Helreið Brynhildar

Synopsis

The poem deals with how the dead Sigurd and Brynhildr are burnt on two pyres. First they burn Sigurd and then they burn Brynhildr who is lying on a richly clad wagon. This wagon takes Brynhildr on her journey to the afterlife. During her journey, she passes a house where a giantess (gýgr) lived.

The giantess accuses Brynhildr of having caused the deaths of heroes and of having wanted another woman's husband (Sigurd). The giantess further accuses Brynhildr of having caused the fall of the house of Nibelungs (Gjúki's sons). Brynhildr responds that she will tell her the truth and how the sons of Gjúki made her an unhappy oath-breaker.

Formerly, she used to be called Hildr the helmed and she lived in a dwelling of valkyries called Hlymdalir. Then a monarch (presumably Agnarr) captured Brynhildr and her seven sisters' by taking their swan-robes that he found under an oak. She was only twelve winters old when she married the young king.

Against the will of Odin, she then made the aged Hjalmgunnar, the king of the Goths, die and instead she gave victory to Auða's young brother (Agnarr). The angry Odin imprisoned her in Skatalund within red and white overlapping shields, and cursed her to sleep until a man without fear would set her free. In order to make it even harder to liberate her, Odin also created a circle of fire around her resting place.

Sigurd then arrived on Grani and brought her Fafnir's gold. The hero shared her bed during eight nights without them touching each other. Still, Gudrun would reproach her for having slept in Sigurd's arms, and then admit to her that they had tricked her out of her relationship with Sigurd and made her take another man instead (Gunnar).

Brynhildr finishes the poem by stating that men and women live in this world to suffer, but that she and Sigurd would never part again: alls til lengi konur ok karlar kvikvir fæðask; við skulum okkrum aldri slíta Sigurðr saman. Sökkstu, gýgjar kyn.}} | Ever with grief and all too long Are men and women born in the world; But yet we shall live our lives together, Sigurth and I. Sink down, Giantess!}}

References

Bibliography

References

1. But in the preceding ''[[Sigurðarkviða hin skamma]]'', they are burnt on the same pyre.
2. The version found in ''Norna-Gests þáttr'' calls Brynhildr and her sisters the "sisters of [[Völsunga saga. Atli]]" instead of "sisters eight".
3. By taking the swan robe of a [[Swan maiden]], a man takes command of her, see ''[[Völundarkviða]]''.
4. In other sources, it is called ''[[Hindarfjall]]''.
5. In ''[[Grípisspá]]'', they only shared three nights together.
6. [http://heimskringla.no/wiki/Helrei%C3%B0_Brynhildar ''Helreið Brynhildar'' at Heimskringla.no.]
7. [http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/poe/poe29.htm Bellows' translation.]