Sigurd the Dragon-Slayer
Sigfried or Sigurd, son of the hero Sigmund and a favourite of Odin, grew up an orphan. Of great courage, when he was very young he slew the dragon Fafnir at the behest of Regin the smith, stealing the dragon’s treasure. However, the hidden treasure was cursed by a ring that had been placed under a spell, and tragedy is unleashed.
Sigurd soon afterwards marries Gudrun, daughter of the king of the Nibelungs, and agrees to help her brother Gunnar win Brynhildr, a valkyrie who dwelt behind a wall of fire. Disguised as Gunnar, he conquers her after giving her the fateful ring, following which Gunnar weds her. But Gudrun, Sigurd’s wife, upon seeing Brynhildr wearing the ring, tells her the truth in order to mock her. Brynhildr, furious, demands that Gunnar and his brother Hogni kill Sigurd, after which she takes her own life by burning herself on Sigurd’s funeral pyre.
Gudrun marries Atli, Brynhildr’s brother, and asks him to kill Gunnar and Hogni in revenge for having slain Sigurd. Gudrun then kills her children by Atli, fashions cups from their skulls, and serves Atli their blood in place of wine and their hearts in place of meat.
Finally, she sets fire to his palace, and all those within perish.