igurd is received with great honor, for his coming had been
announced to Gudrun in dreams, which had in part been interpreted to her
by Brynhild. The mother, knowing of Sigurd's relations to the latter,
gives him a potion which produces forgetfulness, so that he no longer
remembers his betrothed, and accepts the hand of Gudrun, which the king
offers him at the queen's request. The marriage is celebrated with
great pomp, and Sigurd remains permanently attached to Giuki's court,
performing with the others many deeds of valor.

Meanwhile Grimhild urges her son Gunnar to sue for the hand of Brynhild.
Taking with him Sigurd and a few others, Gunnar visits first Brynhild's
father "Budli", and then her brother-in-law "Heimir", from both of whom
he learns that she is free to choose whom she will, but that she will
marry no one who has not ridden through the wall of flame. With this
answer they proceed to Brynhild's castle, where Gunnar is unable to
pierce the flames, even when seated on Sigurd's steed. Finally Sigurd
and Gunnar change forms, and Sigurd, disguised as Gunnar, rides through
the wall of fire, announces himself to Brynhild as Gunnar, the son of
Giuki, and reminds her of her promise to marry the one who penetrated
the fire. Brynhild consents with great reluctance, for she is busy
carrying on a war with a neighboring king. Sigurd then passes three
nights at her side, placing, however, his sword Gram between them, as
a bar of separation. At parting he draws from her finger the ring, with
which he had originally pledged his troth to her, and replaces it with
another, taken from Fafnir's hoard. Soon after this the marriage of
Gunnar and Brynhild is celebrated with great splendor, and all return to
Giuki's court, where they live happily for some time.

One day, however, when the ladies go down to the river to take a bath,
Brynhild will not bathe further down stream than Gudrun, that is, in the
water which flows from Gudrun to her, (5) giving as the reason, that her
father was mightier and her husband braver, since he had ridden through
the fire, while Sigurd had been a menial. Stung at this, Gudrun retorts
that not Gunnar but Sigurd had penetrated the flames and had taken from
her the fateful ring "Andvaranaut", which she then shows to her rival in
proof of her assertion. Brynhild turns deathly pale, but answers not
a word. After a second conversation on the subject had increased the
hatred of the queens, Brynhild plans v