batch.motif.norse-myths-of-norsemen-guerber-gutenberg-l10667-l10774
---
record_id: batch.motif.norse-myths-of-norsemen-guerber-gutenberg-l10667-l10774
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/norse/project-gutenberg/myths-of-the-norsemen-guerber.md
passage_locator:
label: 'CHAPTER XXIII: THE GIANTS / CHAPTER XXIV: THE DWARFS / CHAPTER XXV: THE
ELVES / CHAPTER XXVI: THE SIGURD SAGA; lines 10667-10774'
start: '10667'
end: '10774'
translation: 'Myths of the Norsemen: From the Eddas and Sagas'
notes: Generated from OpenAI Batch run motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority;
human review required.
canonical_text:
quote: ''
summary: The passage recounts Gunnar's refusal to reveal the Niblung treasure after
Högni is killed, Gunnar's death in a snake pit, Gudrun's vengeance against Atli
in several variant endings, Swanhild's death after a false accusation, and the
attempted revenge of Gudrun's sons Sörli, Hamdir, and Erp against Ermenrich.
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: Gunnar says Sigurd won the treasure and rings, rode the Wavering Fire, won
the Queen of Glory for him, and later was killed by Gunnar.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: Gunnar demands to see Högni's living heart before revealing the location of
the gold to Atli.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:3
text: Atli's servants first kill Hialli and bring his trembling heart, which Gunnar
rejects as not Högni's.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:4
text: After Högni's unquivering heart is brought, Gunnar says the treasure secret
now rests with him alone and will not be revealed.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:5
text: Gunnar is thrown bound into a den of venomous snakes and plays a harp with
his toes, lulling most of the reptiles to sleep.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:6
text: One snake, said to be Atli's mother in snake form, bites Gunnar in the side
and ends his song.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:7
text: Gudrun serves Atli roasted hearts of his sons and blood mixed with wine in
cups made from their skulls.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:8
text: One version says Gudrun burns the palace, stabs Atli, and dies in the flames
with the Huns.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:9
text: Another version says Gudrun kills Atli with Sigurd's sword, sends his body
adrift on a ship, and casts herself into the sea.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:10
text: A third version says Gudrun is borne by waves to Jonakur's land, becomes his
wife, and bears Sörli, Hamdir, and Erp.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:11
text: Swanhild is affianced to Ermenrich, and Sibich falsely accuses Randwer of
trying to win her affections.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:12
text: Ermenrich orders Randwer hanged and Swanhild trampled by wild horses; the
horses kill Swanhild only after she is hidden under a blanket.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:13
text: Gudrun arms her three sons with armor and weapons that only stone can overcome
and sends them to avenge Swanhild.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: obs:14
text: Sörli and Hamdir kill Erp before reaching their enemies.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: obs:15
text: Sörli and Hamdir cut off Ermenrich's hands and feet, but are killed when a
one-eyed stranger orders bystanders to throw stones at them.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: Gunnar
description: A Niblung who refuses to reveal the treasure secret, is thrown into
a snake den, and dies after a snake bite.
role_refs:
- role:1
- role:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: Sigurd
description: Described by Gunnar as the Volsung who won the treasure, rode the Wavering
Fire, and was later killed by Gunnar.
role_refs:
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: Atli
description: A king who demands the treasure secret, orders Högni's heart brought,
has Gunnar thrown into a snake den, and is later killed in Gudrun revenge variants.
role_refs:
- role:4
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:4
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: Högni
description: Gunnar's fearless brother whose heart is cut from his living breast
and shown to Gunnar.
role_refs:
- role:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: Hialli
description: A cowardly scullion killed by Atli's servants in place of Högni at
first.
role_refs:
- role:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: fig:6
name_or_label: Atli's mother in snake form
description: Said to have taken the form of the snake that bites Gunnar in the side.
role_refs:
- role:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: fig:7
name_or_label: Gudrun
description: Atli's wife; she kills her sons in a revenge feast, kills or destroys
Atli in variant endings, later may become Jonakur's wife, and sends her sons to
avenge Swanhild.
role_refs:
- role:9
- role:10
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:7
- id: fig:8
name_or_label: Atli's sons
description: The sons slain by Gudrun and served as roasted hearts and blood to
Atli.
role_refs:
- role:11
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: fig:9
name_or_label: Swanhild
description: Daughter of Sigurd and Gudrun; affianced to Ermenrich and trampled
by wild horses after a false accusation involving Randwer.
role_refs:
- role:12
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
- ev:7
- id: fig:10
name_or_label: Jonakur
description: A king whose land Gudrun reaches in one version; Gudrun becomes his
wife.
