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INTRODUCTION. 63
clears herself of the accusations which are made
against her concerning the murder of Sigurd.
At this stage the Niflungar, who had hitherto
played only a secondary part, become the heroes of
the tragedy, and their destinies are celebrated in a
series of touching songs, "which shall endure so
long as the world stands."
28. Gu5riinarkvi6a hin fyrsta— ^the First Song of
Outrun depicts her grief after the death of her
husband, and the vain consolations with which
she was assailed by her kindred, as well as her
journey to Denmark and other events of her widow-
hood.
29. Drap Niflunga or Niflunga Lok— ^the Death of
the Niflunga/r—a prose fragment, tells of the feud
which broke out between Atli and the Grjukungar,
on account of Brynhild's death, of the reconcilia-
tion by which Atli receives GuSrun as his wife,
her consent, being obtained only by means of a
potion of forgetfulness, and of Atli's treachery in
murdering Gunnar and Hogni.
30. The Second Song of GuSrtin relates and be-
wails her sad fate. After a brief sketch of her
youth, she alludes to Sigurd's death as the beginning
of hei" sorrows, then speaks of her stay in Den-
mark, and dwells particularly on the fact that she
had been forced by the magic arts of Grimhild to
marry Atli against her inclination. Finally she im-
parts some of Atli's ill-boding dreams and her inter-
pretations of them, as weU as Atli's declaration that
h& could no longer sleep in peace after such dreams-
Si. In the thijrd Song of GuSrun (GuSriinar-
—