In Norse mythology, Brünnehilde was a heroine, a Valkyrie. In the Nibelungenlied, she is an Icelandic princess who broke Odin's laws and was imprisoned in a ring of fire and cursed to stay there until rescued by a hero. Sigurd bravely entered the ring of fire (in the shape of a hero who had previously failed at the task, Gunnar), awoke her from a magical sleep; they fell in love and he gave her his cursed ring, Andvarinaut, unaware that it was cursed. Siegfried then betrayed Brünnehilde for a different woman, Gudrun (Gunnar's sister), because he was unknowingly bewitched by the sorceress Grimhild. Brünnehilde killed herself. She may have been a lunar deity originally.

Alternative: Brunhilt, Brynhild, Brünnehilde, Brunnehilde, Brunhilde, Brynhilt, Brunhild