Shield-maiden with family ties, but at first does not usually act directly. She is more inclined to incite her male relatives to action than take up arms herself. Guðrún is no shield-maiden, and Brynhildr mocks her for this, saying, "Only ask what is best for you to know. That is suitable for noble women. And it is easy to be satisfied while everything happens according to your desires." In her later marriages, however, she is willing to kill her children, burn down a hall, and send her other sons to avenge the murder of her daughter, Svanhildr. In the world of
The Courts of Chaos sans Merci" by John Keats. Corwin's meeting with Ygg parallels Dante's meeting with a talking tree in the middle ring of the seventh circle of hell in the ""Inferno" (Dante)". Ygg might also be an allusion to Yggdrasil, the mythological tree of the Norse mythology. Hugi might allude to Huginn, one of the two mythical ravens of Odin also from the Norse mythology. Corwin's valedictory to Dara, ""Carmen, voulez-vous venir avec moi?" No? Then goodbye to you too, Princess of Chaos." probably alludes to "Lolita"; the "Carmen" line is included by Humbert Humbert in his narration of speaking to Dolores