On a day as the Queens went to the river to bathe them, Brynhild waded the farthest out into the river; then asked Gudrun what that deed might signify.

Brynhild said, "Yea, and why then should I be equal to thee in this matter more than in others? I am minded to think that my father is mightier than thine, and my true love has wrought many wondrous works of fame, and hath ridden the flaming fire withal, while thy husband was but the thrall of King Hjalprek."

Gudrun answered full of wrath, "Thou wouldst be wise if thou shouldst hold thy peace rather than revile my husband: lo now, the talk of all men it is, that none has ever abode in this world like unto him in all matters soever; and little it beseems thee of all folk to mock him who was thy first beloved: and Fafnir he slew, yea, and he rode thy flaming fire, whereas thou didst deem that he was Gunnar the King, and by thy side he lay, and took from thine hand the ring Andvari's-loom;--here mayst thou well behold it!"

Then Brynhild saw the ring and knew it, and waxed as wan as a dead woman, and she went home and spake no word the evening long.

So when Sigurd came to bed to Gudrun she asked him why Brynhild's joy was so departed.

He answered, "I know not, but sore I misdoubt me that soon we shall know thereof overwell."

Gudrun said, "Why may she not love her life, having wealth and bliss, and the praise of all men, and the man withal that she would have?"

"Ah, yea!" said Sigurd, "and where in all the world was she then, when she said that she deemed she had the noblest of all men, and the dearest to her heart of all?"

Gudrun answers, "Tomorn will I ask her concerning this, who is the liefest to her of all men for a husband."

Sigurd said, "Needs must I forbid thee this, and full surely wilt thou rue the deed if thou doest it."

Now the next morning they sat in the bower, and Brynhild was silent; then spake Gudrun--

"Be merry, Brynhild! Grievest thou because of that speech of ours together, or what other thing slayeth thy bliss?"

Brynhild answers, "With naught but evil intent thou sayest this, for a cruel heart thou hast."

"Say not so," said Gudrun; "but rather tell me all the tale."

Brynhild answers, "Ask such things only as are good for thee to know--matters meet for mighty dames. Good to love good things when all goes according to thy heart's desire!"

Gudrun says, "Early days for me to glory in that; but this word of thine looketh toward some foreseeing. What ill dost thou thrust at us? I did naught to grieve thee."

Brynhild answers, "For this shalt thou pay, in that thou hast got Sigurd to thee,--nowise can I see thee living in the bliss thereof, whereas thou hast him, and the wealth and the might of him."

But Gudrun answered, "Naught knew I of your words and vows together; and well might my father look to the mating of me without dealing with thee first."

"No secret speech had we," quoth Brynhild, "though we swore oath together; and full well didst thou know that thou wentest about to beguile me; verily thou

Says Gudrun, "Thou art mated better than thou are worthy of; but thy pride and rage shall be hard to slake belike, and there for shall many a man pay."

"Ah, I should be well content," said Brynhild, "if thou hadst not the nobler man!"

Gudrun answers, "So noble a husband hast thou, that who knows of a greater king or a lord of more wealth and might?"

Says Brynhild, "Sigurd slew Fafnir, and that only deed is of more worth than all the might of King Gunnar."

(Even as the song says)--

"The worm Sigurd slew,
Nor ere shall that deed
Be worsened by age
While the world is alive.
But thy brother the King
Never durst, never bore
The flame to ride down
Through the fire to fare."

Gudrun answers, "Grani would not abide the fire under Gunnar the King, but Sigurd durst the deed, and thy heart may well abide without mocking him."

Brynhild answers, "Nowise will I hide from thee that I deem no good of Grimhild."

Says Gudrun, "Nay, lay no ill words on her, for in all things she is to thee as to her own daughter."

"Ah," says Brynhild, "she is the beginning of all this hale that biteth so; an evil drink she bare to Sigurd, so that he had no more memory of my very name."

"All wrong thou talkest; a lie without measure is this," quoth Gudrun.

Brynhild answered, "Have thou joy of Sigurd according to the measure of the wiles wherewith ye have beguiled me! Unworthily have ye conspired against me; may all things go with you as my heart hopes!"

Gudrun says, "More joy shall I have of him than thy wish would give unto me: but to no man's mind it came, that he had aforetime his pleasure of me; nay not once."

"Evil speech thou speakest," says Brynhild; "when thy wrath runs off thou wilt rue it; but come now, let us no more cast angry words one at the other!"

Says Gudrun, "Thou wert the first to cast such words at me, and now thou makest as if thou wouldst amend it, but a cruel and hard heart abides behind."

"Let us lay aside vain babble," says Brynhild. "Long did I hold my peace concerning my sorrow of heart, and, lo now, thy brother alone do I love; let us fall to other talk."

Gudrun said, "Far beyond all this doth thine heart look."

And so ugly ill befell from that going to the river, and that knowing of the ring, wherefrom did all their talk arise.

Þat er einn dag, er þær gengu til árinnar Rínar at þvá sér, þá óð Brynhildr lengra út á ána. Guðrún spyrr, hví þat gegndi.

Brynhildr segir: "Hví skal ek um þetta jafnast við þik heldr en um annat? Ek hugða, at minn faðir væri ríkari en þinn ok minn maðr unnit mörg snilldarverk ok riði eld brennanda, en þinn bóndi var þræll Hjálpreks konungs.