role_refs:
- role:13
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: fig:11
name_or_label: Sörli
description: One of Gudrun and Jonakur's sons, armed to avenge Swanhild; he helps
kill Erp, attacks Ermenrich, and dies from thrown stones.
role_refs:
- role:14
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:7
- ev:8
- id: fig:12
name_or_label: Hamdir
description: One of Gudrun and Jonakur's sons, armed to avenge Swanhild; he helps
kill Erp, attacks Ermenrich, and dies from thrown stones.
role_refs:
- role:14
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:7
- ev:8
- id: fig:13
name_or_label: Erp
description: One of Gudrun and Jonakur's sons, judged too young by Sörli and Hamdir
and slain by them before the attack on Ermenrich.
role_refs:
- role:15
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:8
- id: fig:14
name_or_label: Ermenrich
description: King of Gothland; he orders Randwer hanged and Swanhild trampled, and
is later mutilated by Sörli and Hamdir.
role_refs:
- role:16
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:8
- id: fig:15
name_or_label: Randwer
description: Ermenrich's son, sent to escort Swanhild and later hanged after Sibich's
accusation.
role_refs:
- role:17
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: fig:16
name_or_label: Sibich
description: A servant described as a traitor who falsely accuses Randwer as part
of a plan against the royal family.
role_refs:
- role:18
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: fig:17
name_or_label: One-eyed stranger
description: A stranger who appears during Sörli and Hamdir's attack and orders
bystanders to kill them with stones.
role_refs:
- role:19
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: fig:18
name_or_label: Venomous snakes
description: Reptiles in the den into which Gunnar is thrown; most are lulled asleep
by his harp-playing.
role_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: fig:19
name_or_label: Wild horses
description: Horses ordered to trample Swanhild; they do not harm her until she
is covered from sight by a blanket.
role_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
roles:
- id: role:1
label: keeper of treasure secret
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: Gunnar says the secret rests with him alone and will not be revealed.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:2
label: condemned captive
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: Gunnar is bound and thrown into a den of venomous snakes.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: role:3
label: treasure-winning hero
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: Gunnar credits Sigurd with winning the treasure and riding the Wavering Fire.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: role:4
label: coercive king
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: Atli orders Högni's heart brought and Gunnar thrown into the snake den.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: role:5
label: target of vengeance
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: Gudrun's revenge variants end with Atli stabbed, murdered with Sigurd's sword,
or burned in the palace.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: role:6
label: fearless slain brother
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: Gunnar identifies Högni as fearless, and Högni's unquivering heart is produced.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:7
label: substitute victim
assigned_to:
- fig:5
basis: Hialli is killed first because servants fear laying hands on Högni.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:8
label: snake-form killer
assigned_to:
- fig:6
basis: The passage says Atli's mother had taken the form of the snake that bites
Gunnar.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: role:9
label: revenge-feast perpetrator
assigned_to:
- fig:7
basis: Gudrun serves Atli his sons' hearts and blood in skull cups.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: role:10
label: mourning mother and avenger-sender
assigned_to:
- fig:7
basis: After learning Swanhild's fate, Gudrun arms her sons and sends them to avenge
their sister.
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: role:11
label: kin slain for vengeance meal
assigned_to:
- fig:8
basis: Gudrun has killed both sons and served their hearts and blood to Atli.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: role:12
label: falsely implicated bride-victim
assigned_to:
- fig:9
basis: Swanhild is affianced to Ermenrich and is killed after Sibich's accusation
against Randwer.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: role:13
label: receiving king and husband
assigned_to:
- fig:10
basis: In one version, Gudrun is borne to Jonakur's land and becomes his wife.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: role:14
label: sibling avenger
assigned_to:
- fig:11
- fig:12
basis: Sörli and Hamdir attack Ermenrich after being sent to avenge Swanhild.
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:8
- id: role:15
label: slain younger brother
assigned_to:
- fig:13
basis: Sörli and Hamdir deem Erp too young and kill him.
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: role:16
label: punitive king
assigned_to:
- fig:14
basis: Ermenrich orders Randwer hanged and Swanhild trampled.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: role:17
label: accused son
assigned_to:
- fig:15
basis: Randwer is accused by Sibich and hanged by order of his father.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: role:18
label: traitorous accuser
assigned_to:
- fig:16
basis: Sibich is called a traitor and accuses Randwer to advance his plan.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: role:19
label: death-instruction stranger
assigned_to:
- fig:17
basis: The one-eyed stranger tells bystanders to throw stones, the only things that
can injure the youths.
