"Lo," said
Gudrun, "I had Andvari's ring of Sigurd, and indeed thou sayest truly,
that he did Gunnar's bidding, for he took the King's semblance and hid
his own shape in Gunnar's. Thus he wooed the bride for Gunnar and for
Gunnar rode the fire, and now by this token mayest thou know whether
thy husband is truly the best of Kings." And Brynhild spake no word in
answer, but clad herself in haste and fled from the river, and Gudrun
followed her in triumph of heart.
Yet as the day wore on she repented of her words and feared the deeds
that Brynhild might do, and at even she sought her alone and craved
pardon. Then spake Brynhild the Queen: "I repent me of my bitter words
this day, yet one thing I beseech thee,--do thou say that thou hadst
the ring of Gunnar and not of Sigurd, lest I be shamed before all
men." "What?" said Gudrun; "hast thou heard that the wives of the
Niblungs lie? Nay, Sigurd it was who set this ring on my finger and
therewith he told me the shame of my brother Gunnar,--how his glory
was turned to a scoff."
And Brynhild seeing that the tale of the deceiving wrought against her
might not be hidden, lifted her voice and cursed the house of the
Niblungs wherein she had suffered such woe. So the queens parted in
great wrath and bitterness.
_Of the exceeding great grief and mourning of Brynhild.
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