Gunnar

Family: Giukings · Role: son of Giuki · First appears: Chapter XXV · Of the Dream of Gudrun, Giuki's daughter

In Chapter XXV, Gunnar is named among Giuki’s sons, alongside Hogni and Guttorm, with Gudrun as their sister. Brynhild foretells that Gudrun will wed Sigurd, then Atli, and that her brothers will die. In Chapter XXVI, Gunnar and Sigurd swear brotherhood; Gunnar agrees to woo Brynhild, and in Chapter XXVII Budli accepts the suit if she does not refuse. Sigurd rides through the fire in Gunnar’s likeness and claims Brynhild for him, and Gunnar weds her at the feast.

In Chapter XXIX, Brynhild reveals that Sigurd, not Gunnar, completed the trials and rode through the fire, and she attempts to slay Gunnar before Hogni fetters her. In Chapter XXX, she refuses Gunnar’s bed until Sigurd is slain. Gunnar urges Hogni to bring about the killing through Guttorm, offering him gold and dominion; Hogni speaks against breaking their oaths, but Guttorm does the deed. Gudrun tells her brothers that they have lost their strength and good fortune with Sigurd. In Chapter XXXII, Brynhild reproaches Gunnar for breaking his oath to Sigurd.

In Chapter XXXIII, Gunnar gives Gudrun a hurtful drink that makes her forget their guilt against her. The next chapter names Glaumvor as his wife; when Vingi offers him rule over Atli’s realms, Gunnar gives his word to visit Atli, and Hogni agrees to go with him, though reluctantly. In Chapter XXXVII, Gunnar refuses Atli’s demand for the gold and fights beside Hogni through Atli’s host, while Gudrun joins her brothers in battle. In Chapter XXXVIII, Gunnar refuses to reveal the gold’s whereabouts until he sees Hogni’s heart, then declares that the Rhine shall have it rather than the Huns. Cast into a worm-close, he receives a harp from Gudrun and plays it with his toes; an adder stings him to death.

The Edda poems tell these events again: the Short Lay of Sigurd recounts the brotherhood oaths, Brynhild’s demand that Gunnar kill Sigurd, and Hogni’s refusal to betray him. The Song of Atli tells of Gunnar’s journey to Atli and his capture, while the Lament of Oddrun tells of Oddrun’s love for Gunnar and her late hearing of his harp-song.