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: treasure and ruddy rings
literal_form: Gold treasure and rings
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: sym:2
label: Wavering Fire
literal_form: Fire barrier ridden by Sigurd
associated_figures:
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs:
- fire
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: sym:3
label: Högni's heart
literal_form: Unquivering heart cut from Högni's living breast
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:4
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: sym:4
label: snake den
literal_form: Den of venomous snakes
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:6
- fig:18
taxonomy_refs:
- serpent
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: sym:5
label: harp played with toes
literal_form: Harp thrown into the pit and played by bound Gunnar
associated_figures:
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: sym:6
label: skull cups and blood wine
literal_form: Cups made of skulls containing blood mixed with wine
associated_figures:
- fig:3
- fig:7
- fig:8
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: sym:7
label: palace fire
literal_form: Fire set to Atli's palace
associated_figures:
- fig:3
- fig:7
taxonomy_refs:
- fire
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: sym:8
label: sea waves
literal_form: Sea waves that drown Gudrun in one version or bear her away in another
associated_figures:
- fig:7
taxonomy_refs:
- water
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- id: sym:9
label: Sigurd's sword
literal_form: Sword used by Gudrun to murder Atli in one version
associated_figures:
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:7
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: sym:10
label: wild horses and blanket
literal_form: Wild horses that trample Swanhild after she is hidden under a blanket
associated_figures:
- fig:9
- fig:19
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: sym:11
label: stone vulnerability
literal_form: Armor and weapons against which nothing but stone can prevail
associated_figures:
- fig:11
- fig:12
- fig:13
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:8
- id: sym:12
label: funeral pyre
literal_form: Great pyre on which Gudrun is burned after death
associated_figures:
- fig:7
taxonomy_refs:
- fire
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Gunnar withholds the gold secret after Högni's heart is brought
summary: Gunnar demands Högni's heart, rejects Hialli's trembling heart, and refuses
to reveal the treasure once Högni's true heart has been produced.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:3
- fig:4
- fig:5
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: scene:2
label: Gunnar dies in the snake den
summary: Atli has Gunnar thrown into a den of venomous snakes; Gunnar plays the
harp with his toes until a snake said to be Atli's mother bites him.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:3
- fig:6
- fig:18
symbol_refs:
- sym:4
- sym:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: scene:3
label: Gudrun's vengeance against Atli
summary: Gudrun serves Atli his sons' hearts and blood, and variant endings describe
her burning the palace, killing Atli with Sigurd's sword, drowning herself, or
being borne by waves to Jonakur's land.
figure_refs:
- fig:3
- fig:7
- fig:8
- fig:10
symbol_refs:
- sym:6
- sym:7
- sym:8
- sym:9
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- id: scene:4
label: Swanhild's false accusation and trampling
summary: Sibich accuses Randwer in relation to Swanhild, leading Ermenrich to order
Randwer hanged and Swanhild trampled by wild horses.
figure_refs:
- fig:9
- fig:14
- fig:15
- fig:16
- fig:19
symbol_refs:
- sym:10
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: scene:5
label: Gudrun's sons attempt revenge and are killed by stones
summary: Gudrun arms Sörli, Hamdir, and Erp for vengeance; Sörli and Hamdir kill
Erp, mutilate Ermenrich, and are killed when a one-eyed stranger identifies stones
as the effective weapon against them.
figure_refs:
- fig:7
- fig:11
- fig:12
- fig:13
- fig:14
- fig:17
symbol_refs:
- sym:11
- sym:12
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:8
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: treasure secret withheld after brother's heart is shown
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: Gunnar agrees to speak only after seeing Högni's heart, but once Högni is
dead he says the secret rests with him alone and will never be revealed.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
confidence: high
cautions: The passage gives the pattern clearly, but no supplied taxonomy family
directly matches treasure secrecy under coercion.
- id: motif:2
label: condemned hero in serpent pit uses music to delay death
taxonomy_refs:
- serpent
basis: Gunnar is placed bound in a den of venomous snakes and plays a harp with
his toes, putting most of the reptiles to sleep.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
confidence: high
cautions: The serpent element is explicit; the broader heroic-music pattern is described
only within this passage.
- id: motif:3
label: snake-form killer
taxonomy_refs:
- shapeshifter
- serpent
basis: The passage says Atli's mother had taken the form of the snake that bites
Gunnar.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
confidence: medium
cautions: The wording is reported tradition, 'It was said,' so the transformation
is presented as a versional claim.
- id: motif:4
label: revenge banquet of slain kin
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: Gudrun kills Atli's sons and serves their hearts and blood to Atli in skull
cups during a feast.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
confidence: high
cautions: No supplied taxonomy reference precisely covers cannibalistic revenge
feast.
