against them! But thou, Sigurd, slewest the Worm,
and rodest the fire through; yea, and for my sake, and not one of the
sons of King Giuki."

Sigurd answers, "I am not thy husband, and thou art not my wife; yet did
a farfamed king pay dower to thee."

Says Brynhild, "Never looked I at Gunnar in such a wise that my heart
smiled on him; and hard and fell am I to him, though I hide it from
others."

"A marvellous thing," says Sigurd, "not to love such a king; what angers
thee most? for surely his love should be better to thee than gold."

"This is the sorest sorrow to me," she said, "that the bitter sword is
not reddened in thy blood."

"Have no fear thereof!" says he, "no long while to wait or the bitter
sword stand deep in my heart; and no worse needest thou to pray for
thyself, for thou wilt not live when I am dead; the days of our two
lives shall be few enough from henceforth."

Brynhild answers, "Enough and to spare of bale is in thy speech, since
thou bewrayedst me, and didst twin (1) me and all bliss;--naught do I
heed my life or death."

Sigurd answers, "Ah, live, and love King Gunnar and me withal! and all
my wealth will I give thee if thou die not."

Brynhild answers, "Thou knowest me not, nor the heart that is in me;
for thou art the first and best of all men, and I am become the most
loathsome of all women to thee."

"This is truer," says Sigurd, "that I loved thee better than myself,
though I fell into the wiles from whence our lives may not escape; for
whenso my own heart and mind availed me, then I sorrowed sore that thou
wert not my wife; but as I might I put my trouble from me, for in a
king's dwelling was I; and withal and in spite of all I was well content
that we were all together. Well may it be, that that shall come to pass
which is foretold; neither shall I fear the fulfilment thereof."

Brynhild answered, and said, "Too late thou tellest me that my grief
grieved thee: little pity shall I find now."

Sigurd said, "This my heart would, that thou and I should go into one
bed together; even so wouldst thou be my wife."

Said Brynhild, "Such words may nowise be spoken, nor will I have two
kings in one hall; I will lay my life down rather than beguile Gunnar
the King."

And therewith she call to mind how they met, they two, on the mountain,
and swore oath each to each.

"But now is all changed, and I will not live."

"I might not call to mind thy name," said Sigurd, "or know thee again,