{"collection":"myth-cosmogony","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_73227/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_73227","id":"gutenberg_73227","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/73227","summary":null,"tags":["Category: German Literature","Category: Mythology, Legends & Folklore","Category: Novels","Nibelungenlied -- Adaptations"],"text":"This eBook is dedicated to the memory of\n               D A Alexander\n           who made it possible.\n\n\n\n\n_LIFE STORIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE_\n\n\nTHE NIBELUNGS\n\n\n\n\nLIFE STORIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE\n\n_Translated from the German by GEORGE P. UPTON_\n\n12 Vols. Ready\n\n  BEETHOVEN                  FREDERICK THE GREAT\n  MOZART                     MARIA THERESA\n  BACH                       BARBAROSSA\n  MAID OF ORLEANS            WILLIAM OF ORANGE\n  WILLIAM TELL               GUDRUN\n  THE LITTLE DAUPHIN         THE NIBELUNGS\n\n_Illustrated, each 60 cents net_\n\nA. C. McCLURG & CO., CHICAGO\n\n\n[Illustration: _DEATH OF SIEGFRIED_]\n\n\n\n\n  _LIFE STORIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE_\n\n  THE NIBELUNGS\n\n  _Translated from the German of\n  Ferdinand Schmidt_\n\n  BY\n  GEORGE P. UPTON\n  _Translator of \u201cMemories,\u201d etc._\n\n  WITH FOUR ILLUSTRATIONS\n\n  [Illustration]\n\n  CHICAGO\n  A. C. McCLURG & CO.\n  1906\n\n\n\n\n  COPYRIGHT\n  A. C. MCCLURG & CO.\n  1906\n\n  Published September 22, 1906\n\n  THE UNIVERSITY PRESS, CAMBRIDGE, U.S.A.\n\n\n\n\nTranslator\u2019s Preface\n\n\nThe Nibelungen Lied (_Nibelungen_, name of an ancient royal race\nwhich possessed a great treasure; _lied_, song or ballad), one of\nthe world\u2019s greatest epics, made its appearance in the twelfth or\nthirteenth century, in South Germany. Its authorship is unknown. The\nwriter, however, did not produce an original work, but made use of\nstill earlier legends which had been handed down orally. The Nibelungen\nLied is to be regarded, therefore, as a collection of ballads skilfully\nunited so as to form a connected story. Its hero is Siegfried, who\npossessed the Nibelung hoard, which he won in Norway. Siegfried wooed\nBrunhild for G\u00fcnther, King of Burgundy, and married the king\u2019s sister,\nKriemhild. He was treacherously slain by Hagen and the hoard was sunk\nin the Rhine. Kriemhild subsequently was married to Etzel (Attila),\nKing of the Huns, and slew Hagen after he had been overcome in combat,\nbut lost her own life at the hands of the \u201cancient,\u201d Hildebrand. Both\nhistorical and mythical elements are mingled in this great poem, which\nshould not be confounded with Wagner\u2019s \u201cRing der Nibelungen,\u201d in which\nhe has taken many names from the German epic. The material for his\nfamous music-dramas he found in the old Norse version, contained in\nthe Volsunga Saga and the Edda.\n\nThe Nibelungen Lied was followed by many similar epics, among them\n\u201cGudrun,\u201d \u201cThe Expedition of Ecken,\u201d the tale of \u201cKing Laurin,\u201d\n\u201cRosengarten,\u201d and others, but The Nibelungen Lied is the greatest of\nall the German national traditions. One writer, in his description of\nthe poem, says:\n\n  \u201cFeudal loyalty and martial courage were the great virtues of these\n  heroes. The poem contains a tale of revenge; but all the plot turns\n  on the principle of loyalty, in obedience to which thousands lost\n  their lives in a quarrel which had at first involved only two or\n  three leading characters. Though this singular poem contains many\n  traits of a warlike age, and closes with terrible scenes of carnage,\n  it displays hardly a trace of such a motive as personal hatred,\n  except in the character of the heroine.\u201d\n\nConsidered as types, Siegfried stands for the enthusiasm, beauty,\ncourage, lofty purpose, and high ambition of immortal youth; Hagen, for\nfierceness, boldness, savagery, and treachery; Kriemhild is the type\nof a gentle, loving nature roused to the highest intensity of furious\nlonging for vengeance. Old as the poem is, it contains the development\nof all human passions,--manly beauty, heroism, and nobility by the side\nof unmanly cruelty and treachery; the blackest unfaithfulness by the\nside of faithfulness until death; the foulest of deeds by the side of\nthe most loving; and the tenderest hearts combined with the most heroic\nsouls. But among them all, no character stands out more resplendently\nas an exemplar for youth than Siegfried, himself the type of immortal\nyouth.\n\nIn the making of this translation an older form of English expression\nhas been employed as in better keeping, perhaps, with the older form\nof German, which was used in the original poem. Some of the more\nsanguinary descriptions have been toned down, some of the numerous\npoetical connecting links omitted as being unnecessary, and paragraphs\nhere and there have also been omitted where this did not mar the\ncontext, so as to make the volume nearly uniform in size with the\nothers of the series.\n\n                                                                G. P. U.\n\n  CHICAGO, July 1, 1906.\n\n\n\n\nContents\n\n\n       I. WIELAND THE SMITH                           13\n\n      II. DIETRICH\u2019S FIGHT WITH ECKE                  22\n\n     III. SIEGFRIED IN THE FORGE                      30\n\n      IV. SIEGFRIED AND THE NIBELUNGS                 35\n\n       V. SIEGFRIED GOES TO BURGUNDY                  40\n\n      VI. SIEGFRIED MAKES WAR AGAINST THE SAXONS      45\n\n     VII. THE FESTIVAL                                49\n\n    VIII. KING G\u00dcNTHER\u2019S VOYAGE TO ICELAND            53\n\n      IX. THE CONTEST                                 57\n\n       X. SIEGFRIED VISITS THE NIBELUNGS              62\n\n      XI. THE WELCOME                                 66\n\n     XII. SIEGFRIED STRIVES WITH BRUNHILD             69\n\n    XIII. THE TWO QUEENS                              74\n\n     XIV. THE QUEENS\u2019 QUARREL                         78\n\n      XV. THE BETRAYAL                                81\n\n     XVI. SIEGFRIED\u2019S DEATH                           84\n\n    XVII. KRIEMHILD\u2019S GRIEF                           93\n\n   XVIII. THE NIBELUNG HOARD                          97\n\n     XIX. KING ETZEL WOOS KRIEMHILD                  100\n\n      XX. ETZEL\u2019S INVITATION TO G\u00dcNTHER              103\n\n     XXI. THE SWAN-MAIDENS                           106\n\n    XXII. KRIEMHILD\u2019S WELCOME                        113\n\n   XXIII. THE COMRADES                               119\n\n    XXIV. THE MINSTREL KNIGHT                        125\n\n     XXV. THE BURGUNDIANS GO TO MASS                 129\n\n    XXVI. THE FEAST                                  132\n\n   XXVII. BL\u00d6DELIN AND DANKWART                      135\n\n  XXVIII. THE STRIFE IN THE HALL                     139\n\n    XXIX. IRING\u2019S FIGHT WITH HAGEN                   144\n\n     XXX. THE NIGHT OF TERROR                        149\n\n    XXXI. THE MARGRAVE R\u00dcDIGER                       153\n\n   XXXII. HILDEBRAND AND DIETRICH                    161\n\n  XXXIII. KRIEMHILD\u2019S REVENGE AND DEATH              169\n\n\n\n\nIllustrations\n\n\n  The Death of Siegfried                  _Frontispiece_\n\n  Siegfried vanquishes Alberich                       62\n\n  The Minstrel and Hagen                             126\n\n  Death of Kriemhild                                 170\n\n\n\n\nThe Nibelungs\n\n\n\n\n_Chapter I_\n\n_Wieland the Smith_\n\n\nIn olden times there lived at Santen on the Rhine a noble pair,\nSiegmund and Sieglind, King and Queen of Niderland, to whom late in\nlife was born a son. They named the boy Siegfried, and he throve and\ngrew apace, so that none could equal him for beauty or strength, and\nin all knightly sports and exercises he soon left far behind him the\nother lads of his age. Now, these were the days of heroes whose fame\nspread far and wide throughout the world. To listen to tales of their\nmighty deeds gave even more joy to the bold youth than the call of the\nhunting-horn or the sound of the battle-trumpet; while to forge good\nswords that, like the lions\u2019 teeth, should pierce through bone and\nsinew, seemed in truth to him a noble art.\n\nOne day his father, Siegmund the King, told to him the tale of Wieland\nthe Smith.\n\nThe giant Wadi had a son whose evil fortune it was to be lame,\nwherefore he besought his father to let him become a smith. \u201cFor,\u201d\nsaid he, \u201csince with such limbs as these it is plain I may do no\nknightly deeds, what better lot can be mine than to forge arms fit for\nheroes to wield?\u201d\n\n\u201cNow hast thou well spoken,\u201d replied Wadi, and forthwith took his\nson to Mime. Mime was the greatest smith in all Hunland, and he kept\nWieland for three years and made him master of his art. Nor was this\nall; for, when the time was spent, his father sent him to two famous\ndwarfs who dwelt in the Kallova mountains. These dwarfs were possessed\nof marvellous strength and skill, and would not agree to take Wieland\ninto their forge for a twelve-month save upon payment of a piece of\ngold.\n\nAt the end of the time Wadi came to fetch his son. But Wieland already\nsurpassed the dwarfs in skill and cunning, and they would not let him\ngo. They said to Wadi:\n\n\u201cLet thy son bide with us for yet another twelve-month, and thou shalt\nhave back thy gold.\u201d But to this they craftily added that if by any\nchance he should not appear at the time appointed, Wieland\u2019s head must\npay the forfeit. To this the giant agreed; but ere he set forth he\nspoke privately with his son, saying:\n\n\u201cFor their own sake they will keep thee yet another year, and at the\nend thereof for envy they will slay thee. Nevertheless their evil\ndesigns shall avail them not. Three days before the time will I be\nhere, but meanwhile that thou mayest not lack defence, take this sword.\nBe brave and fearless, and in thy hand it shall prove a sword of\nvengeance against the mighty dwarfs!\u201d\n\nThen Wadi departed; whereupon his son drove the keen blade into the\nground and hid all traces of it from the sharp eyes of the dwarfs.\n\nNow Wieland plied his craft so lustily, that he wrought many good\nswords and pieces of armor, and the time went swiftly by. Three days\nbefore the end of the year came Wadi; but the mountain was shut fast,\nand being weary he lay down before it and slept. And as he slept the\ndwarfs came forth and spied him; whereat they loosened a great rock\nfrom the side of the mountain, so that it rolled down upon the giant,\ncrushing and killing him. On the third day they brought Wieland forth\nfrom the mountain and made pretence to watch for Wadi\u2019s coming. But\nWieland saw blood spots on the ground, and, looking about more closely,\nperceived one of his father\u2019s feet protruding from a mass of rock.\nThereupon a frenzy of grief and rage seized him, and, thrusting his\nhands into the earth, he drew out the great sword the giant had left\nhim. Meanwhile the dwarfs had fetched their own swords shouting:\n\n\u201cNow must thou die!\u201d But at the sight before them they were stricken\nwith fear, lest he might be a sorcerer and blast them with his magic.\n\nWieland gave them no time to recover, but rushed upon them fiercely,\nnor could all their skill avail against his fury. Although attacked\nfrom every side and forced to spring now this way, now that, to avoid\ntheir blows, he soon overcame and slew both his foes. Thereupon, after\nbinding up his wounds, he brought out from the mountain a great store\nof gold, and, loading this, with all his tools, upon a horse, set out\nupon his journey northward.\n\nAt last he came to the sea. Here he felled a stout tree which grew by\nthe shore, and artfully hollowed it so that it might hold him with his\ntools and treasure, closing it after from within, all save some small\nopenings which he filled with glass. And when all was done he rolled\nhimself, with the tree, into the water, and was borne away by the wind\nand waves.\n\nThus eighteen days went by and but little was left of his store of meat\nand honey, when at last the island of Jutland loomed near at hand.\nNow it chanced that some of the King\u2019s folk were fishing in the sea\nand they seized the tree-trunk and drew it to the land. When the King\ncame to look at the strange craft he bade them cleave it asunder, but\nat this Wieland gave such a shout that all who heard were smitten\nwith fear of the spirit dwelling within the tree,--for so they deemed\nhim. Thereupon he opened the trunk himself and stepped forth, offering\nhis service to the King; and the King, nothing loath to have such a\nfollower, made him welcome. Henceforth he abode at the court.\n\nAmong Wieland\u2019s other duties was the care of the King\u2019s three best\ntable-knives; and it chanced one day, after twelve months had passed,\nthat the sharpest of the knives slipped from his hand and fell into\nthe sea. He betook himself at once to the King\u2019s smith, Amilias, and\nfinding no one in the forge, fell to work and made a new knife so\nlike the lost one that none could tell it was not the same. Also he\nwrought a curious three-edged nail, and this he left upon the anvil.\nScarcely had he gone when Amilias, the smith, returned, and great was\nhis surprise to find so strange a thing upon his anvil, nor could he\nguess by whose hand it had been forged. Wieland laid the new knife upon\nthe King\u2019s table as was his wont, nor did the King perceive the change.\nBut lo! as he cut his bread, the blade well-nigh pierced the board.\nThen the King swore that no other than Wieland, who had so skilfully\nfashioned the tree-boat, could have wrought such a knife, and Wieland\nconfessed that this was so. Amilias, the smith, hearing this, was\nfilled with envy and grew very wroth. He indignantly denied the truth\nof Wieland\u2019s words, and challenged him to a trial of skill.\n\n\u201cNow, forsooth, I will set ye the tasks,\u201d out-spoke the King. \u201cWithin\nthe space of twelve moons thou, Amilias, shalt forge a helm and coat of\nmail, and thou, Wieland, a sword. But an thy sword cleave not Amilias\u2019s\nhelm and mail at one stroke, then art thou held forsworn and for that\nthy head shall fall!\u201d\n\nForthwith Amilias betook himself to his anvil. He labored early and\nlate till he had wrought a suit of armor so strong and heavy that the\nchampion who should wear it must needs have the strength of three men.\nBut when half the year was gone not a blow had Wieland dealt with his\nhammer. The King warned him, and caused a forge to be built for him;\nyet again the months slipped by and he paid no heed to his task.\n\nAt length when it lacked but two months of the appointed time, he fell\nto work and in seven days had forged a sword. To test its keenness,\nhe held it in a stream wherein some handfuls of loose wool had been\nthrown. As they drifted against the edge of the blade they were\ninstantly severed; whereat the King was amazed and acknowledged that\nnever yet had such a sword been seen. Nor did his wonder lessen when\nWieland began to file the blade into small bits. These he welded\ntogether again and at the end of thirteen days a second sword was made\neven sharper than the first. It cut through a bunch of the floating\nwool full two feet thick when it had scarcely touched the edge; and the\nKing pronounced the sword a priceless treasure.\n\nYet once again did Wieland file it into bits, and from the pieces in\nthree more weeks forge a third sword. The blade, richly inlaid with\ngold, flashed like the lightning and would sever a hair that fell upon\nits edge, while the handle was set in curious fashion with precious\nstones. The King marvelled greatly at this wondrous feat, and would\nhave kept the great sword, which was called Mimung, for himself; but\nWieland hid it and soon made another for the King.\n\nMeanwhile Amilias had wrought a second suit of armor still heavier and\nmore massive than the first, and tried its strength with many weapons.\nBut the keenest swords and heaviest battle-axes could scarce dent its\nsurface, much less pierce or destroy it. Wherefore the smith awaited\nwith calmness the day of the trial, never doubting he should win the\ntest.\n\nAt last the time was come. Amilias strode haughtily into the great\nhall, clad in his massive armor, the mighty helm upon his head, and\nsoon was obliged to sit upon a stool, so oppressive was their weight.\nThen came Wieland, and as he drew his great sword, the whole hall\nseemed filled with light. The King and all his chiefs formed a circle\nabout the two smiths and again the King demanded:\n\n\u201cWas it thou, Wieland, who did forge the knife?\u201d\n\nAnd again Wieland answered: \u201cOf a truth, my lord, it was I.\u201d\n\nAgain, too, Amilias denied it, whereupon Wieland strode to his side,\nand flung his lying words back to him. But the smith only laughed a\nscornful laugh and said:\n\n\u201cFool! Soon shall thy false head roll upon the ground and thereby prove\nme right!\u201d\n\nHereupon the King gave the signal. Quick as thought the good sword\nMimung flashed in the air, and descended so swiftly that none could\nmark its flight, cleaving Amilias in twain, through helm and head, mail\nand body, and even through the stool on which he sat. Then Wieland said\nto the smith:\n\n\u201cHow feelest thou?\u201d\n\nAnd Amilias replied: \u201cI feel as it were a stream of ice-cold water had\nbeen poured over my body.