- id: motif:5
label: 'variant deaths after vengeance: palace fire, ship, and sea'
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The passage gives different endings in which Gudrun burns the palace and
dies in flames, kills Atli and sends his body on a ship before drowning, or survives
by being borne away by waves.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
confidence: high
cautions: This is a cluster of variants rather than one single stabilized episode.
- id: motif:6
label: false accusation leads to bride's animal trampling
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: Sibich's accusation leads Ermenrich to execute Randwer and order Swanhild
trampled by wild horses, which kill her after she is hidden under a blanket.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
confidence: high
cautions: The passage does not provide an explicit comparative taxonomy label for
this pattern.
- id: motif:7
label: sibling avengers vulnerable only to a special material
taxonomy_refs:
- sibling_pair
basis: Gudrun arms her sons for vengeance with protection overcome only by stone;
after Sörli and Hamdir attack Ermenrich, stones are used to kill them.
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:8
confidence: medium
cautions: The sibling-pair taxonomy applies most directly to Sörli and Hamdir after
Erp is killed; the initial group contains three brothers.
- id: motif:8
label: one-eyed stranger reveals the means of killing protected warriors
taxonomy_refs:
- wisdom
basis: A one-eyed stranger appears and instructs bystanders to use stones, the material
that can harm Sörli and Hamdir.
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:8
confidence: medium
cautions: The passage does not identify the stranger; any divine identification
would be external and is not asserted here.
comparison_claims: []
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: 10667-10690
quote_or_summary: Gunnar recounts that Sigurd won the treasure and rode the Wavering
Fire; he admits killing Sigurd and demands to see Högni's heart before revealing
the gold to Atli.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/norse/project-gutenberg/myths-of-the-norsemen-guerber.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:2
type: summary
locator: 10691-10700
quote_or_summary: Atli orders Högni's heart brought; Hialli is killed first and
rejected by Gunnar, then Högni's unquivering heart is produced and Gunnar refuses
to reveal the secret.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/norse/project-gutenberg/myths-of-the-norsemen-guerber.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:3
type: summary
locator: 10701-10709
quote_or_summary: Gunnar is cast bound into a den of venomous snakes, plays a harp
with his toes, lulls the reptiles except one, and is bitten by a snake said to
be Atli's mother in that form.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/norse/project-gutenberg/myths-of-the-norsemen-guerber.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:4
type: summary
locator: 10710-10731
quote_or_summary: Atli feasts without knowing Gudrun has served him his sons' hearts
and blood in skull cups; variants describe Gudrun burning the palace and stabbing
Atli, or killing him with Sigurd's sword, setting his body adrift, and casting
herself into the sea.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/norse/project-gutenberg/myths-of-the-norsemen-guerber.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:5
type: summary
locator: 10732-10739
quote_or_summary: A third version says Gudrun is not drowned but borne by waves
to Jonakur's land, becomes his wife, bears Sörli, Hamdir, and Erp, and recovers
her daughter Swanhild.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/norse/project-gutenberg/myths-of-the-norsemen-guerber.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:6
type: summary
locator: 10740-10755
quote_or_summary: Swanhild is affianced to Ermenrich; Sibich falsely accuses Randwer,
leading Ermenrich to hang Randwer and order Swanhild trampled by wild horses,
which kill her after she is hidden under a blanket.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/norse/project-gutenberg/myths-of-the-norsemen-guerber.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:7
type: summary
locator: 10756-10762
quote_or_summary: Gudrun learns Swanhild's fate, arms Sörli, Hamdir, and Erp with
gear vulnerable only to stone, sends them to avenge their sister, dies of grief,
and is burned on a pyre.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/norse/project-gutenberg/myths-of-the-norsemen-guerber.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:8
type: summary
locator: 10763-10774
quote_or_summary: Sörli and Hamdir kill Erp, attack Ermenrich and cut off his hands
and feet; a one-eyed stranger orders stones thrown, and the brothers die under
the stones.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/norse/project-gutenberg/myths-of-the-norsemen-guerber.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: uncertain
notes: The passage is explicit about actions and variants. Motif labels are candidate
abstractions from the passage only; no external parallels are asserted.
reviewer_status:
status: needs_review
reviewer: ''
reviewed_at: ''
notes: Machine-generated draft from OpenAI Batch; not human-reviewed.
extracted_by: openai_batch:gpt-5.5
extracted_at: '2026-04-28'
notes: |-
Used only the provided passage and metadata. Comparison claims are left empty because the passage itself does not establish external comparisons.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:norse-myths-of-norsemen-guerber-gutenberg__l10667-l10774
passage_sha256=4204a9895227e77d47af21f470bb2f80908b31ee8110accaec527e97e0e259e9