Gudrun
In Norse mythology, Gudrun, who is called Kriemhild in the Niebelungenlied, was the sister of Gunnar. Gudrun falls in love with Sigurd, who doesn't care for her, because he is in love with the Valkyrie Brünnehilde, to whom he gave the ring Andwari. Her brother Gunnar however decided to marry the Valkyrie Brünnehilde, this is impossible because Brünnehilde sweared, knowing that only Sigurd could do so, that she would only marry the man that could defeat her in a fair fight. Brünnhilde has got a magic belt that is responsible for the fact that she is stronger than every man. Gurdruns mother Grimhild, who is called Ute in the Niebelungenlied, gives her a love-portion and Sigurd forgets his love for Brünnhilde. Gunthar allouwes a marriage between Gudrun and Sigurd under the condition, that Sigurd would win the hand of Brünnehilde for him. Sigurd succeeds in doing so, taking the shape of Gunnar, he takes Andwari from Brünnehilde and gives it to Gudrun as his morning gift. Both Queens, Gudrun and Brünnehilde, are married on the same day. After the death of Sigurd Gudrun marries the king Attila, who is in the northern version responsible for the death of her whole family, who did inherit the name Niebelungen from the gold. The queen takes revenge for her family by killing her own children by Attila and serving them as dinner to him. She is able to flee from Attilas court and marries another king, with whom she has got three sons. Her daughter Swanhild, by Sigurd is accused wrongly of adultery and was killed, her three sons and Swanhilds milk-brother are killed when they take revenge for her. In the southern version Gudrun, here Kriemhild, kills her brothers to get the Niebelungen-gold back, for this she is killed by Dietrich von Bern, so Theoderich.
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