\u201d\n\n\u201cShake thyself!\u201d said Wieland; and Amilias shook himself, whereat,\nwith a great crash down fell his two halves from the stool, one to the\nright, the other to the left.\n\n\u201cIt was indeed thou that forged the knife,\u201d cried the King;\n\u201chenceforth thou shalt be my master smith!\u201d\n\nAnd so it came to pass. Nor was there any in all the land to equal him\nfor skill and cunning; and from that time Wieland was renowned as the\ngreatest of all smiths.\n\n\n\n\n_Chapter II_\n\n_Dietrich\u2019s Fight with Ecke_\n\n\nNow, it chanced one day that a knight of Siegmund\u2019s court returned\nafter long wandering in foreign lands, and the King sent for him\nforthwith, that himself and his son Siegfried might hear what was\ntoward in the world without. Thereupon the knight told them many\nstirring tales of King G\u00fcnther, of Hagen the Grim, of old Hildebrand,\nand yet others; and the last was the tale of Dietrich\u2019s Fight with Ecke.\n\nIn a distant heathen country there dwelt three beautiful queens. One\nday they sat together, and with them the three mightiest champions in\nthe land; and they fell to praising the valor of Dietrich of Bern,\nof whose deeds great tales were told, and they vowed he must be the\nbravest and strongest knight alive. This greatly vexed the three\nheroes, and most of all the greatest of them, who was called Ecke; and\nhe said:\n\n\u201cIn truth unto this day there hath been no man who could withstand me,\nnor shall this mighty Dietrich of Bern!\u201d\n\nAt these bold words the queens were glad, and one said to him:\n\n\u201cAn thou shalt overcome Dietrich and bring him to us alive, so shalt\nthou choose which one of us thou wilt for thy wife!\u201d\n\nThen Ecke began forthwith to prepare for his departure, and did but\nlaugh to scorn a certain knight who, having seen Dietrich and knowing\nof his great prowess, had warned Ecke to take heed for his life. When\nall was ready, one of the queens bestowed on him a coat of mail, the\ngolden links of which had been toughened by being dipped in dragon\u2019s\nblood, and girded him with a shining sword; the second\u2019s gift was a\nsplendid shield; while the third placed upon his head a helm of gold.\nAnd there was led forth for him their noblest steed; but this he\nrefused, saying:\n\n\u201cI will not take the steed, for not long might he bear my weight; nor\nis it needful, since for fourteen days and nights I can fare, knowing\nneither hunger nor fatigue.\u201d\n\nThereupon Ecke set bravely forth and was soon lost in the depths of the\nforest, shield and harness ringing so loudly among the trees that bird\nand beast fled before him in affright. After some days\u2019 journeying he\nlearned it was but a day since that Dietrich had been in Bern (Verona);\nwhereat he hastened forthwith to that city. When the people beheld the\ngigantic hero they were stricken with terror; for the flashing of his\narmor in the sunlight was like fire, and they feared lest this mighty\nbeing should set the whole city ablaze. But old Hildebrand, who had\nbeen Dietrich\u2019s master-at-arms, approached him fearlessly; whereupon\nEcke asked him where Dietrich might be found, and Hildebrand said:\n\n\u201cIt was but yestermorn that Dietrich rode hence toward the Tyrol. Seek\nhim there an thou wilt, bold knight; methinks he will not avoid thee!\u201d\n\nSo Ecke hastened after on the road which Dietrich had taken. But ere he\nhad gone far he encountered a huge monster, half horse, half man, which\nhe slew after a fierce struggle.\n\nAt last one day he came upon a horse tied to a linden tree, while on\nthe ground near by lay a knight with wounds upon him so fearful it\nseemed to Ecke naught but a lightning stroke could have dealt them. But\nfrom the dying man he learned that the lightning had been no other than\nthe stout arm of Dietrich of Bern. The knight with his three brethren\nhad attacked Dietrich, whereby he had been wounded unto death and the\nthree brethren slain. Then Ecke asked which way Dietrich had taken, and\nmade off with all speed to overtake him; nor was it long ere he saw the\ngleam of the hero\u2019s great helm, called Hildegrimm, among the shades of\nthe forest. But Ecke\u2019s armor glittered likewise, and Dietrich becoming\naware of it, he halted and waited for Ecke to draw nigh. Then Ecke\nasked:\n\n\u201cArt thou that Dietrich of Bern, the three queens so greatly desire to\nlook upon?\u201d\n\nAnd Dietrich answered: \u201cMany are there of that name in Bern, but an\nthou seekest the son of Dittmar, of a truth thou hast indeed found him.\u201d\n\nThen Ecke challenged him to mortal combat; but it was scarce an hour\nsince Dietrich had fought with the four knights and vanquished them, so\nthat he was nowise desirous for a struggle with Ecke, who in stature,\nmoreover, was like a giant beside him. Then Ecke sought to tempt him,\nsaying:\n\n\u201cSeest thou this gold armor of mine? With dragon\u2019s blood have its links\nbeen toughened, while this helm is the work of no less cunning hands\nthan Wieland\u2019s, the mightiest smith in all Jutland. It was wrought from\na dragon\u2019s skull. Overlaid with gold is it, and lined with steel. They\nshall be thine an thou overcomest me.\u201d\n\nBut Dietrich shook his head and made answer that his own helm and\nharness were good and he asked no better. None the less did Ecke still\npersist, and drawing his sword, said:\n\n\u201cBehold this wondrous blade. It was cunningly forged by dwarfs in the\nTyrol. Twelve months was it in the tempering, and many it hath slain,\namong them the giant Grimm. From a diamond was the fastening wrought,\nthe hilt from a griffin\u2019s horn; inlaid with gold is the sheath, and the\ntip of it is a ruby. Mighty is it for length and breadth, and Sachs is\nits name!\u201d\n\nAt last, seeing his boasting words were of no avail, he grew angry and\ncried out, scornfully: \u201cDietrich thou mayst call thyself, forsooth, but\nnever art thou Dietrich of Bern, the son of Dittmar, the world-renowned\nhero whom I seek. As for thee, before all men, aye and women likewise,\nI will hold thee up to scorn as a laggard knight!\u201d\n\nThen Dietrich warned him, saying: \u201cFool and braggart! An I deign to\nfight with thee but one of us shall leave this place alive!\u201d\n\nAt this Ecke was overjoyed and he shouted: \u201cDraw thy sword, Sir\nChampion, and of a truth thou shalt have need of the help of thy God!\u201d\n\nNow by this time it had grown so dark they could distinguish each\nother only by the gleam of their armor. Ecke called on God to assist\nDietrich, but for himself he invoked the aid of the devil.\n\nThis roused Dietrich to anger; quickly dismounting he tied his horse to\na tree and drew his sword. Thereupon they rushed at each other with\nsuch fury that even the gleam of helm and shield was no longer visible,\nand the air was full of flying sparks.\n\nAfter they had striven for a space, Dietrich said: \u201cWeary am I from my\nencounter with the four knights. Let us rest till the morning!\u201d\n\nTo this Ecke agreed, and laying himself down forthwith, he slept while\nDietrich watched beside him. Toward midnight he roused the sleeper\nand lay down in his turn. But Ecke burned to renew the conflict, and\nscarce had the east begun to redden when he awoke Dietrich with a kick,\nwhereat Dietrich sprang to his feet in a rage and there began such a\nfurious combat as would have filled a timid spirit with terror. The\nearth shook beneath the feet of the warriors, while links from their\nharness flew jangling into the grass and the ground was red with their\nblood. Now they fall, but rise again and lean on their swords a space\nto recover their breath; then, glaring at each other, they rush to the\nattack with renewed fury.\n\nAs the sun rose, Ecke grasped his great sword with both hands, and with\na mighty blow clove the lion on Dietrich\u2019s shield and shore through the\nshield itself, so that Dietrich was fain to seek shelter in a thicket.\nBut Ecke so hotly pressed his yielding foe that Dietrich raised his\nhands on high and besought the help of God. Then he smote once with\nall his strength and bore Ecke to the earth. But Ecke sprang up again\nforthwith and dealt Dietrich so fierce a blow that it crushed through\nHildegrimm and made a great wound on his head beneath, while his steed,\nterrified by the sound, neighed piteously.\n\nOnce more Dietrich called on God, but Ecke on the devil; and now for\na space each stood firm as a rock mid thunder and lightning, while\nthe blows fell so fast and their blades flashed so swiftly in air, it\nseemed as there were a dozen swords aloft at once. Foaming with rage,\nEcke reviled Dietrich and swore the devil must be helping him; but\nDietrich shouted:\n\n\u201cGod alone is my aid!\u201d and again hurled Ecke to the ground. A second\ntime he rose and again the fight began. At length, when the sun was\nfar above the mountain tops, Ecke fell for the third time; whereupon\nDietrich sprang upon him, tore off his helm and bade him yield. But\nEcke, putting forth all his strength, gripped Dietrich with such force\nthat the blood spurted from his wounds. Long and fiercely they strove\ntogether upon the ground, till at last Dietrich plunged his sword\nthrough a cleft in Ecke\u2019s corselet and into the heart of his fierce foe.\n\nDietrich looked with awe and even with pity upon the dead form of the\ngigantic warrior. Seizing a fallen tree, he pried a great rock from\nthe earth and made a grave. In this he laid the body and covered it\nwith earth; then kneeling down he thanked God for his victory and\nprayed for the lost soul. The carbuncle from Ecke\u2019s helm he set in his\nown cloven Hildegrimm. Then he took the sword Sachs, mounted his horse,\nand rode back to his own land to bide there till his wounds should be\nhealed. And from that day he bore no other sword than that which he had\nso hardly won from Ecke in their terrible fight,--the wonderful great\nSachs.\n\n\n\n\n_Chapter III_\n\n_Siegfried in the Forge_\n\n\nMany tales like these did Siegfried hear, of heroes, both of his own\nand bygone times, till he could no longer restrain his longing to go\nout into the world in quest of adventure. And all the more urgent was\nthis longing, since even now, at the age of eighteen, there was not a\nchampion in all his father\u2019s kingdom that could equal him in the use\nof sword and spear. So at last he took leave of his parents; nor did\nthey, dear as was their only son to them, deem it otherwise than meet\nthat he should go forth to win a hero\u2019s renown. Therefore they invoked\nGod\u2019s blessing on him and prayed that he might return to them rich in\nhonor and wisdom, so as to govern well the kingdom when it should fall\nto him, and be a shining example to his warriors, the champion of the\noppressed, and the scourge of evil-doers.\n\n  So fared the young knight forth; to him\n    The world seemed bathed in light;\n  A hero\u2019s glory he would win--\n    Or perish in the fight.\n\nNow Siegfried had heard much of the fame of Mime, the great smith,\nhim who had been for three years the master of Wieland, the slayer of\nAmilias. Thither accordingly he first betook himself, that he might\nlearn to forge weapons. But Mime had workmen, great brawny fellows,\nwho were evil-disposed toward Siegfried and tried to pick a quarrel\nwith him. Soon they came to blows, but Siegfried felled them all, and\nthe strongest one--called Eckenbrecht--he dragged from the forge by\nhis hair. When Mime saw what he had done he was amazed at the giant\nstrength of this youth. He set him to work forthwith and Siegfried,\nstill furious with rage, dealt such mighty blows on the anvil that it\nburst asunder and was driven into the ground, while iron bar, hammer,\nand tongs went flying all about the forge.\n\nHere Siegfried abode for many weeks, roaming far and wide through the\ndepths of the forest to chase the deer or capture wild beasts for\npastime, leaving them hanging upon the trees. Now Mime, the smith, had\na brother, Regin, who, by some wicked enchantment, had been changed\ninto a dragon, and went about slaying and devouring both man and beast.\nHim Mime sought one day, and said:\n\n\u201cIt is in my mind, brother, to send thee the fairest and mightiest\nyouth in all the land that thou mayst devour him.\u201d\n\nThen he went home and bade Siegfried go into the forest to burn some\ncharcoal. This he did, and when he had reached the place whereto\nMime had directed him, he felled some trees and built a great fire.\nThereupon he slew a boar, ripped off the bristly hide, and was about\nto roast it before the fire, when of a sudden out from the shadows of\nthe forest sprang a dragon, terrible to behold. Its jaws were so huge\nthat it could have swallowed a horse and rider; fiery sparks shot from\nits eyes, and steam issued from its nostrils. But Siegfried did not\nshrink, for he knew not fear. Having no sword, he quickly snatched from\nthe fire a stout sapling and thrust the blazing end between the jaws\nof the dragon, at the same time smiting its scaly head with such force\nthat the monster\u2019s skull was shattered, and blood and bone flew to the\ntree-tops. The huge reptile rolled upon the ground lashing its tail\nand striking such terrible blows therewith that the earth trembled and\ngreat trees were shaken. Siegfried stood afar till the struggle was\nover and the monster lay dead; whereupon he struck off the head with\nhis axe and cut out the heart, which he roasted before the fire. Now,\nit chanced that as the blood dripped therefrom, he dipped his finger in\nto taste it, but no sooner had he touched his lips with it, than lo!\nstraightway he understood the language of the birds. And this is what\nthey sang:\n\n  \u201cThou wast meant the worm to feed;\n  Mime is thy foe. Take heed!\u201d\n\nNext, Siegfried sought and found the den of the monster, deep in a\ncleft of rock; and there lay a she-dragon with her young. He flung a\ntree across, that they might not escape; then he felled more trees, and\ncasting them into the cleft, set fire to them. When the reptiles were\nconsumed there gushed forth from the rock a clear white stream; it was\nthe fat of the dragons. And Siegfried, taking off his garments, smeared\nhis body therewith, all save one spot between the shoulders whereon\na linden leaf had chanced to fall. Wherever the dragon\u2019s fat touched\nit the skin seemed to grow more fair and smooth, whereas in truth it\nhad become as impenetrable as the toughest hide. Thereupon Siegfried\nclothed himself once more and set out on his homeward way, bearing the\nhead of the dragon upon his shoulders; but when Mime\u2019s workmen saw him\nreturning, they fled in terror, for they had believed him dead.\n\nNow it chanced that Mime saw none of this for he was at work in the\nforge, and when Siegfried of a sudden stood in the doorway and cast\nthe dragon\u2019s head at his feet he was alarmed and changed color; yet he\nfeigned to be greatly rejoiced over Siegfried\u2019s victory and therewith\nbestowed on him as reward a costly suit of armor which he had wrought\nfor King Hernit.\n\nSiegfried spoke no word while Mime enveloped him in the armor and\ngirded on the great sword Gram, nor yet when the smith proffered him\nlikewise Grane, the noblest steed in all the world. When Mime had\nfinished, Siegfried upbraided him for his treachery and falseness.\nMime denied it fiercely, whereupon the hero drew his sword and struck\nhis head from his shoulders. Then he went to the pasture to seek the\nhorse Grane. No man had ever dared ride this wondrous steed; but when\nSiegfried approached, it sprang toward him, neighing joyously, as if\nto greet at last a worthy master. Whereupon Siegfried mounted and rode\naway.\n\n\n\n\n_Chapter IV_\n\n_Siegfried and the Nibelungs_\n\n\nForth into the great world the young hero fared at last; and one day\nhe chanced to meet with Dietrich of Bern, the same who had vanquished\nthe mighty Ecke, and many valiant deeds thereafter wrought. Against him\nSiegfried had long yearned to try his strength, wherefore he hailed the\nchampion joyfully and offered him combat; nor was Dietrich averse to\nthis. Long they strove, but no advantage could either gain; whereupon\nthey agreed to a truce, and Dietrich took Siegfried with him to the\ncourt of King Etzel. There he abode three years, fighting in many\nbattles for the King and performing such heroic feats that his fame\nsoon spread throughout the land. Then came peace, and his sword being\nno longer of use, he once more rode upon his way. Through many lands\nhe had wandered, when he came one day to a hill whereon stood a great\ncastle, and near by on the plain was a city.\n\nNow at this time there was great strife within the castle, for the King\nwas dead, and his two sons, Nibelung and Schilbung, were left to share\ntheir father\u2019s treasure, and each believed the other was seeking to\noverreach him.\n\nWhen they learned that Siegfried the famous hero was come, they were\noverjoyed, and resolved forthwith that he should divide the treasure\nfor them. This Siegfried agreed to, if they would swear to abide by his\njudgment, and they took an oath so to do, bestowing on him besides the\nsword Balmung, which was even greater and sharper than his own Gram.\nThen he set to work and divided the treasure as was just and lawful.