ABSTRACT
Oddrunargrdtr (“Oddrun’s Lament”) is another in the Siguròr-Gudrun cycle of poems contained in the Codex Regius of the Poetic Edda (13th century). Oddrun, here the (half?)-sister of Atli and Brynhildr, appears nowhere else in the texts, and is probably an invention of the late 12th-century poet. Oddrùn, skilled in magic and witchcraft, hears of the difficult labor of Borgny, King Heidrekr’s daughter. She rushes to her aid because she has pledged to help all in distress. When Borgny thanks her for safely delivering twins, Oddrùn replies bitterly that it was not love for Borgna that brought her there. In fact, she has never forgiven Borgny for having accused her publicly at a banquet of having an illicit love affair. And now Borgna herself has just borne twins to her own illicit lover.
