, learning needlework and other womanly skills, later marrying Heimir. Brynhild and Bekkhild were the daughters of King Budli, and their brother was Atli, who later ruled over Hunland. Heimir and Bekkhild had a son named Alsvid, who greeted Sigurd well. Sigurd stayed there a long time with much honour for killing the dragon.

Brynhild came home sometime after this and she stayed in a bower with her women, where she was delivered of a girl child named Aslaug, but Sigurd knew nothing of this. Now Brynhild embroidered a tapestry with the deeds of Sigurd. Still he knew nothing of her coming until he was hawking in the forest and his bird flew to a high tower where Brynhild and her women dwelt. The next day Sigurd returned and greeted her, sat beside her and kissed her.

But Brynhild said, “We are not fated to be together. I will continue to be a shieldmaiden while you will marry Gudrun, daughter of Gjuki.”

Sigurd swore that this would not be so, “I will marry you or no other.” She said that she was of a like mind, and Sigurd gave her Andvari’s ring to seal the agreement.

5.
The Gjukungs

Sigurd went away with the warriors that Alsvid had given him and they joined the host of Isung of Bertangaland, to whose lands came the famous Thjodrek of Bern, who had been exiled from Gothland by his evil uncle King Jormunrekk, accompanied by the Gjukungs Gunnar and Hogni. The two armies fought, and the fighting went on for many days, until at last it came to combat between Sigurd and Thjodrek. Neither warrior could defeat the other, until Thjodrek borrowed the sword Mimung, which belonged to his companion Vidga, son of Volund the renowned smith and prince of the elves, and was the work of Volund. Although Sigurd refused to fight Thjodrek if he bore that sword, his opponent tricked him and defeated him with the blade. Sigurd accepted Thjodrek’s suzerainty and joined the retinue of Thjodrek’s companions, Gunnar and Hogni.

The Gjukungs lived in their father’s kingdom south of the Rhine; their father was King Gjuki, their mother Grimhild, their other brothers Guttorm, Gernoz, and Gislher, and their sister was named Gudrun. Hogni was only Gunnar’s
half-brother, since Grimhild had once been seduced by an elf when Gjuki was drunk and she slept in her garden.

Gudrun once told her maidens that she could not find happiness and suffered from bad dreams. One of her women interpreted these dreams to mean she would marry a well-bred man. Gudrun went to Brynhild to ask her for her advice.

Brynhild received Gudrun hospitably and there was much rejoicing in the hall, but Gudrun remained unhappy. Brynhild tried to amuse her by talking of the deeds of kings.

Gudrun asked Brynhild, “Who do you deem the best of kings?”

Brynhild named the sea-king Haki and Hagbard. Gudrun said, “They were slow to avenge their sisters, who Sigar abducted or slew.”

She asked Brynhild why she had not mentioned Gunnar and Hogni, and the shieldmaiden said, “Another man surpasses them, Sigurd the Volsung, Fafnir’s Bane.”

Gudrun asked Brynhild to interpret her dreams, and Brynhild prophesied, “Sigurd will come to you, and your mother Grimhild will use her magic to rob Sigurd of his memory of Brynhild and then we will all know grief.” When Brynhild had prophesied all that was to come, Gudrun left with all her women, no happier in mind.

Sigurd came with Gunnar and Hogni to the Gjukung kingdom, where he was treated hospitably by King Gjuki. Gjuki’s wife Grimhild mixed a mead of forgetfulness and gave it to Sigurd. From that day onwards, he forgot Brynhild. Then Grimhild told her husband, “Sigurd will be the best match for our daughter Gudrun.” The matter was discussed. Sigurd married Gudrun and swore an oath of brotherhood with Gunnar and Hogni.

The Gjukungs received a challenge from Alfar and Alfarin, the sons of Gandalf, demanding they send him tribute or face invasion. The Gjukungs decided to defend their country and the sons of Gandalf challenged them to battle at a place named Jarnamotha. Sigurd accompanied the Gjukungs to the battle, and when the two armies met, there was fierce fighting.

Among their opponents was a mighty man who slaughtered everyone who went against him. Gunnar told Sigurd to fight him or else they would be defeated. Sigurd came up to the big man and asked him his name.

He said, “I am Starkad the Old.”

Sigurd said, “I have heard tales of you, and few are to your credit.” Starkad asked the name of his challenger, and Sigurd gave it. When he learnt he was facing the slayer of Fafnir, Starkad tried to flee, but Sigurd attacked him, and knocked two of his teeth out with Gram before Starkad left the field.

Sigurd and the Gjukungs returned to their land. Sigurd gave Gudrun some of Fafnir’s heart to eat and she became grimmer after that. They had a son who they named Sigmund.

One day Grimhild told Gunnar he should ask for Brynhild’s hand in marriage. She suggested that he took Sigurd with him. Gunnar agreed, and discussed it with Sigurd and his father and brothers. They all encouraged him.

They rode over mountains and through valleys until they came to King Budli and made their request. Budli was agreeable, on the provision that Brynhild did not refuse, which she might, being excessively proud. They rode to Hlymdale where Heimir received them hospitably. When they explained their errand, he said, “Brynhild should choose her husband.” She lived now in a hall a short way off, and would only marry the man who leapt the wall of fire that surrounded it.

They found the hall and the fire that encircled it, and the hall’s roof was of gold. When Gunnar spurred his horse towards the fire, it shied away. Sigurd asked him why he drew back and Gunnar told him the horse did not wish to jump over the flames. Sigurd lent him Grani, but Sigurd’s horse would not move unless Sigurd was upon his back. Now they used the magic Grimhild had taught them to change shapes, and Sigurd crossed the flame on Grani wearing Gunnar’s face. The fire rose heavenwards and the earth shook. Sigurd felt as if he was riding into darkness. Then the fire subsided and Sigurd dismounted, then went into Brynhild’s hall.