\nBut still the King\u2019s sons were not content, and notwithstanding their\noath the quarrel broke out afresh. Siegfried would have made peace\nbetween them once again, but mad with rage and hatred they turned upon\nhim, and at once a terrible fight began. Siegfried had but a handful\nof followers, while opposed to them were many hundreds, with twelve\ngigantic warriors at the head; yet soon the ground was strewn with\nheaps of their slain. So swift and true fell the lightning strokes of\nBalmung that men were mowed down like grass beneath the sickle. At last\nthe King\u2019s two sons were slain; whereupon those who were left alive\nyielded themselves and hailed Siegfried as their lord.\n\nThus did Siegfried become King of the land of the Nibelungs (Norway)\nbut another hard struggle must he undergo, for anon came Alberich, the\npowerful dwarf who guarded the King\u2019s treasure, to avenge the death\nof Nibelung and Schilbung. This Alberich was but of the stature of a\nchild, yet was he finely formed and magnificently arrayed. For a weapon\nhe carried a whip of seven thongs, each tipped with a golden knob,\nwith which he dealt such fearful blows that no shield or helm, however\nstrong, might withstand them. Well might Siegfried dread to meet so\nformidable a foe; yet he knew no fear, and no sooner did the dwarf\ndraw nigh than they sprang at each other like two eagles. But lo! of a\nsudden Alberich vanished before Siegfried\u2019s eyes and his spear smote\nthe rocky wall with such force that it broke, sending a great stone\ncrashing to the ground, while at the same instant he received a blow\nthat burst three of the steel rings of his armor. The dwarf had drawn\nfrom his pocket and donned the Tarnkappe, or magic cap, that made its\nwearer invisible.\n\nSiegfried laid about him furiously with Balmung, but Alberich only\nlaughed mockingly; for not once did the great sword touch him, while\nSiegfried received many a blow that might well have slain a giant.\nSeeing that if he did not prevent this he must in the end be overcome,\nhe thrust Balmung into the sheath, turned quick as thought and,\nseizing the dwarf with his hands, succeeded at last, in spite of his\nstruggles, in snatching the magic cap from him. This cap had likewise\nthe power of lending its wearer the strength of twelve men. Moreover,\nAlberich was now once more visible, wherefore Siegfried again drew his\nsword and rushed upon his foe. A mighty blow from the whip dashed his\nshield to pieces, but he soon overpowered the dwarf, who now begged\nfor mercy, and swore allegiance to his conqueror. Thereupon Siegfried\ngranted him his life and bade him continue as guardian of the treasure.\n\nNow, this treasure was a hoard of gold and jewels so vast that a\nhundred wagons could not have borne it away, nor did it ever grow less,\nhowever much might be taken therefrom. With it, moreover, was a magic\nwand of gold that gave its owner power over all men.\n\nSiegfried did not tarry in his new-found kingdom. When Alberich and all\nthe chief Nibelungs had sworn fealty to him as their liege lord, he\nbade them farewell and rode homeward to Santen.\n\nThere reigned in Burgundy at this time a mighty prince named G\u00fcnther,\nwho had two brothers, Gernot and Giselher, no less wise in council and\nbrave in battle than himself. Now, these three princes had a sister, a\nnoble damsel as beautiful as the day, and her name was Kriemhild.\n\nOne night it chanced that Kriemhild had a strange dream. Her favorite\nfalcon rose from her hand and soared aloft, whereupon two gray eagles\nswooped down from the mountain top and struck their sharp talons into\nits breast, so that it fell dead at her feet. Full of trouble, she\nawoke and related the dream to her mother, who said: \u201cMay God have thee\nin His care! The falcon, meseemeth, is the gallant knight whom one day\nthou shalt wed.\u201d\n\nBut shamed, the maiden answered: \u201cNever shall I be wife to any man!\u201d\n\nThereupon her mother reproved her, saying: \u201cMake no rash vows, my\ndaughter! No greater honor can fall to the lot of any maiden than to be\ntrue wife to a noble lord.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n_Chapter V_\n\n_Siegfried goes to Burgundy_\n\n\nNow for a whole year Siegfried abode at home with his parents, but\nsuch were the tales that reached him of the wondrous beauty and grace\nof Kriemhild that he determined to go to Burgundy and woo her for his\nwife. His father warned him that the Burgundians were insolent and\nhaughty, and bade him be on his guard against King G\u00fcnther and his\nbrethren, and most of all to beware of the fierce Hagen of Tronege\n(Treves), a near kinsman of the King. Whereupon Siegfried boldly\ndeclared he feared no man, neither the princes nor their kinsman, and\nwould gladly meet them in combat, one or all. When Siegmund saw that\nhis son\u2019s resolve was not to be shaken, he wished to send a thousand\nknights to accompany him, but this Siegfried refused, nor would he have\nmore than twelve stout warriors, and those of his own choice.\n\n  Now when \u2019twas told to Sieglind,\n    The Queen so fair and mild,\n  She sore distressed and troubled was\n    For her beloved child;\n  For well she knew King G\u00fcnther\u2019s court,\n    Likewise his stalwart men;\n  Wherefore she sought by tears to end\n    His wooing there and then.\n\nBut Siegfried\u2019s words at length prevailed over his mother\u2019s fears, and\nshe too gave her consent, yet with a heavy heart. Soon all was ready,\nand Siegfried, with his trusty followers, well armed and equipped, bade\na loving farewell to all and set forth upon his journey, followed by\nmany tears and prayers.\n\n  The trappings of their prancing steeds\n    With ruddy gold did shine,\n  As Siegfried and his gallant knights\n    Behind them left the Rhine.\n  So gloriously attired and horsed\n    Was never martial band,\n  As they their stately progress made\n    Into King G\u00fcnther\u2019s land.\n\nOn the seventh day they came to Worms, where never before had such\nmighty heroes been seen. The people in the streets stood and stared to\nsee them pass, and many ran after them; but Siegfried far surpassed\nthem all in beauty and stature no less than in the splendor of his\nequipment. Before the King\u2019s castle they halted, whereupon serving-men\nhastened to assist the strangers to dismount, and provide for their\nsteeds. But Siegfried said:\n\n  Let bide the steeds belonging to\n    Myself and my brave men!\n  It may be we depart anon\n    From Burgundy again.\n  To him who knows and will reply,\n    In truth will I be bound,\n  If he will say where now perchance\n    King G\u00fcnther may be found.\n\nTo this they replied that the King was in the great hall of the castle,\nand pointed thither. Meanwhile G\u00fcnther had perceived the well-armed\nstranger knights from the window, and, greatly wondering thereat,\nquestioned his brothers concerning them; but none could say who they\nmight be. Then out-spoke one of his men:\n\n\u201cMy Lord, were it not well to summon Hagen? He hath seen many lands,\nand perchance will have knowledge of these strangers.\u201d\n\nWhen Hagen came he said: \u201cNever before, forsooth, have I laid eyes on\nyon bold heroes; yet much have I heard of Siegfried, and it may well be\nhe that towers above the rest.\u201d\n\nAnd G\u00fcnther replied:\n\n  \u201cMeseemeth thou art right.\n    Yon dauntless chief of princely air\n  Is he, that valiant knight!\n    That he is bold and high of mind\n  I long have understood,\n    Let us go forth to greet our guest--\n  Now is his coming good!\u201d\n\nThough there was none in all G\u00fcnther\u2019s court so haughty as Hagen, yet\nhe did not gainsay this. And the King went out to welcome Siegfried,\nwhereupon that hero challenged him forthwith to mortal combat,\nwhosoever should be the victor to fall heir to the crown and lands of\nthe vanquished. But Hagen feared for the issue of this; wherefore he\nspoke soft words to Siegfried, greeting him as friend, not foe, and\nconducted him to the castle hall, where he drank of the King\u2019s wine and\nwas made welcome.\n\nThus did Siegfried become an honored guest at G\u00fcnther\u2019s court, and long\nhe bided there, beguiling the time with tilting, casting the javelin,\nstone-throwing, and all manner of knightly sports; nor was there any\nthat could surpass him in feats of skill and daring. But he saw naught\nof Kriemhild the fair, though her glances many a time fell upon him:\n\n  Full oft upon the tourney field,\n    Where met in knightly sport\n  The valorous knights or gallant squires\n    Of the Burgundian court,\n  Did Kriemhild from her window gaze,\n    To see how Siegfried bore\n  The honors from them all--for this\n    And naught else cared she more.\n\n  To know that on him thus she gazed,\n    Had rapture been, I ween;\n  And might his eyes but once behold\n    The face of her, his Queen,\n  Then could the earth no greater joy\n    Or happiness impart\n  To him who long had held so dear,\n    Her image in his heart.\n\n  Thus Siegfried dwelt in G\u00fcnther\u2019s court\n    Till full a year had flown,\n  Nor had these lords of Burgundy\n    E\u2019er braver champion known;\n  And yet no sight was him vouchsafed\n    Of her he loved so well--\n  That love, wherefrom in after days\n    Such bliss and woe befell.\n\n\n\n\n_Chapter VI_\n\n_Siegfried makes War against the Saxons_\n\n\nNow, it came to pass that one day messengers arrived from two powerful\nKings, Lendeger of the Saxon land and Lendegast of Denmark, declaring\nwar against G\u00fcnther, whose dominions they were preparing to lay waste.\nThereupon was the King greatly troubled, for the enemy far outnumbered\nhis own men and, moreover, were well armed. He took counsel of Hagen,\nwho bade him secure the aid of Siegfried without delay. But Siegfried\nhad already observed G\u00fcnther\u2019s sorrowful mien, and asked him what lay\nso heavy on his heart. The King disclosed the cause of his trouble,\nwhereupon Siegfried swore to aid him with all his power, and joyfully\nhastened to summon his twelve knights to join the thousand Burgundians\nG\u00fcnther had assembled, while Hagen, with all his followers, made ready\nto march with them.\n\nThe messengers were released and sent upon their way; but when it was\nmade known to the two Kings that Siegfried was with the Burgundians,\ngathering together an army to meet them, they hastily doubled the\nnumber of their forces.\n\nSoon thereafter the two hostile armies drew near to each other, and\nSiegfried rode on before to the top of a hill to learn somewhat of\nthe enemy\u2019s strength. Of Danes and Saxons there were full thrice his\nown number of men, but little did this dismay his bold spirit. Now,\nwhile he gazed, there rode forth from the opposite camp King Lendeger,\nwho likewise thought to spy upon his foes. Swift as a whirlwind they\nrushed to the attack, and casting aside their shattered spears, sprang\nfrom their horses. Thick and fast fell the blows of their swords on\nshield and helm, but soon the Saxon King was sorely hurt and knelt at\nSiegfried\u2019s feet, craving his mercy and yielding himself captive.\n\nThen came thirty of the Saxon knights, who, having observed the combat\nfrom afar, dashed to the rescue of their lord; but these also Siegfried\novercame after a desperate fight,--all save one, who fled, bearing the\nevil tidings to his comrades. Thereupon Siegfried rode back with his\nprisoners and summoned his army to the attack. Pennons waved, shield\nand armor glittered in the sunlight, while clouds of dust arose, as,\nshouting their battle-cries, they rushed upon the foe. Then followed\nsuch a battle as rarely had been known before, so fiercely and bravely\nwas it fought. Many a shining helm was dulled, and many a lance\nsplintered, while far and wide the plain was strewn with broken shields\nand swords. But none could stand before Siegfried. Thrice he broke\nthrough the enemy\u2019s ranks, hewing bloody gaps wheresoever he rode,\nand at last he came upon King Lendegast. The sight of Siegfried gave\nfresh courage to the Danish King, for he burned to avenge his brother.\nFuriously they sprang at one another, but the first stroke of Balmung\nshattered the golden shield of Lendegast, while the second clove\nhis armor and bore him to the ground; whereupon he yielded himself\nlikewise, and ordering his banners lowered, sued for peace. The greater\npart of the Danes and Saxons fled, but there fell into the hands of\nthe victors full five hundred warriors, together with the two Kings,\nwherewith they joyfully set out on their homeward way.\n\nNow, Siegfried had despatched messengers to bear news of the victory to\nKing G\u00fcnther; and one of these, being perchance aware that Kriemhild\nlooked not unkindly on the young hero, betook himself straightway to\nher.\n\n\u201cIf thou dost bring me good tidings,\u201d cried Kriemhild, \u201cthou shalt have\nall my gold!\u201d\n\n\u201cIn truth, fair lady,\u201d replied the messenger, \u201cnone hath fought so\nnobly as my lord Siegfried, nor lives there a hero with fame to equal\nhis!\u201d\n\nThereupon he told her of the battle, and how Siegfried had vanquished\nthe two Kings and was bringing them captives to the court of Burgundy.\nAt this the maiden\u2019s eyes shone like stars, and when the messenger\ndeparted she bestowed on him not only the promised gold, but also a\nsuit of rich apparel. And thereafter she stood often at her window,\ngazing toward the road by which the warriors must return.\n\n\n\n\n_Chapter VII_\n\n_The Festival_\n\n\nAt last Siegfried drew near with his victorious band, and right royally\nwas he welcomed, for in truth he had saved the kingdom. They came laden\nwith spoils of war, and with many a shattered helm, and cloven shield,\nand many a blood-stained saddle. The royal captives flung themselves on\nG\u00fcnther\u2019s mercy, but he could not have received them more kindly had\nthey been honored guests instead of conquered foes.\n\nNow, it was in the King\u2019s mind to celebrate the victory by a great\nfestival, but his brother Gernot counselled him to delay yet awhile,\ntill the wounds of the prisoners should be healed, so the time was\nfixed for six weeks thence. So Siegfried took his leave for that space\nand rode back to Santen, for he greatly longed to see his parents.\n\nAt last the six weeks were past and the festival was held with great\nsplendor and rejoicing. The King, as a surprise to Siegfried, whose\nattachment for Kriemhild was well known to him, had bidden the ladies\nof the court to grace the festival with their presence. Accordingly,\nwhen the lords and knights had all assembled, making a glittering array\nof shining armor and gorgeous apparel, the train of damsels entered the\nhall; whereupon there arose a great pushing and crowding, so desirous\nwere all to behold the beautiful Kriemhild. At last she came, walking\nat her mother\u2019s side and followed by richly dressed and bejewelled\ndamsels and a hundred chosen knights. When Siegfried\u2019s eyes fell upon\nher it was as if the light of morning had broken through the clouds.\n\n  Full many a gem on her attire\n    Cast dazzling rays of light,\n  And on her rose and lily cheek\n    The glow of love was bright.\n  Whatever minstrel\u2019s mind might wish,\n    He must admit, I ween,\n  That on the earth there never yet\n    Was such pure beauty seen.\n\n  Like as the silver tinting-moon\n    Bedims the starry crowds,\n  When, with its clear and gentle light\n    It breaks through murky clouds,\n  E\u2019en so, in truth, did she outshine\n    The best of womankind!\n  Such beauteous vision well might raise\n    Each hero\u2019s heart and mind.\n\nThen Gernot said to the King: \u201cNever yet hath our sister Kriemhild\npaid greeting to a hero. Methinks it were well she should now welcome\nSiegfried, for such an honor perchance may bind him to us henceforth.\u201d\n\nThese words pleased G\u00fcnther, and he forthwith sent a message to\nSiegfried, bidding him approach and receive his sister\u2019s thanks. Now,\nwhen Kriemhild saw the splendid young hero standing before her, her\ncheeks grew red as the dawn, but with a gracious gesture she gave him\nher hand and said:\n\n  \u201cThrice welcome, my lord Siegfried!\n    Thy praises wide resound,\n  For by thy might were victory\n    And peace and glory found.\n  Brave heroes do thee honor;\n    The people\u2019s love is thine;\n  Far more hast thou bestowed on them\n    Than gold or jewels fine.\n  Our tottering throne hast thou upheld\n    And aided by thy deed;\n  Now may our country\u2019s warmest thanks\n    And blessings be thy meed!\u201d\n\nThey looked into each other\u2019s eyes, and therewith a great love sprang\nup in their hearts, and they knew that never henceforth could they live\napart. Then indeed Siegfried\u2019s heart beat high with joy.\n\n  In Summer and that blithest time,\n    The genial month of May,\n  His heart had not so overflowed\n    As on that festal day,\n  With gladness and with earthly bliss;\n    For she stood by his side\n  Whom he with all the warmth of youth\n    Aspired to make his bride.\n\nAnd now began the great tournament, wherein the conquered Kings and\ntheir knights took part, being quite healed of their wounds; and for\ntwelve days the whole court was given over to feasting and rejoicing.\n\nWhen all was over, Lendeger and Lendegast came before King G\u00fcnther, and\nbesought him for their freedom, offering for ransom as much gold as\nmight be borne by five hundred horses. G\u00fcnther declared this was the\ndue of Siegfried who had vanquished them. But Siegfried cared naught\nfor the gold, and said:\n\n\u201cLet them go hence in peace, so they will pledge themselves nevermore\nto make war upon thee!