Intended to Die

Gudrun sat over Sigurd’s dead body. She did not weep like other women and she was on the point of collapsing with grief. Both men and women came to comfort her; it was not easy. People said that Gudrun had eaten some of Fafnir’s heart and so she understood the talk of birds. This is also said of Gudrun:

1 It was long ago that Gudrun intended to die,
when she sat sorrowful over Sigurd;
she did not weep or strike her hands together,
or lament like other women.

2 Very wise warriors stepped forward,
they tried to ease her fierceness of mind;
even so Gudrun could not weep,
she was so impassioned, she might have burst asunder.


- Poetic Edda, Gudrunarkvida I