Now Gudrun’s scorn of Brynhild waxed greater as she thought on the knowledge that she held, and it needed but a little that she should speak out the whole tale.

Such was her mind when it befell her to go with Brynhild to bathe in the Niblung river.  There it chanced that they fell to talk of their husbands, and Gudrun named Sigurd the best of the world.  Thereat Brynhild, stung by her love for Sigurd and the memory of his broken troth,—­for so she deemed it,—­cried out, saying:  “Thy lord is but Gunnar’s serving man to do his bidding, but my mate is the King of King-folk, who rode the Wavering Fire and hath dared very death to win me.”

Then Gudrun held out her hand and a golden gleam shone on her finger, at the sight whereof Brynhild waxed wan as a dead woman.  “Lo,” said Gudrun, “I had Andvari’s ring of Sigurd, and indeed thou sayest truly, that he did Gunnar’s bidding, for he took the King’s semblance and hid his own shape in Gunnar’s.  Thus he wooed the bride for Gunnar and for Gunnar rode the fire, and now by this token mayest thou know whether thy husband is truly the best of Kings.”  And Brynhild spake no word in answer, but clad herself in haste and fled from the river, and Gudrun followed her in triumph of heart.

Yet as the day wore on she repented of her words and feared the deeds that Brynhild might do, and at even she sought her alone and craved pardon.  Then spake Brynhild the Queen:  “I repent me of my bitter words this day, yet one thing I beseech thee,—­do thou say that thou hadst the ring of Gunnar and not of Sigurd, lest I be shamed before all men.”  “What?” said Gudrun; “hast thou heard that the wives of the Niblungs lie?  Nay, Sigurd it was who set this ring on my finger and therewith he told me the shame of my brother Gunnar,—­how his glory was turned to a scoff.”

And Brynhild seeing that the tale of the deceiving wrought against her might not be hidden, lifted her voice and cursed the house of the Niblungs wherein she had suffered such woe.  So the queens parted in great wrath and bitterness.

Of the exceeding great grief and mourning of Brynhild.

Now on the morrow it was known that Brynhild was sick, nor would she reveal the cause to any.  Then Gunnar besought her to be comforted and to show what ailed her, but for a long while he might win no word in answer.  Thereat the evil thoughts that Grimhild had sown in his heart grew strong, and he cried in bitter anger:  “Lo, Brynhild, I deem thou art sick for love of my foe, the supplanter of Kings, he who hath shone like a serpent this long while past amidst the honour of our kin.”

Then at last was Brynhild moved to look on him, and she besought him, saying:  “Swear to me, Gunnar, that I may live, and say that thou gavest Andvari’s ring to Gudrun—­thou, and not thy captain of war.”  Thereby Gunnar understood that all his falsehood was known to her, so that never again might they two have any joy together.  He had no answering word, but turned from her and departed, for bitter shame was come on him and hatred of Sigurd burnt in his soul like fire.