Gudrun said:  “Many an unjust word thou utterest, and this is a great falsehood.”  Brynhild said:  “So enjoy Sigurd as thou hast not deceived me, and may it go with thee as I imagine.”  Gudrun said:  “Better shall I enjoy him than thou wilt wish; and no one has said he has had too much good with me at any time.”  Brynhild said:  “Thou sayest ill and wilt repent of it.  Let us cease from angry words, and not indulge in useless prattle.  Long have I borne in silence the grief that dwells in my breast:  I have also felt regard for thy brother.  But let us talk of other things.”  Gudrun said:  “Your imagination looks far forward.”

Brynhild then lay in bed, and King Gunnar came to talk with her, and begged her to rise and give vent to her sorrow; but she would not listen to him.  They then brought Sigurd to visit her and learn whether her grief might not be alleviated.  They called to memory their oaths, and how they had been deceived, and at length Sigurd offered to marry her and put away Gudrun; but she would not hear of it.  Sigurd left the apartment, but was so greatly affected by her sorrow that the rings of his corslet burst asunder from his sides, as is said in the Sigurdarkvida: 

“Out went Sigurd from that interview into the hall of kings, writhing with anguish; so that began to start the ardent warrior’s iron-woven sark off from his sides.”

Brynhild afterwards instigated Gunnar to murder Sigurd, saying that he had deceived them both and broken his oath.  Gunnar consulted with Hogni, and revealed to him this conversation.  Hogni earnestly strove to dissuade him from such a deed, on account of their oaths.  Gunnar removed the difficulty, saying:  “Let us instigate our brother Guthorm; he is young and of little judgment, and is, moreover, free of all oaths; and so avenge the mortal injury of his having seduced Brynhild.”  They then took a serpent and the flesh of a wolf, and had them cooked, and gave them to him to eat, and offered him gold and a large realm, to do the deed, as is said: 

“The forest-fish they roasted, and the wolf’s carcase took, while some to Guthorm dealt out gold; gave him Geri’s[74] flesh with his drink, and many other things steeped therein.”

With this food he became so furious, that he would instantly perpetrate the deed.  On this it is related as in the Sigurdarkvida, when Gunnar and Brynhild conversed together.]

FOOTNOTES: 

[Footnote 73:  These fragments from the Volsunga-Saga, which are Inserted in some paper manuscripts of the Edda, and containing matter probably derived from the lost poems relative to Sigurd and Brynhild, are printed in the Stockholm edition of the Edda.  They are also given by Afzelius in his Swedish version, and partially in Danish by Finn Magnusen in his edition.  A complete translation into Danish of the entire Saga has since been given, by Prof.  Rafn at Copenhagen.]