Gudrun's Revenge

How did Gudrun take revenge?

In *The Greenlandic Lay of Atli*, Gudrun plots revenge for her brothers. She kills the sons she has had with Atli and turns their skulls into drinking cups. She fills the cups with wine mixed with the children's blood and gives it to Atli to drink.

She roasts their hearts on spits and tricks him into eating them, saying they are calf's meat. Atli leaves nothing behind. Then Gudrun tells her husband what she has done. Later, she joins forces with Hogni's son to kill Atli.

In *The Lay of Atli*, Gudrun serves the hearts with honey. When she reveals that they were his sons' hearts, the people weep. But she sheds no tears. Atli is very drunk. He has no weapon and suspects no danger from his wife.

Gudrun stabs Atli with a sword. Then she throws burning wood into the entrance of the hall. Flames engulf the people inside. Those who have returned after killing Gunnar burn too. The old timbers of the hall collapse in the fire.

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