Hero

Brynhild

The heroine Sigurd meets on the mountain; later wooing-deception makes her a turning figure in the death sequence.

MythWeave AI-generated editorial illustration, Norse portrait v1 full approved batch

Overview

Brynhild is not merely a love interest. She first forms a bond of pledge and knowledge with Sigurd on the mountain; later wooing-deception turns her grief into a demand for Sigurd’s death.

Key facts

Mountain meeting

Chapter XX has Sigurd meet Brynhild on the mountain, giving later conflict an earlier cause.

Further spoiler details are available in the interactive atlas.

Relationships

Sigurdmeets and pledges
Sigurd meets Brynhild on the mountain, and their pledge later becomes a root of conflict.
Gunnarwoos
Gunnar woos Brynhild, but the wooing depends on Sigurd’s help and disguise.
Sigurd's Deathdrives killing
Brynhild’s grief and demand push the decision to kill Sigurd.
Gudruncalls a source of grief
Guthrun calls the day Sigurd sought Brynhild’s hand an evil hour.
Atliblames Atli
Brynhild says all the sorrow was caused by her brother Atli.
Sigurdsets a sword between them
The Short Lay says Sigurd sets a bare sword between himself and Brynhild in bed.
Sigurdsays she wants him
Sitting alone at day’s end, Brynhild says she will have Sigurd, even if he dies in her arms.
Gunnarthreatens to leave
Brynhild says she will return to her own kin if Gunnar does not dare kill Sigurd.
Sigurdnames her in his dying words
In his dying words, Sigurd says all blame lies with Brynhild.
Brynhild’s Hel-Roadrides the Hel-road by wagon
After the pyre, Brynhild rides toward Hel in a wagon covered with rich cloth.
Rock-Dwelling Giantesschallenges on the road
The rock giantess forbids Brynhild to go farther and questions why she has come from Valland.
Rock-Dwelling Giantessaccuses her of ruining Gjuki’s house
The giantess says Brynhild brought death on Gjuki’s children and laid their high house low.
Gunnarcalls Gjuki’s heirs betrayers
Brynhild says Gjuki’s heirs made her joyless and a breaker of oaths.
Hjalmgunnarsends him down to Hel
Brynhild says she sent old Hjalmgunnar down to Hel.
Odinangers at her victory
Brynhild says she gave victory to Autha’s brother, and Odin was greatly angered.
Odinbinds her in sleep
Odin surrounds Brynhild with overlapping shields and commands her sleep until the fearless come to break it.
Odinrings her with fire
Odin rings Brynhild’s south-facing hall with high fire and decrees that only the bearer of Fafnir’s gold may cross it.
Sigurdsleeps beside her untouched
Brynhild says they shared one bed for eight nights without a loving touch, as though brother and sister.
Gudrunreveals the deception
Brynhild says Guthrun reproached her for sleeping in Sigurd’s arms, and she then heard the betrayal she had wanted hidden.
Sigurdclaims they still live together
Brynhild says she and Sigurd will still live together, and tells the giantess to sink down.
Hogninames her anger
Hogni says Brynhild has whetted Gunnar’s hate.
Gunnarspeaks to him
Brynhild speaks to Gunnar after the killing.
Sigurdaffirms his oaths
Brynhild says Sigurd held true to oaths given Gunnar.
Sigurdrecalls the sword between
Brynhild says a sharp sword lay between them.
Gunnarforesees his trouble
Brynhild dreams Gunnar bound and joyless.
Hogniforesees the Niflung fall
Brynhild says the whole Niflung race will die.
Sigurdbird-speech points toward the sleeping battle-maid
bird-speech points toward the sleeping battle-maid
Sigurdfinds the sleeping battle-maid in the shield-tower
finds the sleeping battle-maid in the shield-tower
Sigurdcuts the mail and wakes her
cuts the mail and wakes her
Odinpunishes her with the sleep-thorn
punishes her with the sleep-thorn
Sigurdgives a memory-draught of mead
gives a memory-draught of mead
Sigurdteaches rune-lore
teaches rune-lore
Sigurdoffers him a choice of speech or silence
offers him a choice of speech or silence
Sigurddoes not flee despite approaching fate
does not flee despite approaching fate
Sigurddelivers the surviving counsels
delivers the surviving counsels
Gripirforetells a sleeping woman and counsel
foretells a sleeping woman and counsel

Story appearances

Sigurd and the VolsungsPledge and death-turning
Brynhild first meets Sigurd; later deception makes her drive the death sequence.
Guthrunarkvitha I: A Lament at the BodyFigure or event in the lament at Sigurd’s body
The heroine Sigurd meets on the mountain; later wooing-deception makes her a turning figure in the death sequence.
The Short Lay of Sigurd: An Oath-Broken BedsideFigure or event in the Short Lay’s oaths, killing, or dying words
The heroine Sigurd meets on the mountain; later wooing-deception makes her a turning figure in the death sequence.
Brynhild’s Hell-Ride: A Defense on the Hel-RoadFigure or event in the Hell-Ride’s Hel-road exchange, memory, or defense
The heroine Sigurd meets on the mountain; later wooing-deception makes her a turning figure in the death sequence.
Fragment of a Sigurd Lay: The Outdoor Killing VersionFigure or event in the Fragment of a Sigurd Lay
The heroine Sigurd meets on the mountain; later wooing-deception makes her a turning figure in the death sequence.
Fafnismol: Dragon Blood and Bird-SpeechFigure or object in Fafnismol
The heroine Sigurd meets on the mountain; later wooing-deception makes her a turning figure in the death sequence.
Sigrdrifumol: The Shield-Tower and the Long SleepFigure or object in Sigrdrifumol
The heroine Sigurd meets on the mountain; later wooing-deception makes her a turning figure in the death sequence.
Gripir’s Prophecy: Asking Fate to Its EndFigure or hoard in Gripisspo
The heroine Sigurd meets on the mountain; later wooing-deception makes her a turning figure in the death sequence.

Ancient sources

MythWeave distinguishes ancient-source evidence from later adaptations and modern interpretation.

Open in the interactive atlas →