Page:Stories of Norse Gods and Heroes.djvu/70

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SIGURD THE VOLSUNG.

Brynhilda was sad because it was Gunnar and not Sigurd.

After three days Sigurd took Andvare's golden ring and went back, and the queen changed him into his own likeness again.

Then Brynhilda became Gunnar's wife, because she had sworn to wed the man who would ride through the fire.

One day, Gudrun told Brynhilda that it was Sigurd who had ridden through the flames and not Gunnar. Brynhilda reproached Gunnar until he threatened to have her chained.

Then she opened the door of her bower wide and wept and wailed until Gudrun begged Sigurd to give her gold to quiet her.

When Sigurd went into the bower, Brynhilda lay upon a couch, and he remembered that it was he who had awakened her from her magic sleep.

When Sigurd remembered Brynhilda he wished to take her and go away to her castle. But Gunnar had him killed while he slept. When Brynhilda saw that Sigurd was dead, she killed herself with the same sword.

Gudrun mourned many years for Sigurd. At last her two brothers gave her a cup of magic drink and she forgot him, and became the wife of King Atli, the brother of Brynhilda.

Atli was angry because of Brynhilda' s death.