Editing Brunhild (section)

=== Nibelungenlied ===

[[File:Bruenhilds Ankunft in Worms Hundeshagenscher Kodex.jpeg|thumb|upright|Brunhild arrives in Worms. ''Hundeshagener Kodex'']]

[[File:Der Streit der Koeniginnen Hundeshagenscher Kodex.jpeg|thumb|upright|The quarrel between Brunhild and Kriemhild; ''Hundeshagener Kodex'']]

In the ''Nibelungenlied'', Brunhild is first presented as the ruling queen of ''Îsland'' (Iceland) from her castle of ''Îsenstein'' (iron-stone). Some manuscripts spell the name of her kingdom ''Îsenlant'' (iron-land), and it is possible that this is the original form, with the association with Iceland being secondary.{{sfn|Heinzle|2013|p=1,138}} Her kingdom is twelve days journey by boat from the [[Burgundians|Burgundian]] capital of [[Worms, Germany|Worms]], marking her as living outside the bounds of courtly society.{{sfn|Gentry|McConnell|Müller|Wunderlich|2011|p=94}}

Brunhild is introduced to the story when word of her immense beauty reaches Worms one day, and King [[Gunther]] decides he wishes to marry her. [[Siegfried]], who is familiar with Brunhild, advises him against this marriage, but Gunther convinces Siegfried to help him woo Brunhild by promising to let Siegfried marry Gunther's sister Kriemhild. Gunther needs Siegfried's help because Brunhild has set a series of three feats of strength that any suitor for her hand must complete; should the suitor fail any one of these feats, she will kill him. Siegfried agrees to help Gunther by using his [[cloak of invisibility]] (''Tarnkappe'') to aid Gunther during the challenges, while Gunther will simply pretend to accomplish them himself. He and Gunther agree that Siegfried will claim to be Gunther's vassal during the wooing.{{sfn|Millet|2008|p=181}}{{sfn|Lienert|2015|p=38}}

When Siegfried and Gunther arrive at Isenstein, Brunhild initially assumes that Siegfried is the suitor, but immediately loses interest in him once he claims that he is Gunther's vassal.{{sfn|Lienert|2015|p=39}} With Siegfried's help, Gunther is able to accomplish all the feats of strength; although Brunhild initially looks like she might renege on the agreement, Siegfried quickly gathers his men from his kingdom in Nibelungenland and brings them to Isenstein. Gunther and Brunhild then agree to marry. The heroes return to Worms with Brunhild, and Siegfried marries Kriemhild at the same time that Brunhild marries Gunther. Brunhild cries seeing this however, believing that the royal princess Kriemhild has been married to a vassal. On her wedding night, when Gunther attempts to sleep with Brunhild, Brunhild quickly overpowers Gunther, tying him up by his hands and feet with her belt and leaving him hanging on a hook until morning. Gunther is forced to rely on Siegfried again, who takes Gunther's shape using his ''Tarnkappe'' and is only able to subdue Brunhild due to the ''Tarnkappe'' granting him the strength of twelve men. Gunther is secretly present during all of this, and is able to confirm that Siegfried did not sleep with Brunhild.{{sfn|Lienert|2015|p=39}} Once Siegfried has subdued Brunhild, Gunther takes Siegfried's place and takes Brunhild's virginity, which results in the loss of her superhuman strength.{{sfn|Millet|2008|p=182}} As a trophy, Siegfried takes Brunhild's ring and belt, which he later gives to Kriemhild.{{sfn|Lienert|2015|p=39}}

It is mentioned that Brunhild and Gunther have a son, whom they name Siegfried.{{sfn|Gentry|McConnell|Müller|Wunderlich|2011|pp=116–117}} Some years later, Brunhild, still disturbed by Siegfried's failure to behave as a vassal, convinces Gunther to invite Siegfried and Kriemhild to Worms.{{sfn|Lienert|2015|p=39}} Once the guests arrive, Brunhild becomes increasingly insistent that her husband is superior to Kriemhild's. This culminates when the two queens encounter each other in front of the cathedral at Worms, and fight over who has the right to enter first. Brunhild declares that Kriemhild is the wife of a vassal, to which Kriemhild replies that Siegfried has taken Brunhild's virginity, showing her the belt and ring as proof. Brunhild bursts into tears and Kriemhild enters the church before her. Brunhild then goes to Gunther and Gunther forces Siegfried to confirm that this is not the case. However, Brunhild convinces Gunther to murder Siegfried nonetheless. The deed itself is carried out by the Burgundian vassal [[Hagen (legend)|Hagen]], who justifies his action with the sorrow that Siegfried has caused Brunhild.{{sfn|Millet|2008|pp=182–183}}{{sfn|Lienert|2015|pp=40–41}}

After this point, Brunhild plays no further role in the story.{{sfn|Gentry|McConnell|Müller|Wunderlich|2011|p=58}} She is shown to be glad at Kriemhild's suffering,{{sfn|Heinzle|2013|p=350}} and to continue to hold a grudge against her much later in the text.{{sfn|Heinzle|2013|pp=1,353–1,354}} Her disappearance in the second half of the epic may reflect the sources of the ''Nibelungenlied'', but it also suggests a lack of interest in the character when she is no longer directly relevant to the story.{{sfn|McKinnell|2014|p=249}}