Brynhild

Also known as: Hild · Family: Budlungs · Role: daughter of Budli; Valkyria · First appears: Elder Edda · The First Lay of Sigurd Fafnicide, or Gripir's Prophecy · Part 2

Brynhild, daughter of Budli and sister of Atli, was nurtured by Heimir, whose wife Beckhild was her sister. In the First Lay of Sigurd Fafnicide, or Gripir’s Prophecy, Gripir foretells that Sigurd will forget her after staying with Giuki, then be beguiled by Grimhild into seeking Brynhild for Gunnar. He will ride through the fire in Gunnar’s semblance and betroth her, while Brynhild will feel ill-married and devise revenge.

In the Fragments of the Lay of Sigurd and Brynhild, Brynhild weaves Sigurd’s exploits while staying with Heimir. She and Sigurd vow to possess one another, and he gives her a gold ring. After Grimhild’s drink makes Sigurd forget his love and vows, he rides through the fire disguised as Gunnar and claims Brynhild as his bride; they share a bed with the sword Gram between them and exchange rings. Brynhild and her father go to Giuki’s palace, and she entrusts their daughter Aslaug to Heimir to rear.

When Gudrun reveals that Sigurd—not Gunnar—rode through the fire and took Andvaranaut, Brynhild vows revenge for the deception. Sigurd offers to marry her and put away Gudrun, but Brynhild refuses; she later urges Gunnar to have Sigurd killed, saying he broke his oath. In the Third Lay of Sigurd Fafnicide, she threatens to leave Gunnar unless he causes Sigurd’s death. After Sigurd is slain, Brynhild laughs at Gudrun’s lament, then asks for the ring-adorned sword to lie between her and Sigurd on the pyre, “as when we both one couch ascended”. She puts on her golden corslet and pierces herself with a sword.

In her final speech, Brynhild foretells that Atli will marry Gudrun against her will, and that Gudrun will bear Svanhild; she also foretells Gunnar’s imprisonment in the serpent-den and Gudrun’s vengeance against Atli. In Brynhild’s Hel-Ride, she recounts that she sent Hialmgunnar to Hel and gave victory to Oda’s younger brother, angering Odin, who enclosed her in shields and set a fire around her hall. After Brynhild’s death, she and Sigurd are burned on separate funeral piles, Sigurd’s first. In Oddrun’s Lament, Brynhild is described as having been offered to Gunnar, who bade her take a helmet and become a Valkyria.