\u201d\n\nSo G\u00fcnther bound the two Kings by this pledge, in token whereof they\ngave him their hands. Then he sent them with all their followers back\nto their own land, laden with gifts.\n\n\n\n\n_Chapter VIII_\n\n_King G\u00fcnther\u2019s Voyage to Iceland_\n\n\nAt this time wondrous tales were brought to Worms of a beauteous and\nwarlike princess who dwelt in Iceland and was called Brunhild. Many\nknights had sought her hand, but she chose to remain unwedded. At last,\nto rid her of those that grew too bold, she set a task for him who\nwould be her lord. In a trial of skill must he meet her, three knightly\nfeats to perform, and win them all ere she would wed, but should he\nfail in a single one his head must pay the forfeit.\n\nNow, such was her skill in casting the javelin that no knight in all\nthe land could vie with her, while a ponderous stone she could hurl\nas it were a ball in her hands, and bound after it so quickly as to\novertake it ere it fell. Wherefore there was none but lost in the test\nand therewith his head. Thus did Brunhild think to free herself from\nwooers, yet still were many bold knights drawn thither by the fame of\nher beauty, only to perish thereby.\n\nWhen King G\u00fcnther heard all this, great was his desire to win the\nbeautiful warrior-maiden for his wife, and he determined forthwith to\ntry his fortune. Vainly did Siegfried seek to dissuade him, warning him\nof Brunhild\u2019s marvellous strength, but G\u00fcnther was firm. Moreover, by\nHagen\u2019s counsel he urged Siegfried to go with him, and aid him in his\nventure; nor was Siegfried averse to sharing the danger; but first he\ndrew a promise from G\u00fcnther that should his wooing be successful he\nwould grant him in return the hand of his sister Kriemhild. Thereupon\nall was made ready for the voyage. G\u00fcnther would fain have taken with\nhim thirty thousand of his stoutest warriors, but Siegfried warned him\nthat force would avail him little against the stalwart Icelanders. Only\nin knightly fashion might Brunhild be won. So none went with them save\nHagen and his brother Dankwart.\n\nThen G\u00fcnther and Siegfried betook themselves to Kriemhild, and made\nknown their desire for rich court dresses for themselves and their\ncompanions. Kriemhild besought them not to undertake so dangerous a\nventure, for in her heart was a foreboding of evil; but when she saw\nit was of no avail she promised them the garments. In seven weeks she,\nwith thirty of her women, prepared four splendid suits of silk and\nother rich stuffs adorned with costly furs and precious stones.\n\nMeanwhile, a ship had been laden with ample store of viands and good\nRhenish wine, and in this the four gallant knights now embarked with\ntheir steeds and armor. The sail was spread, the oars unlocked, and\npresently a fresh breeze bore them gayly down the Rhine and out into\nthe open sea. But Kriemhild sat at her window watching, till at last\nthey passed from sight and all the world was blotted out by her tears.\n\nSiegfried was the helmsman. On the twelfth day Iceland loomed before\nthem, its lofty towers rising boldly from the mirror-like surface\nof the water. Now a sudden fancy seized Siegfried, and he told his\ncomrades that not as a king\u2019s son would he appear in Iceland, but as\nvassal to King G\u00fcnther.\n\nAs the ship drew near the mighty castle of Isenstein they saw that the\nwindows were filled with fair damsels; whereupon Siegfried asked the\nKing which of them seemed to him the most beautiful. G\u00fcnther pointed\nout the tallest, a stately maiden clad all in purest white, who,\nSiegfried declared, was no other than Brunhild herself. But anon they\nall vanished from the windows and hastened to adorn themselves, that\nthey might welcome the knights as was their due. Siegfried, in his part\nof vassal, led forth from the ship a horse bridled with gold, and held\nthe stirrup for King G\u00fcnther to mount, and thereafter fetched his own\nhorse and followed. The King\u2019s steed and his rider were magnificently\ndecked with gold and jewels, while behind rode Hagen and his brother\nDankwart, clad all in sable and mounted on coal-black horses.\n\nEighty-six turrets rose above the outer wall of the castle; and within\nthe gates, which stood wide open, could be seen three palaces and a\nvast hall, built all of green marble. As they rode into the courtyard\nBrunhild\u2019s retainers met them and demanded their weapons; whereat Hagen\nfrowned, nor would he yield up his till Siegfried, who had aforetime\nbeen Brunhild\u2019s guest, admonished him that such was the custom at her\ncourt. Yet was it with bad grace that he obeyed. Meanwhile Brunhild had\nquestioned her followers concerning the strangers; whereupon one said:\n\n\u201cFor myself, lady, I know them not. Yet hath yonder stalwart knight a\nlook of Siegfried; the other would seem a king, methinks; the third\nfrowns darkly, as he were of a sullen humor; while the fourth is but a\nyouth, yet frank and courteous withal.\u201d\n\nThen Brunhild descended the broad stairs to greet the knights, and\nfollowing her came a train of a hundred damsels most fair to see, and\nfive hundred knights bearing swords in their hands.\n\n\n\n\n_Chapter IX_\n\n_The Contest_\n\n\nAs Brunhild drew nigh, she greeted Siegfried, saying: \u201cIf it is to woo\nme that thou comest hither, take heed, for peradventure it may cost\nthee thy life!\u201d\n\nBut Siegfried pointed to G\u00fcnther and replied: \u201cYonder stands the King\nof Burgundy, fair Queen, who comes to seek thy hand: as for me, I am\nbut his vassal.\u201d\n\nThen G\u00fcnther stepped forward to urge his suit before the Queen, but\nno reply would she vouchsafe, save to warn him that he must submit to\nthe trial. Then Siegfried whispered to the King to be of good heart\nand rely on his aid; but Hagen became furious and defiantly offered\nto do battle with the Queen on behalf of his lord. Thereupon Brunhild\nthreatened them all with death should the King not prevail; but finding\nthat even this failed to shake their purpose, she commanded that the\ntrial take place without delay. When they had come to the spot she\ndonned a golden coat of mail and over this a silken tabard, edged with\ncostly lace. Seven hundred knights then stepped forth and formed a\ncircle about them: these were to be the judges of the contest.\n\nBrunhild called for her weapons, whereupon there came four men bearing\na golden shield, studded with steel and thickly set with gems even\nto the strap thereof. This they held while Brunhild, pushing up her\nsleeve, placed it on her arm, swinging it aloft as though it were but\na shadow. Next came the javelin borne by three men. It was huge and\nheavy and tipped with a keen blade of steel. When Hagen saw the ease\nwith which Brunhild wielded these mighty weapons, he was awed by her\nwell-nigh superhuman strength, and for the first time in his life, fear\ncrept into his heart.\n\n\u201cWould we had never left the Rhine,\u201d he thought, \u201cfor here shall we\nsurely meet our death!\u201d\n\nAnd to Dankwart he said: \u201cWere it the devil himself, methinks he must\nsuccumb to this woman!\u201d\n\nEven G\u00fcnther felt his courage sink, while Dankwart, overcome with grief\nfor his lord, whose life he held for lost, exclaimed: \u201cNow, had we but\nour arms, brother Hagen, with my own hand would I strike down that\nbeauteous she-devil, ere I would see my dear lord slain!\u201d\n\nBut Brunhild overheard these words; whereat she looked around with a\nscornful smile upon her lips, and gave orders that the arms of the two\nknights should be restored to them. And when Dankwart felt his sword\nwithin his grasp once more his face flushed with joy. Now the contest\nwas about to begin, and G\u00fcnther, well-nigh despairing, stood over\nagainst his beauteous adversary when of a sudden he heard a voice in\nhis ear. He could see no one, but the voice said:\n\n\u201cIt is I, Siegfried. Have no fear!\u201d\n\nUnobserved, the hero had hastened to the ship and put on the magic cap,\nwhich not only made him invisible but gave him the strength of twelve\nmen.\n\n\u201cDo thou make a show of performing the feats,\u201d he whispered to the\nKing, \u201cwhile I will bear the shield and cast the javelin.\u201d\n\nAt these words G\u00fcnther\u2019s spirits rose. Now the signal was given and\nBrunhild hurled her spear. Fire flew from the King\u2019s shield as the\nspear drove clean through it, striking sparks from the mail beneath,\nand bearing both heroes to the earth. Blood poured from Siegfried\u2019s\nmouth but they quickly sprang to their feet again, and now was it\nSiegfried\u2019s turn to cast the javelin, albeit G\u00fcnther seemed to make the\nthrow. Siegfried had turned the spear about lest the sharp point should\nwound the Queen. Away it sped, whizzing through the air, and struck her\nshield with such force that it rang again. Down fell Brunhild, but she\nrose undaunted and smilingly praised G\u00fcnther for his throw, for still\nwas she confident the victory would be hers. Then she called for the\nstone, whereupon was brought a round stone so huge and massive that\ntwelve men could scarce raise it from the ground. This she lifted,\npoised a moment, and then flung from her with so powerful an arm that\nit flew twelve fathoms length; nor was this amazing feat all, for\nwith a mighty bound she sprang after the stone, overleaping it ere it\ntouched the ground. Again G\u00fcnther lost heart, but when it came to his\nturn, Siegfried not only cast the stone far beyond Brunhild\u2019s mark,\nbut, taking G\u00fcnther with him, he bounded so quickly after it that he\ncaught it again before it fell.\n\nBrunhild grew red with wrath, but was forced to own herself vanquished;\nwherefore turning to her courtiers, and with a gesture of the hand\ntoward G\u00fcnther, she said:\n\n\u201cNow are ye henceforth true lieges to King G\u00fcnther, one and all!\u201d\n\nThen came all the chiefs to lay their arms at the feet of the King; and\nafter he had saluted Brunhild with courtly words, she bade him repair\nwith her to the marble palace, while Hagen and Dankwart followed to\nshare in the honors of their lord.\n\nBut Siegfried had made all speed to the ship to lay aside the cap and\nnow returning, sought the Queen and asked her if the contest would not\nsoon begin. Brunhild confessed that she had lost the wager; whereupon\nSiegfried said:\n\n\u201cRight joyful news is this, fair Queen! Now of a truth must thou fare\nwith us to the Rhine!\u201d\n\nTo this Brunhild made no reply, but she forthwith summoned all her\nkinsmen and followers to the castle. Then from all quarters there began\nto assemble so vast a number of knights and warriors that Hagen grew\nuneasy, and said:\n\n\u201cMethinks this bodeth us no good. Albeit Brunhild\u2019s court hath sworn\nfealty to our King, yet may her people look upon him as a foe and evil\nbefall us thereby.\u201d\n\n\u201cThy words are wise,\u201d replied Siegfried. \u201cNow will I go hence and\nsummon to our aid such warriors as never yet hast thou beholden. A\nthousand mighty champions will I fetch hither; but should any mark my\nabsence, do thou, King G\u00fcnther, say that thou hast despatched me hence.\u201d\n\nAnd thereto the King gladly agreed, but bade him return as speedily as\nmight be.\n\n\n\n\n_Chapter X_\n\n_Siegfried Visits the Nibelungs_\n\n\nHastening to the ship, Siegfried once more donned the cap and put out\nto sea. The ship seemed to be moving of itself, for Siegfried was\ninvisible, but urged on by his strong arm and a favoring wind that\nfilled the sails, it sped along so fast that the end of a day and\nnight found him an hundred miles from Iceland. On the second day he\ncame to the shores of the land of the Nibelungs, which he had once\nconquered and made subject to him. Before the King\u2019s castle he landed,\nand wishing to discover first of all if the treasure was well guarded,\nknocked at the gate. The porter, who was a giant, asked:\n\n\u201cWho knocks?\u201d\n\nAnd Siegfried, disguising his voice, replied: \u201cOne who would fain\nexchange blows with thee!\u201d\n\n[Illustration: _SIEGFRIED vanquishes Alberich_]\n\nThereupon the giant, seizing his iron staff, rushed forth and attacked\nSiegfried, who defended himself stoutly, till a mighty blow split his\nshield Goldrand. Then was he in great peril, yet it pleased him well\nto find such zeal in his service. At last Siegfried smote the giant so\nthat he stumbled and fell; whereupon he quickly seized and bound him.\n\nThe clash of arms, however, had reached the ears of Alberich the dwarf,\nwho was guardian of the treasure; and now, clad in helm and shirt of\nmail, his terrible whip in hand, he sprang upon Siegfried. Thereupon\nSiegfried grasped him by his long gray beard and soon overpowered him.\nThen Alberich besought him to spare his life, saying:\n\n\u201cI would gladly own thee master, but I have already sworn faith to\nanother--the mighty Siegfried.\u201d\n\nAt this Siegfried made himself known, and releasing the dwarf, said:\n\u201cIn sooth, good Alberich, I did but try thee, to prove thy faith.\u201d\n\nOverjoyed, the dwarf cried: \u201cNow is it indeed meet that such a master\nshould be lord of all the land!\u201d\n\nThe giant was set free and well praised for his valor; and thereafter\nSiegfried bade the dwarf awaken the Nibelungs, for that he had need of\na thousand men. Alberich obeyed; and when they heard that Siegfried was\ncome again, they sprang up joyfully and hastened to the lighted hall to\ngreet him. By the next day full thirty thousand had assembled, but of\nthese Siegfried chose but a thousand of the strongest and bravest, and\nwith them sailed away.\n\nOft, meantime, did G\u00fcnther watch anxiously across the sea, when one\nday, having mounted with Brunhild and all her court to the battlements\nof the castle, he saw the ships of Siegfried and his Nibelungs\napproaching. Marvelling greatly, Brunhild asked who might be these\nstrangers whose sails gleamed so white, and whose armor shone so\ndazzlingly in the sunlight; and G\u00fcnther answered joyously:\n\n\u201cNow, forsooth, are these my own bold warriors, come to fetch me home!\u201d\n\nSoon Siegfried strode to shore with the Nibelungs and the Queen gave\nthem gracious welcome.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nThe King was eager to depart, nor did Brunhild gainsay him, but leaving\nher uncle to rule over Iceland in her stead, she took leave of her\npeople and sailed away with G\u00fcnther to Burgundy.\n\n  And with her from their native land\n    Went many a damsel fair.\n  No longer might they seek delay\n    Their sovereign\u2019s lot to share.\n  With bitter tears, farewells they spoke;\n    They hasten to the strand,\n  For nevermore shall they return\n    Unto the fatherland.\n\n  The sails are spread, a favoring gale\n    Soon speeds them on their track;\n  Of joyous sports to pass the time\n    In truth was there no lack.\n  Yet when bold Iceland\u2019s rocky shores\n    Had passed from sight at last,\n  What sorrow fills each maiden breast!\n    Their tears fall thick and fast.\n\n\n\n\n_Chapter XI_\n\n_The Welcome_\n\n\nWhen they had come once more to land, Siegfried rode on before to\nproclaim the glad tidings, for much he craved sight of Kriemhild, nor\nwas the maiden\u2019s joy less when she again beheld the gallant hero for\nwhose fate she so long had trembled. As a token of her happiness at\nhis safe return she gave him four-and-twenty golden armlets, set with\nprecious stones, to be divided among his bravest followers.\n\nThere was great stir in Worms to prepare for the home-coming of G\u00fcnther\nand his bride. The spacious hall was magnificently decorated and set\nwith long tables and benches, for all the lords and knights of the\nrealm were bidden to the feast, while the whole court made ready to go\nforth to meet the returning company. At the head of the long train rode\nKriemhild with her mother, mounted on noble steeds; and after them a\nhundred ladies of the court, all on white palfreys, richly caparisoned,\ntheir bridles gleaming with gold. Each horse was led by a man-at-arms,\nbearing lance and shield, while the robes of Kriemhild and her women\nsparkled with gold and jewels. Behind them rode a troop of armed\nknights. Soon the two trains met, and joyous greetings followed.\n\n    Then did the Lady Kriemhild\n  Advance with modest mien\n    To where with her attendant maids\n  Stood G\u00fcnther\u2019s beauteous Queen;\n    Deft hands unbinding head gear,\n  Fresh charms thereby disclose,\n    And when the twain with love embraced,\n  What shouts of joy arose!\n\n    Then spake in courtly fashion,\n  Kriemhild, the maiden fair:\n    \u201cRight cordially we welcome thee;\n  Our joy the people share.\n    For sure your coming to our court\n  Good will with gladness blends!\u201d\n    \u201cI thank your courtesy,\u201d--replies\n  Brunhild, and toward her bends.\n\nGladly the knights beheld the greetings of the two princesses, and much\ndebate was there as to which was the fairer; but those best versed in\nwomanly beauty declared themselves in favor of Kriemhild.