Editing Brunhild (section)

=== Þiðrekssaga ===

Although the ''[[Þiðrekssaga]]'' (c. 1250) is written in Old Norse, the majority of the material is translated from German (particularly [[Low German]]) oral tales, as well as possibly some from German written sources such as the ''Nibelungenlied''.{{sfn|Millet|2008|pp=270–273}} Therefore, it is included here. The saga-author can nonetheless be shown to have changed some details to accord with Scandinavian traditions, of which he was aware.{{sfn|Millet|2008|pp=271–272}}{{sfn|Haymes|1988|pp=xxvii–xxix}}

According to the ''Thidrekssaga'', Brunhild is the daughter of king Heimir and lives in the castle of Saegard in [[Swabia]].{{sfn|Gentry|McConnell|Müller|Wunderlich|2011|p=119}} There she runs a stud farm that produces excellent horses. Sigurd encounters Brunhild shortly after he has killed the dragon Regin; he breaks into her castle and kills several of her warriors, but Brunhild recognizes Sigurd, tells him the names of his parents, and gives him the horse Grani before he leaves.{{sfn|Millet|2008|p=264}}{{sfn|Gentry|McConnell|Müller|Wunderlich|2011|p=119}}

Later, Sigurd, who has gone to the court of the Burgundians (called Niflungs), advises Gunnar (Gunther) to marry Brunhild, and the two go to see her. She is angered that Sigurd has not kept his promise to marry only her—something which was not mentioned in their previous encounter{{sfn|Gentry|McConnell|Müller|Wunderlich|2011|p=120}}—but Sigurd persuades her to marry Gunnar. She nevertheless refuses to consummate the marriage on the wedding night, and Sigurd must take Gunther's place (and shape) to take her virginity for Gunnar, which robs her of her strength.{{sfn|Millet|2008|p=264}}{{sfn|Haymes|Samples|1996|p=114}}

Some time later, while Sigurd is living with the Burgundians, Brunhild begins to quarrel with Sigurd's wife Grimhild over which of them has the higher status. One day, Grimhild fails to rise when Brunhild enters the hall. This causes Brunhild to accuse Grimhild of being married to a man without noble birth, whereupon Grimhild produces a ring that Brunhild had given to Sigurd (thinking he was Gunnar) after he had deflowered her,{{sfn|Gillespie|1973|pp=15–16}} and publicly proclaims that Sigurd and not Gunnar took Brunhild's virginity. Brunhild then convinces Gunnar and Högni to kill Sigurd.{{sfn|Millet|2008|p=266}} Brunhild is shown to be overjoyed once it has occurred.{{sfn|Quinn|2015|p=88}} Afterwards, she largely disappears from the saga, though it is mentioned that King Atli (Etzel) visits her among the Burgundians.{{sfn|Quinn|2015|p=89}}