Grimhild meanwhile urged upon her son Gunnar to sue for the hand of Brunhild.  He resolved to accept her advice and set out to visit her, taking with him Sigurd and a few other friends.  He first visited Brunhild’s father Budli, and afterward her brother-in-law Heimir, from whom he heard that Brunhild was free to choose the man she desired, but that she would espouse no one who had not ridden through the hedge of flame.  They proceeded to Brunhild’s castle.  Gunnar attempted to pierce the flames, but was unable to do so even when seated on Sigurd’s horse, for Grani would not stir, knowing well that it was not his master who urged him on.  At last they made use of a potion that had been given them by Grimhild, and Sigurd, in the shape of Gunnar, rode through the wall of fire.  He explained to the war-maiden that he was the son of Giuki and had come to claim her hand.  The destiny laid upon her by Woden compelled her to consent, but she did so with much reluctance.  Sigurd then passed three nights at her side, placing his sword Gram between them as a bar of separation; but at parting he drew from her finger the ring with which he had originally plighted his troth to her, and replaced it with another taken from Fafnir’s hoard.  Shortly afterward the wedding of Gunnar and Brunhild was celebrated with lavish splendour, and they all returned to Giuki’s court.

Matters progressed happily for some time, until one day Brunhild and Gudrun went to bathe in the river.  Brunhild refused to bathe farther down the stream than Gudrun—­that is, in the water which flowed from Gudrun to her—­asserting that her husband was the son of a king, while Sigurd had become a menial.  Gudrun retorted to her sister-in-law that not Gunnar, but Sigurd had penetrated the hedge of fire and had taken from her the ring, which she then showed to Brunhild in proof of her words.  A second and even more disturbing conversation followed, which served only to increase the hatred between the women, and Brunhild planned a dreadful vengeance.  She feigned illness, retired to her bed, and when Gunnar inquired what ailed her, asked him if he recalled the circumstances of their wooing, and how Sigurd, and not he, rode through the flames to win her.  So furious was she at the dreadful insult which had been placed upon her by Gudrun that she attempted to take Gunnar’s life.  She still loved Sigurd, and could never forgive Gunnar and his sister for robbing her of him.  So terrible was her grief that she sank into a deep slumber in which she remained for seven days, no one daring to waken her.  Finally Sigurd succeeded in doing so, and she lamented to him how cruelly she had been deceived; she declared that he and she had been destined for one another, and that now she had received for a husband a man who could not match with him.  Sigurd begged her not to harbour a grudge against Gunnar, and told her of his mighty deeds—­how that he had slain the king of the Danes, and also the brother of Budli,