\n\nForthwith was a tournament held in honor of the bride, the Burgundians\non one side, Siegfried with his Nibelungs on the other; whereby there\narose such clouds of dust it seemed the whole earth were burning,\nwhile showers of sparks flew from shield and harness. Silken tents\nhad been raised meanwhile, and thither the noble ladies repaired with\nthe King and his kinsmen and Siegfried, to refresh themselves with a\nrepast, after which the whole company set out for Worms. Along the road\nas they passed were bands of stout yeomen wrestling or wielding their\nstaves, and Siegfried offered prizes for the most skilful and daring.\nAt last they reached the city and, greeted by strains of music and\nwaving banners, rode into the ancient castle of the King.\n\n\n\n\n_Chapter XII_\n\n_Siegfried strives with Brunhild_\n\n\nNot long thereafter did Siegfried claim his promise from the king,\nsaying: \u201cThou hast sworn, so I did aid thee in thy wooing, thy sister\nKriemhild should be my wife!\u201d\n\n\u201cNor will I break my oath!\u201d replied G\u00fcnther, and straightway sought his\nsister. When Kriemhild learned that she was to be wedded to Siegfried,\nshe made no demur, but joyfully gave her hand to the young hero who so\nlong had held her heart.\n\nThat night there was a great feast in the castle hall and Siegfried\nwith his fair betrothed sat opposite to G\u00fcnther and his bride, whereat\nBrunhild wondered greatly. Much it grieved her that the sister of her\nlord should be given in marriage to a vassal, for as such had Siegfried\nappeared in Iceland, and presently she began to reproach the King\ntherefor, tears falling from her beautiful eyes. This alarmed G\u00fcnther,\nand he sought to soothe her, saying that Siegfried was no vassal,\nbut a great prince like himself, with lands and subjects. Thereupon\nBrunhild demanded wherefore Siegfried had chosen to appear at her\ncourt as G\u00fcnther\u2019s liegeman; but this the King refused to make known\nto her until some future day, nor would he yield, though more and\nmore she urged him, being now full of curiosity to learn the secret.\nAt last she could bear it no longer, but springing angrily from her\nseat she left the hall and retired to her own chamber. Thither G\u00fcnther\nfollowed, thinking to appease her and found her in a storm of tears\nand rage. Again she besought him to tell her the truth, and again he\nrefused, whereupon her fury knew no bounds. Seizing her offending lord,\nshe bound him hand and foot and tied him to an iron hook on the wall,\nand there, despite all his entreaties, was he forced to stay till the\nmorning. Meanwhile Brunhild slumbered peacefully; but when at daylight\nthe steps of the servitors were heard in the passage without, she\nloosed him, lest he be brought to shame before them.\n\nAs the midday hour approached, the royal couples, attired in all the\nsplendor of their robes of state, repaired to the cathedral, where\nafter holy mass was sung, the coronation took place amid great pomp and\nrejoicing. Six hundred noble squires were knighted in honor of the day\nand a grand tournament followed, wherein they had full scope to prove\ntheir skill and valor. All were joyous save the King. Perceiving his\ngloomy and troubled look, Siegfried took him aside and asked the cause\nof his sadness, and G\u00fcnther told how he had spent the night in his\nwife\u2019s chamber. Thereupon Siegfried bade the King take heart and swore\nso to punish Brunhild that nevermore should she desire to lay hands\nupon her lord; and forthwith they agreed upon a plan whereby this might\nbe brought about.\n\nThat night Brunhild again retired early to her chamber and G\u00fcnther\napproached her with courteous words; but she scorned him, stormed as\nbefore, and at last threatened to fasten him once more with her girdle\nif he would not disclose the secret. With that G\u00fcnther blew out the\ntapers as a signal to Siegfried, who waited without the door, wearing\nthe magic cap. He entered, and as Brunhild was about to seize her royal\nspouse, he stepped quickly into G\u00fcnther\u2019s place, nor was she aware in\nthe darkness that Siegfried it was whom she had grasped. Then followed\na mighty struggle. Siegfried was violently hurled to the floor, but\nquickly sprang to his feet again, only to be seized once more by the\nwarrior Queen and crushed between the wall and an oaken press with\nsuch giant strength that G\u00fcnther began to despair for the hero\u2019s life.\nBut rage and shame lent new strength to Siegfried; and now, although\nso terrible was Brunhild\u2019s grasp that the blood started from beneath\nher nails, with a mighty effort he regained his feet and overthrew his\nformidable adversary, forcing her down till her joints cracked. Then\nwas she fain to yield and cry for mercy; whereupon G\u00fcnther, taking\nSiegfried\u2019s place again, drew from his unruly wife a vow to restrain\nher curiosity till he should see fit to reveal the secret, and to\nstrive against him no more. And thereafter he released her, Siegfried\nmeanwhile having left the room, bearing away with him as spoils of his\nvictory Brunhild\u2019s ring and girdle, of which he had possessed himself\nduring the struggle.\n\nAfter the wedding festivities, which lasted for a space of two weeks,\nSiegfried made ready to set out with his fair bride for Niderland.\nG\u00fcnther and his brothers, out of gratitude for the services Siegfried\nhad rendered them, would have bestowed much land upon him as a dowry\nfor Kriemhild, but this the hero refused, having no wish for reward.\nAt Kriemhild\u2019s desire, however, an escort of a thousand knights was\ngranted her, and these she was permitted to choose, whereupon she\nbespoke Hagen and his men. But Hagen grew very wroth at this. He swore\nhe would be the gift of no man, for his forefathers had ever served\nthe Court of Burgundy, and there would he also bide. No other lord\nthan G\u00fcnther would he own as liege. The grim knight was forgiven his\nharsh words, and Kriemhild made other choice; nor was this difficult,\nfor many professed themselves ready to lead the band, among these the\nMargrave Eckewart.\n\nAt last was come the time for Siegfried\u2019s departure, and the King rode\nfar upon the way with him. After they had parted with many professions\nof good-will and friendship, Siegfried sent messengers on before with\nword to his parents that he was returning with the beautiful Kriemhild\nto Santen, there to abide thenceforth. Glad news was this indeed to\nSiegmund and Sieglind, and their hearts were filled with joy.\n\n  \u201cHappy am I,\u201d said Siegmund,\n    \u201cThus to behold the day\n  Which sees the beauteous Kriemhild\n    Enthroned, with us to stay.\n  With praises of her virtue,\n    Let all the country ring!\n  Now shall our dear son Siegfried\n    Henceforward reign as King.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n_Chapter XIII_\n\n_The Two Queens_\n\n\nAnother wedding festival was held at Santen, even more splendid than\nthat at Worms. King Siegmund made over the crown and kingdom to\nSiegfried, and in due time a son was born to Kriemhild, whom she named\nG\u00fcnther, for her brother. Messengers were sent to Burgundy to announce\nthe joyful event, but at the same time came news to Santen of the birth\nof a son likewise to King G\u00fcnther, and him they called Siegfried. And\nnow for Siegfried and Kriemhild ten happy years went by. Great was\ntheir love for each other, and much were they beloved, for Siegfried\nruled the kingdom wisely and with a mighty arm.\n\nMany times had Brunhild questioned King G\u00fcnther concerning Siegfried,\nseeming to marvel greatly that he no longer paid service to his liege;\nbut G\u00fcnther, though greatly displeased thereat, ever held his peace,\nnor would he make reply to her words. At length she professed a great\ndesire to see Siegfried and Kriemhild once again, declaring that\nG\u00fcnther as his sovereign might command Siegfried\u2019s presence whensoever\nit pleased him. G\u00fcnther, foreboding evil, made for excuse the great\ndistance between them, but so strongly did Brunhild urge the matter\nthat at last the King was forced to yield and bid his sister with her\nlord as guests to Worms.\n\nNow when the Margrave Gere and his thirty men came to the Netherlands,\nit chanced that King Siegfried was then in the land of the Nibelungs,\nand thither they sought him, bearing the message from G\u00fcnther and\nBrunhild. Supposing the King to be again beset by foes he declared\nhimself ready to set out at once to his relief, but the Margrave made\nhim aware that not to do battle was he bidden, but to celebrate the\nfeast of the equinox about to be held in Worms. Siegfried thereupon\ntook counsel with his chiefs, who deemed it prudent that he should\ngo attended by not less than a thousand knights, while his father,\nSiegmund, made ready to accompany him with his own band of a hundred\nwarriors.\n\nLaden with costly gifts, the messengers returned to Burgundy with the\nnews that Siegfried would shortly follow. But when Hagen beheld the\ntreasures they brought with them he secretly coveted the Nibelung hoard\nand longed to see it all in Worms.\n\nMeanwhile G\u00fcnther had not failed to recall to Brunhild the loving\nwelcome she had met with from Kriemhild when first she came to\nBurgundy, and charged her now not to be in any way behind in her\ngreetings to his sister, and Brunhild gave her word thereto. On the\nappointed day the whole Burgundian court rode forth to meet the\nexpected guests, and right joyous was their welcome. The whole city was\ngiven up to feasting and rejoicing, and all went well for eleven days,\nwhen a grand tournament was held. It chanced, as the two Queens sat at\na window looking on at the jousting, that Kriemhild, rapt in watching\nSiegfried, exclaimed:\n\n\u201cAh! look thou upon my lord! So brave and knightly doth he bear him, as\nwere the whole world\u2019s homage but his due.\u201d\n\nThis displeased the haughty Brunhild, and she replied scornfully: \u201cAy,\nso indeed, perchance, were thou and he alone upon the earth.\u201d\n\nBut Kriemhild, her gaze still fixed on Siegfried, continued: \u201cHow truly\nnoble is my royal spouse! Methinks among yon chiefs he is so far the\nfirst as doth the moon outshine the starry host!\u201d\n\n\u201cRare and matchless though he be, forsooth,\u201d returned Brunhild, \u201cyet is\nhe not so great a King as is my G\u00fcnther!\u201d\n\nAt this Kriemhild\u2019s anger began to rise, and she cried out: \u201cIn no way\nis Siegfried behind thy lord or any man on earth!\u201d Whereupon Brunhild\nwith an evil glance at Kriemhild declared that Siegfried with his own\nlips had owned himself vassal to King G\u00fcnther when they came to Iceland\nfor the wooing. Kriemhild was greatly troubled, yet she answered\nproudly:\n\n\u201cWere my lord in truth what thou sayest, then methinks it passing\nstrange that he hath paid no tribute to G\u00fcnther as his liege lord in\nall these many years.\u201d\n\n\u201cBy my faith, thou dost presume too much!\u201d cried Brunhild, furiously.\n\u201cWe shall see anon whether thou or I be most deserving homage!\u201d\n\nWith this the Queens parted, bitter anger swelling in their breasts.\n\n\n\n\n_Chapter XIV_\n\n_The Queens\u2019 Quarrel_\n\n\nWhen on the next morning Kriemhild repaired with her women to the\ncathedral, Brunhild was before her, and stood at the door with all\nher train clad in their costliest robes, whereat the people wondered\ngreatly, for the two Queens were wont to walk side by side in stately\nprocession. Kriemhild was about to ascend the steps when Brunhild in\na loud voice bade her stand aside, since it was not seemly that the\nwife of a vassal should go before the Queen of Burgundy into the house\nof God. This went to Kriemhild\u2019s heart, for she felt the rude speech\ninjured her beloved Siegfried more than herself. Beside herself with\nanger, she cried out:\n\n\u201cVassal or no vassal, yet my lord is greater than thine: for know,\nif thou must, it was he who overcame thee and delivered thee up to\nG\u00fcnther!\u201d\n\nAt this Brunhild burst into tears, and Kriemhild, not desiring to\nprolong the quarrel, passed into the church. Brunhild followed, but so\nfilled with burning rage was she that little did she hear of sermon or\nof song. When the service was ended she awaited Kriemhild at the door\nand overwhelming her with passionate reproaches, demanded the proof of\nher words.\n\nNow, Siegfried had given to his wife the ring and girdle he had taken\nfrom Brunhild. During the service Kriemhild\u2019s anger had cooled, and her\nwish was to depart in peace; yet since Brunhild would not permit this,\nbut grew more and more violent, in the end Kriemhild drew forth the\nring and showed it to her rival, saying: \u201cIf thou wilt have the truth,\nby this token was it Siegfried who did conquer thee!\u201d\n\n\u201cThen, forsooth, hath it been stolen from me!\u201d retorted Brunhild,\nchanging color.\n\nBut now Kriemhild also produced the girdle; whereupon Brunhild,\nwringing her hands, burst into a passion of tears, and both Queens went\nupon their way.\n\nHastily summoning G\u00fcnther, his weeping spouse related to him all that\nhad passed, adding that Siegfried himself must have devised this means\nof publicly affronting her. Whereupon G\u00fcnther forthwith sought out\nSiegfried, and he, knowing naught of the matter, was much disturbed to\nhear of the quarrel.\n\nNevertheless, he bade his comrade soothe the anger of Brunhild, and\nvowed therewith soundly to reprove his wife for her rash speech. Then\nwas King G\u00fcnther glad once more, for he loved Siegfried and was loath\nto be at enmity with him. But all G\u00fcnther\u2019s efforts to make peace were\nuseless. Brunhild refused to be appeased; and when Hagen came to visit\nher she told him of the insult that had been offered her, protesting\nthat Siegfried alone had been the cause thereof. Whereupon Hagen fell\ninto a terrible passion and swore to avenge his Queen\u2019s dishonor.\n\nThen came Giselher, and when he had heard all, he warned Hagen not\nto be blinded by sudden anger, dwelling on the good-will and favor\nSiegfried had ever borne the King and all the land. Meanwhile other\nchiefs came forward, and now Ortwin spoke out, saying:\n\n\u201cAn the King so wills, by my hand the traitor shall perish; nor shall\nhis mighty strength avail to save him!\u201d\n\nYet none was there that found this saying good, save Hagen, the grim.\nBut with crafty words day after day he urged G\u00fcnther on to revenge,\ndwelling on the wealth and power that would be his were Siegfried\u2019s\nlands with all the Nibelung treasure to become his own, until at last\nthe temptation grew too strong for the King, and he yielded himself to\nHagen\u2019s will.\n\n\n\n\n_Chapter XV_\n\n_The Betrayal_\n\n\nHagen now bethought him of a plan whereby he might learn from Kriemhild\nthe secret of Siegfried\u2019s vulnerable spot. Some of his men donned the\ngarb of foreign messengers and appeared at the court, with a false\nchallenge from Lendeger and Lendegast, the two Kings Siegfried had\nformerly vanquished. Again G\u00fcnther wavered in his purpose, at the\nthought of such treachery toward Siegfried, who had ever been his loyal\nfriend, and of whose innocence moreover he felt sure; but Hagen\u2019s\nevil counsel once more prevailed, and the voice of his conscience was\nstifled.\n\nSiegfried soon perceived that something was amiss, and questioning\nG\u00fcnther as to the cause of his silence and gloom, drew from him that\nthe Saxon and Danish Kings had sworn vengeance and were coming to lay\nwaste the land. Whereupon he avowed himself ready and eager to meet\nG\u00fcnther\u2019s foes again in battle.\n\n\u201cDo thou bide here,\u201d he said, \u201cwhilst I with my eleven hundred chosen\nknights go forth and chastise this presumptuous pair.\u201d\n\nJoyfully the hero made ready to depart, and Hagen, who had declared he\nwould ride with them, went to take leave of Kriemhild. She besought\nhim to be no longer angry with her for the words she had spoken to\nBrunhild, adding:\n\n\u201cI have been punished enough for my folly in my lord Siegfried\u2019s\ndispleasure!\u201d\n\n\u201cAll is forgotten, fair lady,\u201d replied Hagen. \u201cNor is it save for love\nof King Siegfried that I go with him to this war. Should there be aught\nwherein it may avail, be sure he shall not lack my aid.\u201d\n\nThen was Kriemhild overjoyed and began therewith to sound the praises\nof her lord, dwelling on the love and loyalty he had ever shown toward\nBurgundy, and her fear lest through his reckless valor he might\nperchance hazard his life.\n\nWhereupon the wily Hagen answered: \u201cMethinks there can be no danger to\nthy lord, since he is proof against all harm; yet tell me, I pray thee,\nif by any chance this be not so, that I may know how best to secure his\nsafety.\u201d\n\nAt this, Kriemhild opened her heart to Hagen, and having full faith\nin his honesty and loyalty, confided to him how, when Siegfried had\ncovered himself with the fat of the dragons, a linden leaf had fallen\nbetween his shoulders, leaving one spot wherein he might come to harm.\nThereupon she charged him anew to guard Siegfried well, lest in the\nheat of battle some foe should wound him from the rear. Overjoyed with\nthe success of his strategy, Hagen counselled Kriemhild to mark this\nspot upon Siegfried\u2019s garment, that he might be the better able to\nshield him, and vowing to bide faithfully at his side in battle, took\nhis leave.\n\nThat same evening Kriemhild took the outer garment of her beloved\nspouse and wrought with finest silk upon it a small red cross--his\ndeath mark, alas! for Hagen saw and fixed the spot well in his mind.