Atli

Also known as: Atil · Family: Budlungs · Role: brother of Brynhild · First appears: Chapter XXV · Of the Dream of Gudrun, Giuki's daughter

Atli and Brynhild were siblings, and their father Budli brought them to the feast described in Chapter XXVII, where Gunnar wed Brynhild. In Chapter XXV, Brynhild foretold that Gudrun would wed first Sigurd and then Atli, and that her brothers would die and she would eventually slay Atli. In Chapter XXXIII, despite refusing the match and foretelling evil, Gudrun was compelled to marry Atli; their life together was unhappy.

In Chapter XXXIV, Atli dreamed that Gudrun thrust him through with a sword. She interpreted the dream as signifying fire, while privately warning her brothers in runes not to come; Vingi altered the message to invite them. Gunnar gave his word to visit Atli after Vingi held out dominion over Atli’s realms. In Chapter XXXVII, Atli demanded the gold, and Gunnar refused, whereupon the men fought. Atli accused Gunnar and Hogni of killing his kin and sister; Hogni answered that Atli had starved Gudrun’s kinswoman to death and taken her wealth.

In Chapter XXXVIII, Atli ordered Hogni’s heart cut out, and Hogni died enduring the torment. Gunnar refused to reveal where the gold lay, declaring that “the Rhine river shall rule over the gold”; Atli’s men then killed him. In Chapter XXXIX, Gudrun and Niblung stabbed Atli as he slept. Atli died, Gudrun fulfilled her promise to prepare his burial, and she and Niblung set fire to the hall, where Atli’s folk died amid the flames. In Chapter XLII, Gudrun says she slew the children she had with Atli in her grief. The Edda’s lays tell again of the summons to Gunnar, the deaths of Atli’s sons Erp (son of Atli) and Eiril, and Gudrun’s revenge against Atli.