Guðrún svarar með reiði: "Þá værir þú vitrari, ef þú þegðir en lastaðir mann minn. Er þat allra manna mál, at engi hafi slíkr komit í veröldina fyrir hversvetna sakir, ok eigi samir þér vel at lasta hann, því at hann er þinn frumverr, ok drap hann Fáfni ok reið vafrlogann, er þú hugðir Gunnar konung, ok hann lá hjá þér ok tók af hendi þér hringinn Andvaranaut, ok máttu nú hér hann kenna."

Brynhildr sér nú þenna hring ok kennir. Þá fölnar hún, sem hún dauð væri. Brynhildr fór heim ok mælti ekki orð um kveldit.

Ok er Sigurðr kom í rekkju, spyrr Guðrún: "Hví er Brynhildr svá ókát?"

Sigurðr svarar: "Eigi veit ek glöggt, en grunar mik, at vér munum vita brátt nokkuru gerr."

Guðrún mælti: "Hví unir hún eigi auð ok sælu ok allra manna lofi, ok fengit þann mann, sem hún vildi?"

Sigurðr mælti: "Hvar var hún þá, er hún sagði þat, at hún þættist inn æðsta eiga eða þann, er hún vildi helzt eiga?"

Guðrún svarar: "Ek skal eptir spyrja á morgin, hvern hún vill helzt eiga."

Sigurðr svarar: "Þess let ek þik, ok iðrast muntu, ef þú gerir þat."

Ok um morgininn sátu þær í skemmu sinni, ok var Brynhildr hljóð.

Þá mælti Guðrún: "Ver kát Brynhildr. Angrar þik okkart viðrtal? Eða hvat stendr þér fyrir gamni?"

Brynhildr svarar: "Illt eitt gengr þér til þessa, ok hefir þú grimmt hjarta." "Virð eigi svá," segir Guðrún, "ok seg heldr."

Brynhildr svarar: "Spyr þess eina, at betr sé, attu vitir. Þat samir ríkum konum. Ok er gott góðu at una, er yðr gengr allt at óskum."

Guðrún svarar: "Snemmt er því enn at hæla, ok er þetta nokkur sú forspá. Hvat reki þér at oss? Vér gerðum yðr ekki til angrs."

Brynhildr svarar: "Þess skaltu gjalda, er þú átt Sigurð, ok ek ann þér eigi hans at njóta né gullsins mikla."

Guðrún svarar: "Eigi vissa ek yður ummæli, ok vel mætti faðir minn sjá ráð fyrir mér, þóttu værir ekki at hitt."

Brynhildr svarar: "Ekki höfum vér launmæli haft, ok þó höfum vit eiða svarit, ok vissu þér þat, at þér véltuð mik, ok þess skal hefna."

Guðrún svarar: "Þú er betr gefin en makligt er, ok þinn ofsi mun illa sjatna, ok þess munu margir gjalda."

"Una mundu vér," segir Brynhildr, "ef eigi ættir þú göfgara mann."

Guðrún svarar: "Áttu svá gofgan mann, at óvíst er, hverr meiri konungr er, ok gnótt fjár ok ríkis."

Brynhildr svarar: "Sigurðr vá at Fáfni, ok er þat meira vert en allt ríki Gunnars konungs," -- svá sem kveðit er:

"Sigurðr vá at ormi,
en þat síðan mun
engum fyrnast,
meðal öld lifir.
En hlýri þinn
hvárki þorði
eld at ríða
né yfir stíga."

Guðrún svarar: "Grani rann eigi eldinn undir Gunnari konungi, en hann þorði at ríða, ok þarf honum eigi hugar at frýja."

Brynhildr svarar: "Dyljumst eigi við, at ek hygg Grímhildi eigi vel."

Guðrún svarar: "Ámæl henni eigi, því at hún er til þín sem til dóttur sinnar."

Brynhildr svarar: "Hún veldr öllum upphöfum þess böls, er oss bítr. Hún bar Sigurði grimmt öl, svá at eigi mundi hann mitt nafn."

Guðrún svarar: "Margt rangt orð mælir þú, ok mikil lygi er slíkt."

Brynhildr svarar: "Njóti þér svá Sigurðar sem þér hafið mik eigi svikit, ok er yðart samveldi ómakligt, ok gangi yðr svá sem ek hygg."

Guðrún svarar: "Betr mun ek njóta en þú mundir vilja, ok engi gat þess, at hann ætti of gott við mik né eitt sinn."

Brynhildr svarar: "Illa mælir þú, ok er af þér rennr, muntu iðrast, ok hendum eigi heiptyrði."

Guðrún segir: "Þú kastaðir fyrri heiptarorðum á mik. Lætr þú nú sem þú munir yfir bæta, en þó býr grimmt undir."

"Leggjum niðr ónýtt hjal," segir Brynhildr.

"Ek þagða lengi yfir mínum harmi, þeim er mér bjó í brjósti, en ek ann þínum bróður at eins, ok tökum annat tal."

Guðrún segir: "Langt sér hugr þinn um fram."

Ok þar af stóð mikill ófagnaðr, er þær gengu á ána ok hún kenndi hringinn ok þar af varð þeira viðræða.