Brynhild

The Warrior Valkyrie

Her story survives in several poems of the Poetic Edda and in the Volsunga saga. The sources do not always arrange events in exactly the same order, and parts of the manuscript collection are missing. The prose saga joins poems and traditions into a continuous family history. A German version appears in the Nibelungenlied, where the character Brünhild is a queen with different adventures. They share a legendary background but should not be treated as identical biographies. In the Norse saga, Brynhild disobeys Odin by granting victory to Agnar rather than Hjalmgunnar, the king Odin favours. Odin pricks her with a sleep-thorn and declares that she will no longer win battles but must marry. Brynhild vows to marry only a man who knows no fear. She sleeps in armour behind a wall of shields or within flames on a mountain.

Sigurd rides to her, cuts open the armour and wakes her. Brynhild offers him a drink and teaches different kinds of runes for victory, healing, speech, safe voyages and wise judgement. She also gives practical advice about loyalty, friendship and avoiding foolish quarrels. This scene presents her as a teacher rather than just a sleeping prize. Sigurd and Brynhild promise to marry. Their plans are destroyed when Sigurd reaches the family of King Gjuki. Queen Grimhild gives him a drink of forgetfulness, and he marries Gudrun. Gunnar, Gudrun’s brother, wants Brynhild. He cannot ride through her flames, so Sigurd exchanges shapes with him and completes the challenge. Brynhild believes Gunnar has won her fairly and marries him. Sigurd later recovers his memory, but the deception has already been built into two marriages.

The truth emerges during an argument between Brynhild and Gudrun about whose husband is greater. Gudrun reveals the ring Sigurd took from Brynhild while disguised. Brynhild realises Gunnar did not cross the fire. Her public honour, private promise and ability to choose have all been violated. She demands Sigurd’s death, although the saga also shows that she still loves him and knows revenge will leave her with nothing. Gunnar and Hogni persuade their younger brother Guthorm to murder Sigurd because Guthorm has not sworn brotherhood with him. After Sigurd dies, Brynhild first laughs at Gudrun’s grief, then reveals the depth of her own misery.

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