Inside he found Brynhild who asked him who he was. He gave his name as Gunnar, son of Gjuki, who wished to marry her.

Brynhild wavered, telling him, “I am a shieldmaiden and I desire nothing but war and killing.”

But Sigurd, in Gunnar’s form, reminded her of her oath. Then she received him well and they remained together three nights, sleeping in one bed, although Sigurd laid his sword between them, saying he was fated to celebrate his wedding like this or die. He took Andvari’s ring from her, which he had previously given her, and gave her another ring from Fafnir’s hoard. Then he rode away. Sigurd and Gunnar exchanged shapes again and then rode to Hlymdale and told Heimir what had happened.

Brynhild travelled home the same day, and spoke to him in private, telling him, “A king named Gunnar came to me through the flames, but when I swore my oath to Sigurd on Hindarfjoll, I had said that only Sigurd could do that, and he was my first husband.” She left Aslaug, her daughter by Sigurd, to be raised by Heimir.
The girl was later to marry Ragnar Lodbrok.

Meanwhile Brynhild went to her father Budli and they rode with Brynhild’s brother Atli to the marriage feast. When the celebration ended, the spell wore off Sigurd and he remembered all his vows to Brynhild, but he said nothing.

Sometime after her marriage, Brynhild went with Gudrun to bathe in the Rhine. Brynhild waded further out into the water, and Gudrun took this as an affront. When she complained, Brynhild asked, “Why should you be my equal in this anymore than in other matters? My husband rode through fire to win me, while yours was a thrall of Hjalprek.” Gudrun was angry and told Brynhild the truth, and proved it by producing Andvari’s Ring, which Sigurd had taken from her finger.

Brynhild turned pale and went home without speaking to anyone. When Sigurd went to bed Gudrun asked him, “Why is Brynhild so gloomy when she is married to the man she loves most?” Sigurd questioned this and Gudrun resolved to ask Brynhild who she loved most.

Going against Sigurd’s wishes, Gudrun asked Brynhild this question the next day, and Brynhild said, “I cannot bear it that you enjoy Sigurd and the dragon’s gold, when Sigurd and I exchanged vows that he later broke.” Then Brynhild took to bed, broken by grief.

Gunnar came to her but she would not respond to his questions until at last she asked him, “What did you do with the ring I gave you?” She went on to say, “Only Sigurd dared cross the flames, unlike you who paled at the deed.”

Gunnar accused her of lying, and she wanted to kill him. Hogni put her in fetters, but Gunnar did not want her to live in chains.

Brynhild told him, “Do not concern yourself with that because never again will I be happy in your house. It was the most grievous sorrow that I did not marry Sigurd.”

Gudrun asked why her bondmaids were unhappy and they told her that the hall was full of grief.

Gudrun told Gunnar, “Wake Brynhild and tell her that her grief pains us.”

Gunnar told her, “I cannot see her.” Finally he went to her but she would say nothing. He asked Hogni to speak with her but he also got no word from the shieldmaiden. Then Gunnar found Sigurd and asked him to speak with Brynhild, but Sigurd was silent.

Next day Sigurd returned from hunting to meet his wife. He told her, “I am full of foreboding that Brynhild will die.”

Gudrun said, “Brynhild has now slept seven days.”

Sigurd thought it more likely that she plotted against them. Gudrun begged him, “Go to Brynhild and try to appease her wrath.”

Sigurd did as his wife asked but Brynhild was angry to see him, and she told him why. He insisted that he was never her husband, but she said, “I loathe Gunnar and I want to redden a blade with your blood.”

Sigurd said, “It will not be long before a sword enters my heart, but you will not outlive me long.” He added, “Whenever I have not been under Grimhild’s enchantments, it has always pained me that you were not his wife, but I bore it.”

Brynhild said, “You have taken a long time to say this.”

Sigurd said frankly, “I wish you were my wife.”

Brynhild told him, “It is not to be. I will not have two husbands nor will I deceive Gunnar.” She reminded him of how they met on the mountain and exchanged oaths, but now that everything had changed, she did not want to live on.

Sigurd told her, “I was unable to remember your name. I did not recognise you until you were married, to my deepest sorrow.”

Brynhild said, “I swore to marry the man who rode through the flames, and I will hold that oath or die.”

Sigurd said, “I would rather abandon my wife and marry you than let you die.”

Brynhild told him, “I do not want you or anyone else.” Sigurd went from her, stricken by grief.

When he entered the hall, Gunnar asked him if Brynhild could speak now. Sigurd told him that she could, and Gunnar went to see her. He asked her, “Why are you so unhappy? How can you be cured of your sorrow?”

Brynhild told him, “I do not want to live because Sigurd betrayed me, and betrayed you no less, when he came to my bed. I foresee the death of Sigurd, or of Gunnar, or of myself.”

Then she went out and sat
by the wall of her chamber, lamenting grievously, saying that everything was hateful to her if she could not have Sigurd. Gunnar came to her again and she told him, “You will lose everything, power, wealth, life and wife unless you kill Sigurd and his son.”

Gunnar was distressed by this. He spoke to Hogni about it
. Hogni advised him against killing Sigurd but Gunnar said they would urge their brother Guttorm to do it. He told Brynhild, “Rise and be happy!”

But she said, “We will not share the same bed until Sigurd is dead.”

Gunnar decided that it would be justifiable to kill Sigurd for taking Brynhild’s maidenhead. They slaughtered a snake and a wolf and cooked the flesh, then fed this to Guttorm to make him grimmer by nature, and offered him gold and power if he would kill Sigurd.