\nThe next morning, as Siegfried and his well-armed followers were about\nto set forth, Hagen contrived that other messengers should appear with\nthe news that the two Kings had taken counsel and determined to abandon\nthe war with Burgundy.\n\n\u201cThen have we armed to no purpose!\u201d said Siegfried to G\u00fcnther, who\nnevertheless gave him thanks with fair but lying words for his\nwillingness to aid them; and therewith, by Hagen\u2019s counsel, he urged\nSiegfried to go with them to a hunt on the following morning in the\nVosges forest, for there it was that Hagen had planned to accomplish\nhis evil purpose.\n\n\n\n\n_Chapter XVI_\n\n_Siegfried\u2019s Death_\n\n\nWhen the morning was come, therefore, Siegfried made him ready for\nthe hunt and went to take leave of Kriemhild. She was full of anxious\nforebodings. Hagen\u2019s grim visage rose before her eyes, and she began\nto mistrust him and his friendly words. Bitterly now she repented that\nher love and fear for her husband had led her to reveal his vulnerable\nspot. Nor did she dare make known to Siegfried what had passed, for he\nhad strictly forbidden her ever to speak thereof. She had spent the\nnight in terror and distress, and evil dreams had haunted her broken\nslumbers; wherefore she now besought Siegfried with tears to abandon\nthe hunt, clinging to him as if she would never loose her hold.\n\n\u201cI dreamed last night that two wild boars gave thee chase,\u201d she cried,\n\u201cand wounded thee so sorely that the grass was reddened with thy blood.\nSurely that forebodes two foes that seek thy life. Ah! go not hence,\ndear lord! I beseech thee, stay!\u201d\n\nTenderly Siegfried embraced her and sought to calm her fears, and\nknowing that he had never wrought evil to any man but had ever shown\nkindness and good-will to all, he said:\n\n\u201cDispel these idle fears, sweet wife! All thy kinsmen, methinks, bear\nme love and favor; nor is there any that hath cause to do me ill.\u201d\n\nYet still did Kriemhild weep, saying: \u201cI dreamed again, and thou didst\nstand betwixt two lofty mountain peaks that tottered to their fall. And\nas I gazed they plunged together and thou wast swallowed from my sight.\nOh, trust me, lord, some dire evil will surely chance, an thou dost\nhunt this day!\u201d\n\nAlas! had Kriemhild but confessed to Siegfried all, how different might\nhave been the ending of this tale! But he kissed away her tears with\nloving words of comfort and she dared not speak. Once again--for the\nlast time upon earth--he clasped her to his heart and thus they parted.\nSiegfried, mounting his horse, rode swiftly to the appointed place of\nmeeting.\n\nCheerily the huntsmen took their way to the Vosges forest, and when\nthey were come thither, Hagen proposed that all should separate,\nwhereby at the end it might be seen which was the best sportsman; and\nthis, in the secret hope that Siegfried\u2019s boldness and daring might\ncause him to be slain by some wild beast, for well he knew the plan he\nhad devised was fraught with no small danger to himself.\n\nSiegfried asked only for a single hound to track his game and G\u00fcnther\nbestowed on him a well-trained beagle; whereupon he set spurs to\nhis horse and was soon deep in the heart of the forest. Ere-long a\nhuge wild boar crossed his path, and he slew it with his sword; and\nthereafter a buffalo bull, an elk, four mighty mountain bulls, and\na fierce stag fell before his spear. Retainers followed and dragged\nthe game into one heap, while on every side sounded the notes of the\nhunting horns and the joyous baying of the four-and-twenty hounds.\n\nAt length, King G\u00fcnther wound his golden horn to summon the huntsmen to\na repast, and soon all were assembled in a green glade of the forest,\nwhere a fire burned brightly and the cooks were preparing a goodly meal\nof beef and venison. But Siegfried had roused a bear, and resolving\nfor sport to capture it alive had pursued it fast and far. At last the\nbrute sought shelter in a thicket, whereupon Siegfried sprang from his\nsaddle and, after a short struggle, had it fast by the skin of its\nneck. Then he bound up the jaws with their rows of sharp teeth, wound\na cord about the paws, and laying it across his horse, set out to join\nthe huntsmen.\n\nGlorious indeed to look upon was the mighty Siegfried as he rode\njoyously through the green forest! Lightly he poised the stout,\nkeen-edged hunting-spear, and the good sword Balmung hung downward\nto his spurs. He wore a silken tunic of black, glittering with gold\nornaments and bordered with sable, and a cap of the same fur, while the\nlining of his quiver was of panther\u2019s hide, the odor whereof was held\nto attract the game. He also carried a long bow of rare workmanship.\n\nWhen he came to the meeting-place he took the bear from his horse and\nunbound it; whereupon the beast, seeking to escape, bolted in amongst\nthe pots and kettles and sent the terrified cooks flying hither and\nthither. Thereupon a great shout arose from the amazed huntsmen; the\ndogs were loosed and away they all went into the forest in pursuit\nof the fleeing captive. Clear rang the horns of the hunters, loudly\nbayed the furious pack; yet their quarry was like to escape them, for\nnone dared use bow or spear lest he should wound the hounds. Whereupon\nSiegfried bounding forward soon outstripped hounds and huntsmen, and\nstruck the bear dead with his sword. In triumph they bore it back to\nthe fire, and all agreed that to Siegfried should be adjudged the\nprize. Many indeed who were aware of Hagen\u2019s fell design would fain\nhave had him forego the treacherous deed, yet none dared speak of this\nto him, for well they knew his vengeful fury.\n\nSoon were the huntsmen seated round the board, and ample justice did\nthey to the goodly viands wherewith it was spread; but Siegfried,\nlooking about for wine, found none at hand. Now, this was part of\nHagen\u2019s plan, yet he excused himself when G\u00fcnther questioned him\nthereon, with the plea that he had erred in naming the place of the\nhunt and the wine therefore had been sent to the Spessart forest.\n\nThen Siegfried declared he could have wished they were nearer to the\nRhine, for the hunt had given him a mighty thirst. Whereupon Hagen,\nassuming an air of indifference, replied:\n\n\u201cMost noble knight, hard by I know a cool and limpid spring, whose\nwaters may quench thy thirst. Let us go thither.\u201d\n\nThose who knew Hagen\u2019s meaning shuddered at these words, but Siegfried\njoyfully agreed. Whereat Hagen said: \u201cOft have I heard it said, my lord\nSiegfried, that none can outstrip thee in running. Here is good ground\nfor proof, and I myself will race thee to yon brooklet for a wager!\u201d\n\n\u201cThat gladly will I do,\u201d replied Siegfried, \u201cand with all my armor on.\u201d\n\nHagen now pointed out the spring and forth they bounded like two\npanthers over the grassy plain, all the huntsmen following. Siegfried\nwas the swifter; coming first to the spring he laid aside his sword,\nbow, and shield, and leaned his spear against a linden tree. Had he\nbut drunk his fill now and taken up his arms once more, all Hagen\u2019s\nbase scheming would have been undone, for none had dared to assail the\nhero armed and on his guard. But restraining his thirst, he waited till\nG\u00fcnther as sovereign prince should first have tasted of the spring. The\nKing was third to reach the spot, the others lagging far behind, for\nupon them had come a sudden fear and trembling. Kneeling by the spring,\nhe drank and thereafter stooped Siegfried also to dip up the clear\ncold water in his hand. Now was Hagen\u2019s time. Swiftly and noiselessly\nhe bore away the hero\u2019s sword and bow. Ill indeed had it fared with\nthe false knight had Siegfried marked his act; but little thought had\nhe of such foul plot to reward his loyalty. Seizing the spear, Hagen\nhurled it with all his force at Siegfried\u2019s back, and so well had he\nmarked the spot shown him by the cross Kriemhild had wrought that the\nweapon pierced deep into the breast of the hero and there remained.\nThe shameful deed was done, and truly never was there crime on all the\nearth more foul than this.\n\nThe red blood spouted from the wound upon the bow of the assassin, and\nhe fled; for, though wounded to the death, yet was Siegfried terrible\nin his wrath. Springing to his feet, the hero sought his weapons, but\nthey were gone; whereupon with shield aloft he rushed after Hagen and\nsmote him therewith so powerfully that it burst asunder, scattering a\nshower of jewels all about. Hagen was stretched upon the ground, and it\nseemed his end had come. But now the strength fled from Siegfried, a\ndeadly pallor overspread his countenance, and he sank upon the ground,\nhis life blood staining the grass and flowers crimson. Then Hagen arose\nand drew nigh, his dark features lit with savage joy at the success of\nhis evil work.\n\nG\u00fcnther, too, approached, and after him came the rest of the huntsmen,\nand a deathly stillness reigned as all gazed upon the dying hero. At\nlast Siegfried broke the silence. In noble wrath he spoke:\n\n\u201cYe dastards! to slay me from behind, and this as meed for all the\nservice I have rendered you!\u201d\n\nThe glance of the hero, wounded unto death, appalled the stoutest\nhearts; rough cheeks were wet with tears; and even from G\u00fcnther\u2019s\nbreast was forced a cry of anguish. But Siegfried was not deceived\nthereby. Clearly now he saw the whole treacherous plot.\n\n\u201cToo late is it now, King G\u00fcnther of Burgundy, to bewail the evil thou\nthyself hast wrought; better for thee had it been left undone.\u201d\n\nAnd Hagen with a scornful glance at his comrades cried fiercely:\n\u201cFools! Wherefore, then, do ye lament? Is not this an end to all our\ndiscontent? Well was it that I had the will to do the deed against your\ncraven counsel!\u201d\n\nAgain the hero spoke, although his voice grew faint: \u201cVaunt not thyself\ntoo much my lord, Hagen! Had I but known thee for the base assassin\nthat thou art, thy schemes had been of small avail against me. For\nnaught I grieve save Kriemhild, my true and loving wife, and that my\nson must one day learn how his sire was foully slain by his nearest\nkin.\u201d\n\nAll grew dark before his eyes, yet still his thoughts were with his\nwife; her name the last upon his lips. \u201cIf aught there yet be within\nthy breast of faith or loyalty,\u201d he said to G\u00fcnther, \u201cthen be thou true\nunto thy sister Kriemhild! My father and my brave knights now, alas,\nwill wait for me in vain. Oh, never yet hath man so basely dealt by his\ntrue friend as thou by me!\u201d\n\nThereupon the death struggle seized him, but it was soon over; his eyes\ngrew dim, and the soul of the mighty Siegfried took its flight.\n\nWhen they saw that he was dead, they laid his body on a golden shield\nupon which to bear it away, and thereafter they took counsel as to what\nshould be done. Some thought it well to say that thieves had slain King\nSiegfried, but Hagen spoke out boldly, saying:\n\n\u201cI myself will take him back to Worms. It is naught to me if Kriemhild\nlearns \u2019twas by my hand he died. He defamed our Queen, and for that\nwrong his life has paid the price, forsooth. Little care I for\nKriemhild\u2019s tears or moans.\u201d\n\nSo they waited till the pale moon stood high in the heavens, and then,\nbearing the corpse of Siegfried, King G\u00fcnther and his companions once\nmore crossed the Rhine.\n\n\n\n\n_Chapter XVII_\n\n_Kriemhild\u2019s Grief_\n\n\nHagen had bethought him of a plan to make his terrible revenge\ncomplete, by leaving Kriemhild to find the body of her lord before her\ndoor. And so it was, for, when at daybreak the bells for matins sounded\nfrom the minster spire and Kriemhild awakened her women to go with her\nto service as was their wont, the chamberlain coming to attend them\nsaw the body without her chamber. Thereupon the door opened and the\nQueen would have come forth, but the chamberlain, raising his torch to\nlight the passage, warned her to go back, till he should have borne\nthe body thence. But Kriemhild straightway divining what had befallen,\nuttered a loud shriek and fell senseless to the ground. When she had\ncome to herself again her women sought to calm her, saying the corpse\nwas surely of some stranger knight, but Kriemhild, wringing her hands,\ncried out:\n\n\u201cAh no! it is my lord, foully slain by G\u00fcnther, and Brunhild it was who\nurged him to the deed!\u201d\n\nBending over the lifeless form, while the chamberlain lowered his\ntorch, she gently lifted the head and laid it on her knee; and\ntherewith, disfigured as the noble features were, she knew it for her\nhusband.\n\n\u201cWoe is me!\u201d she cried, \u201cby no good sword stroke hath his shield been\nshattered. \u2019Twas a murderer\u2019s hand that laid my Siegfried low!\u201d\n\nThereupon she caused the Nibelungs to be awakened and a messenger\ndespatched to Siegmund. The aged King had passed a sleepless night\nso fearful was he for his son; yet this terrible news he could not\ncredit, but hastened to Kriemhild only to find her in an agony of\ngrief, surrounded by her weeping women. When the Nibelungs came and saw\nthe lifeless body of their King, they cried aloud in bitter wrath and\nwoe, and drawing their swords, would have avenged his death forthwith;\nbut Kriemhild restrained them, and there before them all she took a\nsolemn oath never to rest till she had found the murderer and wrought\nvengeance upon him for the bloody deed.\n\nThen Siegfried\u2019s wounds were washed, his body clothed in costly\ngarments and raised upon a bier, and thereafter borne to the cathedral\namid tolling of bells and chanting of hymns, while all the people\nflocked to look upon the hero and join in bewailing his death. Thither\ntoo came G\u00fcnther and Hagen with a great show of grief and horror,\nto join the mourners. But Kriemhild bade her brother cease his\nlamentations, since but for him her husband then had been alive.\n\nG\u00fcnther stoutly denied this, and swore that Siegfried had been slain\nby robbers in the forest; whereupon Kriemhild demanded that he and all\nhis followers should singly approach the bier. G\u00fcnther and his two\nbrothers strode past it in silence; then came Hagen, and when he stood\nbeside the corpse, lo! the wounds began to bleed afresh. Again G\u00fcnther\nmaintained that they were innocent, but Kriemhild, fixing her gaze full\non Hagen, cried aloud in grief and wrath:\n\n\u201cNow do I know his murderer!\u201d\n\nA great coffin, long and wide, of silver and gold embossed with knobs\nof steel, was made ready and therein, wrapped in a winding sheet of\nrichest silk, Siegfried\u2019s body was laid. For three days and nights it\nrested in the minster, and Kriemhild watched beside it. She neither ate\nnor drank, but besought God to have pity on her and let her also die,\nthat she might be laid with her husband in the tomb.\n\nOn the third day the funeral rites were held; and when they were ended,\nKriemhild caused the coffin lid to be raised, and in an agony of grief\nembraced the corpse of her beloved and kissed the pale lips for the\nlast time. Swooning she was borne away; and thereupon, amid tolling of\nbells and the sobs of the multitude, was the mighty hero laid to rest\nwithin the minster vault.\n\nAfter some days had passed, Siegmund sought Kriemhild and said to her:\n\u201cNow let us depart to our own land, my daughter; for here methinks we\nare but unwelcome guests.\u201d\n\nBut thereon came Gernot and Giselher, the King\u2019s two brothers, who were\nguiltless of the death of Siegfried, and with loving words besought her\nto abide with them.\n\nFor a time Kriemhild hesitated, but the thought of departing from the\nburial place of her beloved spouse cost her such pangs that at the last\nshe yielded and promised her brothers to remain in Worms. Siegmund bade\nfarewell to none but Kriemhild, and bowed with grief, the aged King and\nhis faithful Nibelungs mounted their steeds and rode away from the land\nof the Burgundians, never to return.\n\n\n\n\n_Chapter XVIII_\n\n_The Nibelung Hoard_\n\n\nIn a castle hard by the minster, Kriemhild now spent her sorrowful\ndays, mourning her lost husband and going daily to pray beside his\ntomb. Thus three long years went by and no word did she speak to\nG\u00fcnther, nor did she once see Hagen in all that time.\n\nBut Hagen never ceased to urge the King to make his peace with her, for\nin no other way might the Nibelung hoard be brought to Worms; and at\nlast this was brought about by the King\u2019s two brothers. At the cost of\nmany tears Kriemhild forgave every one save Hagen, but little for that\ncared the grim hero. His mind was set upon the treasure which had been\nSiegfried\u2019s marriage gift to his wife. Soon Kriemhild was persuaded\nto send for it, whereupon Gernot and Giselher with eight thousand men\nwere despatched to the land of the Nibelungs to claim the hoard. Had\nAlberich, the Dwarf-King, still possessed the magic cap, none could\nhave forced him to give up the treasure; but Siegfried had taken it\nfrom him, and he needs must obey Kriemhild\u2019s commands. In four days\nand nights, twelve wagons going to and fro had transported the great\nheap of gold and jewels to the ship from its resting-place within the\nmountain; and thus was the mighty Nibelung hoard, so famed in song and\nstory, brought at last to Worms. There the two princes gave it into\nKriemhild\u2019s keeping; and so vast was the treasure that it filled whole\nvaults and towers, nor did it ever grow less however much was taken\nfrom it.\n\nAfter some time had passed, Hagen said to G\u00fcnther: \u201cOf a truth,\nthe lady Kriemhild doth dispense her riches with an open hand, and\ntherewith bestow great charities, alike to high and low. Ere-long she\nwill gain so many friends and followers that peril may well ensue to\nourselves, wherefore, methinks, \u2019twere better far to keep the hoard.\u201d\n\nTo this G\u00fcnther replied that the gold was her own, to do with as she\nwould; moreover, he had sworn to do her no more wrong. But Hagen so\nbeset his royal master, offering himself to bear the blame, that at the\nlast G\u00fcnther yielded, and Hagen thereupon possessed himself of the keys\nto the treasure.\n\nNow, at this time it chanced that the Burgundians were about to set\nforth on some warlike expedition, and the youthful Giselher, full of\nwrath at this fresh injury to his beloved sister, swore to lend her\nhis aid as soon as ever he should return. But Hagen abode in Worms,\nand, fearing lest the keys should be taken from him, availed himself of\nthe King\u2019s absence to bury the hoard beneath the Rhine, hoping thereby\nto keep it for his own. But not thus had fate decreed. Being well aware\nthat the King\u2019s brothers would not easily forgive this bold act, he\nleft the court for a space to wait till their wrath should have cooled.\n\nThus with new sorrows was Kriemhild oppressed, and still more bitter\ngrew her wrath and hatred toward Hagen. Not content with the murder of\nSiegfried, he must also take from her the means of aiding the poor and\nsuffering, and this had been the only solace of her darkened life.\n\n\n\n\n_Chapter XIX_\n\n_King Etzel Woos Kriemhild_\n\n\nIn those days there reigned over the Huns a mighty King who was called\nEtzel (Attila). His royal castle, Etzelburg (now called Ofen), was on\nthe Danube, and his kingdom stretched far beyond the boundaries of what\nis now known as Hungary. Great was his fame and many were the lands\nover which he held sway, so that not only had the dukes and margraves\nas his subjects, but also kings did homage to him. His good Queen\nHelcha was dead, and such were the tales that reached him of the beauty\nand virtue of Kriemhild that he resolved to seek her hand; accordingly,\nMargrave R\u00fcdiger, one of his richest and bravest knights, was sent to\nlay his suit before her.\n\nWhen at the end of their long journey R\u00fcdiger and his followers rode\ninto the courtyard of the castle at Worms, none knew him. Hagen was\ntherewith sent for, and he, having many years before lived for a space\nat Etzel\u2019s court, declared the stranger knight to be R\u00fcdiger, and\ncounselled the King to receive him well. Thereupon the margrave was\nconducted to the great hall, where G\u00fcnther gave him kindly welcome,\nseated him near his own person, and caused wine to be served him from\nhis own flagon. After they had sat for a time R\u00fcdiger arose and made\nknown his errand, namely, that King Etzel desired to make Kriemhild his\nwife. G\u00fcnther promised him an answer in three days, and therewith took\ncounsel privately with his brothers and nearest of kin.\n\nAll were agreed that it would be well for the King\u2019s widowed sister\nto wed the King of the Huns, save Hagen, who stoutly declared the\nbetrothal should in no wise be permitted, protesting that evil would\nsurely come of it, for Kriemhild would find means to avenge herself\nupon them. To this G\u00fcnther replied that Etzel\u2019s kingdom was too remote\nto be a danger to them, and Giselher rebuked Hagen, saying:\n\n\u201cMethinks my sister hath already suffered enough at thy hands. Seek not\nto thwart what yet perchance may bring her joy!\u201d\n\nStill Hagen maintained that they one day would rue it if they scorned\nhis counsel; but none the less the princes resolved that Kriemhild\nshould make her own choice. The Margrave Gere was sent forthwith to\nacquaint her with King Etzel\u2019s desire. The sorrowing Queen at first\ndeemed it but another plan of Hagen\u2019s to mock her grief; but when Gere\nassured her that it was no jest, she replied that she had no wish to\nwed, but sought only to spend her days in mourning her dead lord.\n\nThe next day came R\u00fcdiger himself to urge his master\u2019s suit. Kriemhild\ngreeted him kindly, but bade him tell King Etzel that none who knew\nher grief for Siegfried would seek to win her hand. Thereupon R\u00fcdiger\nsought to tempt her with the wealth and honor that would be hers as the\nwife of the mighty Etzel, but all in vain; nor were the counsels of her\nmother and brothers of any avail to move her from her purpose. Still\nR\u00fcdiger did not despair, but again making plain to her the power she\nwould have as Queen of all the Huns, added significantly:\n\n\u201cMoreover, gracious lady, hadst thou e\u2019er a wrong to be avenged, thou\ncouldst depend on my good sword.\u201d\n\nAt these words Kriemhild\u2019s hatred against Hagen blazed up more fiercely\nthan before. With flashing eyes she called on R\u00fcdiger to pledge his\nword thereto; and this he did, little foreseeing in what manner he\nshould one day be called upon to redeem it.\n\nThereupon Kriemhild consented to become the wife of King Etzel and,\nbidding farewell to all her kin, departed with R\u00fcdiger for the land of\nthe Huns.\n\n\n\n\n_Chapter XX_\n\n_Etzel\u2019s Invitation to G\u00fcnther_\n\n\nWhen Etzel learned that Kriemhild was coming, he rode gallantly forth\nto meet his bride with a long train of knights and courtiers. Kings\nand dukes were there withal, and banners of many countries waved above\nthe host. For seventeen days the wedding festivities lasted; nor\nhad Kriemhild in all her life seen aught to equal the splendor and\nmagnificence that now surrounded her.\n\nSix years went by. Kriemhild had borne a son who was called Ortlieb,\nand she was happy at Etzel\u2019s court; yet still was she tormented with\nthe thought that Siegfried\u2019s murderer yet lived. The theft of the\nNibelung hoard she had indeed forgiven, but her deadly wrath at the\nfoul treachery to her beloved husband had known no change.\n\n\u201cOh, that Hagen were but here!\u201d she often sighed as she cast about her\nfor some means whereby this might be brought to pass; for well she knew\nthat he would never come alone. At last she bethought her of a plan.\nSeeking the King one day when in a gracious mood, she said to him:\n\n\u201cMost generous lord! one cause of grief and shame have I, in that my\nkindred never visit me. Methinks it will be said that I came to thee\nan exile, or that my kin disown me. Wherefore I pray thee, let them be\nsummoned hither as our guests, and thereby wilt thou greatly relieve my\ntroubles.\u201d\n\nKing Etzel kindly granted this request and forthwith despatched\nmessengers to Worms to bid the Burgundian princes to the approaching\nfestival of the Summer solstice. Before they departed, however,\nKriemhild summoned them to her and charged them to see to it that all\nher kinsmen came, even to her uncle Hagen; and furthermore, if they\nshould be questioned concerning her, to say that she was well and of\ngood cheer.\n\nThereupon the messengers set out for Worms. G\u00fcnther gave them such\nwelcome as befitted the envoys of so powerful a ruler, and much\nrejoiced was he to hear of Kriemhild\u2019s contentment, for now it seemed\nshe had at last forgotten all the past. A council was held, and all\nwere for accepting King Etzel\u2019s bidding save Hagen, who grew angry when\nurged thereto. Casting a black look at G\u00fcnther, he asked if he had\nforgotten how Siegfried was slain.\n\n\u201c\u2019Twas by my hand he fell, in truth; but thou wast partner to the deed!\u201d\n\nEarnestly he strove to dissuade them from the journey, pointing out\nthe danger of putting themselves in the power of Kriemhild, whose\nvengeance never slept. But the princes refused to abide by his counsel,\nand Giselher, who of all the brothers was best loved by Kriemhild,\nexclaimed:\n\n\u201cThou art the guilty one, not we! An thou dost tremble for thy life,\nbide here; but as for us, our wish is that we ride thither without\ndelay.\u201d\n\nThen Hagen urged no more, but made ready to accompany them, since shame\nit were for him to stay behind. Yet he warned G\u00fcnther as a safeguard\nto take with him a thousand of the stoutest champions in the land; and\nthis he did, leaving Hagen to choose them. And when all were fully\narmed and ready, they set out on their fateful journey to the land of\nthe Huns.\n\n\n\n\n_Chapter XXI_\n\n_The Swan-Maidens_\n\n\nToward the Main they took their way, Hagen leading, for well he knew\nthe ground. Proudly they rode, a thousand gallant knights, and behind\nthem came full nine thousand stout retainers. On the twelfth morning\nthey came to the Danube and found the river far and near had overflowed\nits banks; whereat Hagen\u2019s brow grew dark, but G\u00fcnther bade him seek\nsome means of crossing.\n\n\u201cForsooth,\u201d said he, \u201cI care as little as another to meet death within\nyon waves, for many a Hun I trust shall yet by my hand breathe his\nlast!\u201d Therewith he rode on before to seek a boatman. Well was he\narmed, with his stout shield and helm and hauberk of polished steel\nand his heavy two-edged sword buckled to his mail. As he drew near\nthe stream he heard the splashing of water, and looking about saw two\nnymphs disporting themselves therein, their golden hair floating far\nbehind them, while on the green bank lay their wondrous swan-garments.\nHagen stooped quickly and snatched them up, whereupon Hadburg, one of\nthe nymphs (mermaidens), called to him:\n\n  \u201cSir Hagen bold, so thou return\n    Our raiment on the spot,\n  We\u2019ll tell thee of thy journey\u2019s end,\n    And what will be thy lot!\u201d\n\nThis was much to Hagen\u2019s mind, and he agreed thereto. Then the\nswan-maiden said:\n\n  \u201cWith ample safety ye may ride\n    Into King Etzel\u2019s land:\n  I pledge on this my truth and troth,\n    And therewithal my hand,\n\n  \u201cThat never noble king\u2019s array\n    Did win in foreign State,\n  Such honor and such lofty fame,\n    Believe--such is your fate.\u201d\n\nOverjoyed at these words, Hagen restored to the nymphs their strange\ngarments; and no sooner had they donned them than straightway they\nbecame white swans.\n\n  Then spake the other water-nymph,\n    This one Sieglind\u2019s hight:\n  \u201cI warn thee, Hagen Tronege,\n    Sir Adrian\u2019s son of might,\n\n  \u201cThat to obtain the clothes, my aunt\n    Has said what is not true:\n  For shouldst thou journey to the Huns,\n    That journey thou shalt rue.\n\n  \u201cTurn back again, ye heroes,\n    There yet is time, I ween;\n  For ye to this high festival,\n    Have only bidden been\n\n  \u201cThat ye should thereby perish,\n    In royal Etzel\u2019s land;\n  And all who thither ride,\n    To death extend the hand!\u201d\n\nThen Hagen, seized with fury, cried: \u201cNow, by my faith, thou liest\nin thy speech! No cause is it for all to die that one among us hath\nincurred deep hate.\u201d\n\n  Again the nymph in sorrow spoke:\n    \u201cYet fate hath so declared,\n  Of all your gallant company\n    Shall only one be spared--\n\n  \u201cAnd he, the chaplain of the King,\n    As we full well do know,\n  He only, home returning, to\n    King G\u00fcnther\u2019s land shall go.\u201d\n\nThen would Hagen hear no more, but asked if there was no ferryman at\nhand. She told him the ferryman\u2019s house was on the other bank of the\nDanube, and warned him to be on his guard with the man and speak him\nfair, or evil might come of it, for he was of wrathful temper and a\nstout liegeman of the prince to whom the land on that side of the river\nbelonged.\n\nAt this Hagen looked scornfully and rode away, but again the\nSwan-maidens called to him, and bade him call himself Amelrich, for\nthat name would surely bring the boatman. Therewith they arose in the\nair in their swan-garments and soon had vanished from sight. When Hagen\nspied the house across the stream he gave a mighty shout which brought\nthe ferryman to the door. Hanging a heavy gold clasp upon the point of\nhis sword, Hagen held it aloft so that it gleamed in the sunlight, and\noffered it to him, at the same time calling himself Amelrich, whereupon\nthe doughty boatman seized the oars and rowed his boat across the\nriver. No sooner had it touched the bank than Hagen sprang quickly into\nit, but the man shouted furiously:\n\n\u201cNow hast thou lied to me! Thou art not my brother Amelrich, so on this\nside mayst thou bide, forsooth!\u201d\n\nHagen\u2019s brow darkened, yet still he sought to speak him fair. \u201cI am a\nstranger here,\u201d he said, \u201cand with me ride a thousand knights and many\nfollowers besides. We would fain go on our way, wherefore take this\ngold and ferry us across the stream.\u201d\n\n\u201cMy lord hath many enemies,\u201d replied the ferryman, \u201cand ill were it\nfor me to fetch armed strangers to his lands. Nay, get thee hence, Sir\nKnight!\u201d\n\nStill Hagen would not stir; whereupon the ferryman, swinging his oar\naloft, smote him so mightily that he fell upon his knee. Quickly the\nhero sprang to his feet, only to receive a second blow on his helm,\nwhich split the oar with a loud crash. Thereupon Hagen grew mad with\nrage and drawing his sword he struck off the boatman\u2019s head. Down it\nfell into the river and after it he cast the body.\n\nMeanwhile the current had caught the boat and borne it down the stream.\nHagen seized the second oar and sought therewith to turn it back, but\nthe current was strong and so powerful were his strokes that the oar\nbroke asunder. Now was he indeed in sorry plight, but cutting a thong\nfrom his shield he quickly spliced the oar and gained once more the\nmastery of the craft.\n\nSoon G\u00fcnther and his followers perceived the bold mariner coming up the\nriver and joyfully hailed him. But when he reached the bank they looked\naghast at the blood in the bottom of the boat. The King cried out:\n\n\u201cHagen, what hast thou done? Thou hast slain the ferryman.\u201d\n\nBut Hagen denied it, saying: \u201cFast to a willow tree I found the boat,\nand therein was the blood, already spilled.\u201d\n\nThen Gernot said: \u201cMethinks no farther are we like to fare, for of what\nuse is the boat without a ferryman?\u201d\n\nThereupon Hagen declared he would ferry them across himself. Bidding\nthe princes enter the boat and with them as many knights as it would\nhold, he soon had landed them upon the farther bank; and thus going\nback and forth, he brought all safely over. The horses were driven\ninto the water, and when they saw their masters on the other side and\nheard their voices, they gallantly swam the stream. Neighing for joy\nthey climbed the bank, shook the water from their sides and galloped to\ntheir masters, who greeted them with kindly words. Nor were any lost,\nthough many were carried far down the stream.\n\nWhile Hagen was ferrying the men across, his eye fell upon the King\u2019s\nchaplain, and bethinking him of the Swan-maiden\u2019s word that he alone\nof them all was to return to Burgundy, he resolved to bring to naught\nthis part of the prophecy at least. Seizing the priest, he dragged\nhim to the side of the boat and, despite his cries, cast him into the\nrushing flood. Loudly did the knights protest against this misdeed, but\nnone dared openly to resist the fierce champion. Soon the priest rose\nto the surface and clung to the side of the boat, but Hagen with the\noar thrust him off, deep under the water; whereupon, not being able to\nswim, he gave himself up for lost. But the swift current bore him once\nmore to land, and then, thanking God for his escape, he fled and made\nhis way back to the Rhine.\n\nIt was plain to Hagen that all must come to pass as the Swan-maidens\nhad foretold, and when the last man had reached the shore, he seized\nthe heavy iron-tipped oar and smote the bow of the boat so that it\nbroke asunder and presently sank. With wonder and dismay the knights\nbeheld this deed of Hagen\u2019s, and one ventured to ask him wherefore he\nhad destroyed the boat that might have served them to cross the stream\non their return. Within himself he thought, as we all are doomed to\ndeath no more need have we for boats; but to them he made answer,\nsaying:\n\n\u201cShould any among us be so faint-hearted as to seek to return, he shall\nfind no means thereto, but meet his end ignobly in the waves!\u201d\n\nBut none was pleased with this save Volker, a stanch friend of Hagen\u2019s.\nNo stouter or more valiant knight was there in all the band than he,\nand to Hagen he clove most loyally, swearing to abide by him to the\nend, whatever might betide.\n\n\n\n\n_Chapter XXII_\n\n_Kriemhild\u2019s Welcome_\n\n\nAfter G\u00fcnther and his knights had ridden on again for a space, Hagen\nmade known to them the dark prophecy of the Swan-maidens. Quickly the\nnews spread throughout the host, and many a heart sank, and many a\ncheek grew pale thereat; yet retreat was no longer possible, for the\nboat was gone.\n\nSoon they came to the lands of R\u00fcdiger, the margrave, who in former\ndays had wooed Kriemhild for King Etzel. Right gladly were they\nwelcomed by that brave and hospitable knight, and they spent three days\nat his castle in feasting and good cheer. At that time R\u00fcdiger\u2019s fair\ndaughter won the heart of Giselher, and her parents willingly gave\ntheir consent to the betrothal, promising that the marriage should be\ncelebrated on the return of the Burgundians. Alas! that never was to be.\n\nBut now no longer might they tarry, for already messengers had been\nsent to Etzel to warn him of their approach, and on the fourth morning\nthey took their leave. R\u00fcdiger bestowed rich gifts upon the princes\nand their kinsmen, and himself rode with them to the royal castle,\nEtzelburg, the shining towers whereof soon rose before them. It chanced\nthat Dietrich, the Prince of Bern, who aforetime had slain the mighty\nEcke, was then at Etzel\u2019s court with the ancient Hildebrand; and\nfearing some evil to the Burgundians, they rode forth to meet them on\ntheir way. Hagen knew the two knights from afar and said to G\u00fcnther:\n\n\u201cYonder come Sir Dietrich and Hildebrand; let us dismount and go\non foot to meet them!\u201d Whereupon all the knights also dismounted.\nDietrich and Hildebrand did the same, and the heroes exchanged friendly\ngreetings. Then Dietrich told them of his fears, warning them that\nKriemhild\u2019s grief for Siegfried had known no change.\n\n\u201c\u2019Tis of small avail to weep for Siegfried,\u201d said Hagen, insolently,\n\u201csince dead he is and dead will he remain, for all her tears.\u201d\n\n\u201cAy, that indeed!\u201d replied Dietrich, with a stern glance at Hagen, \u201cand\npity is it, God wot, that King Siegfried lives no more. But Kriemhild\u2019s\nvengeance still doth live; and thereby, much I fear me, evil is in\nstore for you.\u201d\n\nG\u00fcnther started; yet, seeking to allay his fears, he asked: \u201cAre we not\nhere by Etzel\u2019s own request? Surely your King would not deal falsely\nby his guests; and Kriemhild long since made peace with us.\u201d\n\nBut Hagen, wishing to know all the truth, urged Dietrich to speak\nfreely. Whereupon he, taking G\u00fcnther apart, told him how Kriemhild\neach morning bewailed the untimely death of Siegfried, with tears and\nprayers to God for vengeance.\n\nThen out-spoke the bold and jovial Volker: \u201cNow, in good sooth, my\nlords, we must endure those evils that we cannot cure with what grace\nwe can. Let us not dampen our courage with fears for what the future\nmay bring forth!\u201d And therewith they resumed their journey.\n\nWhen they came to the castle, the gates were flung open and the Huns\npoured forth in crowds to gaze at the Burgundian heroes with all\ntheir glittering train. Many eyes sought Hagen, for well was he known\nin the land of the Huns as the slayer of Siegfried the mighty; and\nall were struck with wonder at his massive frame no less than his\nhaughty bearing and fierce aspect. Broad were his chest and shoulders,\nhis black hair slightly tinged with gray, while his bold gaze roved\nrestlessly about from beneath his shaggy eyebrows.\n\nKing Etzel, with Kriemhild, stood at the window as the Burgundians on\ntheir gayly decked steeds rode into the spacious courtyard. When his\neye fell upon Hagen he turned to his courtiers, demanding: \u201cWho may\nyon haughty chieftain be?\u201d\n\n\u201c\u2019Tis Hagen, son to old Sir Adrian, a bold and wrathful knight, my\nlord,\u201d said one.\n\n\u201cHa!\u201d cried the King, \u201c\u2019tis little strange I did not know him; for\nthough he once was here at court, yet then forsooth, was he but a\ncareless stripling.\u201d\n\nThe stranger knights were housed within the castle as became their\nrank, but for the retainers lodging was prepared in other quarters far\nremoved therefrom. This Kriemhild had planned for her own purposes. Now\nshe went forth to welcome her kinsmen. Giselher, who was guiltless of\nSiegfried\u2019s death, she kissed and embraced fondly, but none other did\nshe greet in this fashion. When Hagen marked this, he tightened the\nband of his helm and cast a meaning glance at G\u00fcnther. After she had\ngreeted all, she turned to Hagen, saying:\n\n\u201cWelcome art thou to one who gladly sees thee here. Yet tell me, I pray\nthee, what hast thou brought me from the Rhine?\u201d\n\n\u201cNow, by my faith,\u201d quoth Hagen, \u201cthou art rich in gold and power, and\nyet dost ask what largess I bring!\u201d\n\n\u201cI desire no gifts of thee,\u201d said Kriemhild, coldly. \u201cI want that which\nis my own. Where is the treasure that thou didst withhold from me?\u201d\n\n\u201cIn sooth, most potent Queen,\u201d cried Hagen, \u201c\u2019tis many a day since I\nhave seen the hoard. Wouldst thou know the spot where it is hidden?\nFull deep beneath the broad Rhine was it sunk, and there shall it abide\nuntil the Judgment Day!\u201d\n\n\u201cI knew full well thou wouldst not bring it hither,\u201d continued\nKriemhild; \u201cand for it I will hold thee to account; as also for the\nmurder of my noble lord!\u201d\n\nWith a scornful look, Hagen replied: \u201cNow by my faith, this buckler\nbroad, and my coat of mail and two-edged sword beside, are weight\nenough to carry. In sooth, I nothing else have brought.\u201d\n\nThereupon Kriemhild declared that no weapons might be worn within\nthe royal hall; but if he would entrust his arms to the care of her\nretainers, she would see to it that they were well guarded.\n\n\u201cGramercy!\u201d cried Hagen, \u201cit were an honor far too great--for a Queen\nto serve as armorer. It must not be. Thou hast my thanks, fair dame;\nbut for my arms, methinks they best were guarded by myself.\u201d\n\n\u201cAh! now I see,\u201d said Kriemhild, angrily, \u201cit must be thou hast had\nwarning to doubt my faith. Would I but knew who spake such words to\nthee!\u201d\n\nWhereupon Dietrich of Bern stepped proudly forth and said, \u201c\u2019Twas I, O\nQueen, who warned thy kin, and I do not shame to own it.\u201d\n\nAt this Kriemhild grew red with shame and anger, and turned away\nwithout a word, but cast upon her enemy, as she went, a swift glance of\ndeadly hatred.\n\n\n\n\n_Chapter XXIII_\n\n_The Comrades_\n\n\nHagen, seeing Volker not far away, called to him, and together they\ncrossed the courtyard and seated themselves upon a stone bench which\nfaced the Queen\u2019s palace hall. Many wondering glances followed the two\nmighty Burgundian heroes, and soon Kriemhild from her window beheld her\nfoe. Whereupon a passion of grief and rage seized her, and she broke\ninto such bitter weeping that one of her knights drew near and said:\n\n\u201cMost gracious Queen, make known to us what wrong doth grieve thee so,\nfor fain would we avenge it.\u201d\n\n\u201cNow, on my faith, thou speakest in good time, Sir Knight; for whoso\ndoth avenge this wrong of mine shall thereby earn my lifelong thanks,\nand well will I reward him.\u201d Then pointing to Hagen, she cried: \u201c\u2019Tis\nvengeance on yon chief I seek. Most basely did he slay my lord, and for\nthat would I have his life!\u201d\n\nQuickly arming themselves, sixty stout warriors declared that Hagen\nand Volker should die forthwith; but Kriemhild restrained them, saying:\n\u201cToo few are ye to cope with yonder pair. Little ye reck of Hagen\u2019s\nmighty strength, though somewhat thereof doth his look bespeak. And\nVolker is yet mightier.\u201d\n\nWhen the Huns heard this they hastened to summon more heroes to their\naid, and Kriemhild said to them: \u201cBide ye here a space, my gallant\nfriends, whilst I place the crown upon my head. I will confront my foe\nas Queen of Huns and tax him with his crime, that you may hear from his\nown lips \u2019twas he that did the deed.\u201d\n\nWhen Volker saw the Queen descending the broad stairs followed by a\nband of heavily armed knights, he said to Hagen: \u201cWhy doth the Queen\napproach with such a train? Methinks they come with no good intent.\u201d\n\n\u201cTruly \u2019tis with some purpose,\u201d replied Hagen. \u201cYet were there none\nsave these in the land of the Huns to bar my way, then should I well,\nin truth, ride safely home again! But tell me, Volker, since we may\ncome to blows, wilt thou faithfully abide by me, as I will pledge my\nloyal service unto thee?\u201d\n\n\u201cBy the mass, I will!\u201d cried Volker, and therewith gave his strong\nright hand to Hagen. \u201cAye, though the King and all his host should\ncome against us, yet would I stand beside thee, nor budge an inch as\nlong as breath remained.\u201d\n\n\u201cGod prosper thee for such knightly words!\u201d said Hagen. \u201cNow let them\ncome! With Volker fighting by my side, why should I fear?\u201d\n\nAs the long train moved slowly across the courtyard, Volker said: \u201cWere\nit not well to rise and greet the Queen? \u2019Tis but the custom of the\ncourt.\u201d\n\nBut Hagen answered wrathfully: \u201cWouldst thou then that I show courtesy\nto one I hate? Nay, as for that, forsooth, the Huns would think \u2019twas\nfear that urged me to it. Keep thy seat, an thou dost love me, Volker.\u201d\n\nHereupon Hagen, with intent to wound the Queen in cruel fashion, lifted\nthe great sword, Balmung, which he had borne since Siegfried\u2019s death,\nand laid it across his knees, where Kriemhild\u2019s gaze must straightway\nfall upon it. Upon the hilt there blazed a jewel, green as grass, the\nsheath was crimson, and the handle all of ruddy gold.\n\nKriemhild stood before him; and when she saw the sword that her beloved\nspouse so long had borne, hot tears of anguish overflowed her eyes.\nWhereat a gleam of savage joy passed over Hagen\u2019s face; but Volker drew\nhis sword nearer to him on the bench, and both heroes sat undaunted\nbefore the Queen and all her men. Then Kriemhild demanded haughtily\nof Hagen how he had dared come thither, knowing what he had done, and\nfurthermore, who had sought his presence.\n\nWhereto Hagen replied: \u201cNone, O Queen, did summon me; yet since my\nmaster was bidden by thy lord, I also am come as a true liegeman.\u201d\n\nHereupon Kriemhild taxed him openly with the foul deed he had done upon\nher lord; and Hagen turned upon her fiercely, crying: \u201cWhat need have\nwe to speak of that? Truly \u2019twas I that slew your Siegfried, nor do I\nfear to own it. I am here, and any one who pleaseth may seek vengeance\non me!\u201d\n\n\u201cNow you have heard!\u201d cried Kriemhild to her Hunnish knights. \u201cHe hath\nconfessed the deed that wrought me such deep woe. Deal with him as doth\nbest befit; nor will I question aught thereof.\u201d\n\nBut as the Huns gazed upon the two mighty champions and listened to\nHagen\u2019s fierce words, they lost heart, and none would venture to attack\nthem. They looked at one another, and one said: \u201c\u2019Twere but certain\ndeath to assault these two!\u201d\n\n\u201cThou speakest truly,\u201d added a second, \u201cnot for whole castles of ruddy\ngold would I encounter Hagen! As for the other--his fiery glances bent\nupon us are enough. I would not care to meet the greetings of his\nsword.\u201d\n\nA third said: \u201cI know Sir Hagen of old; in two and twenty battles I\nhave seen him fight, and many a mother\u2019s son in warfare he hath slain.\nThen he was but a youth, while now he is to stalwart manhood grown, and\nhis frame doth appear as if wrought of iron.\u201d\n\n\u201cNaught for his valor would I care,\u201d cried yet another; \u201cdid he not\nbear Siegfried\u2019s sword, and where keen Balmung once doth strike, a life\nis ended.\u201d\n\nThus argued the Huns amongst themselves, none daring to provoke the\nconflict; whereupon Kriemhild in bitter anger and chagrin departed, to\ndevise some other plan, while her warriors slowly dispersed.\n\n\u201cTruly,\u201d said Volker, \u201cit is even as thou sayest, friend Hagen: the\nQueen thirsts for vengeance. Let us to our King, lest he should need us\nby his side.\u201d\n\nTherewith they arose and strode fearlessly through the midst of their\nfoes to the outer courtyard, where they found the Burgundian princes\nwith their knights about to proceed in stately procession to the palace\nhall to greet the King. Dietrich of Bern walked with G\u00fcnther, R\u00fcdiger\nwith Giselher, while Hagen and Volker followed on behind; nor from\nthis time were these two comrades ever seen apart. As they entered the\nhall, King Etzel rose from his golden throne and advanced to meet\nthem with gracious words of welcome. Nor was there aught of guile or\nfalsehood in his soul. With no thought of what was in the heart of his\nwife or wherefore her kinsmen had been summoned, he rejoiced to see so\nmany noble guests and heroes of renown assembled at his court. Leading\nthem to the festal board, he caused wine and mead to be poured for them\nin golden cups and right joyously they passed the hours till evening\ncame.\n\n\n\n\n_Chapter XXIV_\n\n_The Minstrel Knight_\n\n\nLow burned the tapers in the royal hall, and as the midnight hour drew\nnigh, anxious thoughts arose in the minds of the Burgundians. They\nlonged for morning light to dawn. At last G\u00fcnther prayed the King that\nthey might be permitted to seek their rest; whereupon Etzel gave orders\nthat they should be shown to their lodgings, and with hearty good-will\nwished them sound slumbers. As they followed the torch-bearers, the\nHuns came crowding about them so closely that their way was stopped,\nbut Volker drew his sword and sprang forward, shouting: \u201cGive place!\nor, by the mass, I\u2019ll strike!\u201d and Hagen added: \u201cBe warned in time,\nye knights of Kriemhild! If you would have aught with us, come with\nmorning\u2019s light and you shall find us ready!\u201d\n\nThereupon the Huns fell back, and the Burgundians were shown into a\nwide vaulted hall where ample provisions for their comfort had been\nmade. The beds were decked with gorgeous hangings of Arabian silk,\ntapestries from Arras, and coverlets of ermine and rich sable. Yet\nall this splendor could not avail to banish the dark forebodings that\nblack as night had settled upon the hearts of the Burgundians. To the\nyouthful imagination of Giselher indeed, the sumptuously decked hall\nseemed to bear the semblance of a tomb, and he cried aloud: \u201cOh, woe\nto this hostelry, and woe to the Burgundians, that ever they came to\nKriemhild\u2019s court!\u201d\n\nWhereupon a deep voice answered: \u201cDismiss thy fears, Lord Giselher, for\nI will answer for thy safe repose until the morn.\u201d\n\nIt was Hagen who spoke, and such cheer did his words bring that all\nlaid them down in peace forthwith to seek their much needed repose. But\nVolker strode to Hagen\u2019s side, saying: \u201cAn thou so wilt, I\u2019ll keep the\nwatch with thee!\u201d\n\n\u201cGod will reward thy loyalty, my gallant friend!\u201d replied Hagen. \u201cI\nneed no help forsooth, yet with thee by my side I could ask naught\nfurther. Nor shalt thou fail of thanks one day, if my life be spared.\u201d\n\n[Illustration: _THE Minstrel and Hagen_]\n\nThen donning their heaviest armor they took their place on the stone\nstairway without, to guard the door. Now, Volker the bold was well\nskilled in the minstrel art; not only was he master of sword-play, but\nalso of the sweet-toned viol, from which he was never parted. Fetching\nit now, he seated himself in the arched doorway and began to play.\nAs the wondrous melodies floated on the air, all the joys and sorrows\nof their past lives seemed to fill once more the hearts of the sleeping\nheroes. Soft and low, like the rustling of leaves in the evening\nbreeze, the last notes died away, and all was still.\n\nThen Volker exchanged the viol for the shield, and the bow for the\nsword of battle. Motionless the two knights stood on either side of the\nhigh arched doorway, like giant figures cast in bronze. Full dark was\nit, for few stars crept through the cloudy veil which night had cast\nlike a pall about the weary strangers. Not long after midnight Volker\nspied the gleam of armor in the distance, and looking more closely, his\nsharp eyes soon discovered some of Kriemhild\u2019s knights lurking in the\ndarkness. Kriemhild had sent them thither with orders to slay Hagen,\nbut spare the other.\n\nVolker pointed them out to his comrade, who whispered: \u201cBe silent now\nand let them approach. Perchance they will not mark our presence here\nin the dark shadow. When once they are within our reach, we will smite\ntheir helms as they come up the stair, and send them back to Kriemhild\nin sorry plight.\u201d\n\nBut when the Hunnish knights had advanced a few steps they perceived\nthe two watchers in the doorway, whereupon one said: \u201cNow must we\nforego our purpose. Look, yonder stands the minstrel! His burnished\nhelm gleams with vivid light, and sparks of living flame shoot from his\nmail. Hagen stands beside him to guard the door. Now of a truth those\nknights may safely rest for aught of me!\u201d Therewith they stole softly\naway. Then Volker said: \u201cWhat thinkest thou, Hagen? Shall I not after\nthem? Gladly would I play a brief tune upon them with my sword-bow!\u201d\n\n\u201cAn thou lov\u2019st me, do not so!\u201d rejoined Hagen quickly. \u201cWert thou sore\npressed, then must I hasten to thy aid and leave the door unguarded.\u201d\n\nBut Volker persisted: \u201cThey shall know that we have marked their base\nintent, and so perchance be brought to shame.\u201d Therewith he shouted\nscornfully: \u201cWherefore so fully armed at dead of night, O Kriemhild\u2019s\nknights? Is it on highway robbery you are bent?\u201d\n\nBut the Huns made no answer; whereupon he cried again in wrath: \u201cFie\nupon you, dastard, craven crew, who sought to murder sleeping men! Lay\ndown those swords from hands no longer fit to bear them!\u201d\n\nThus once again was Kriemhild\u2019s purpose brought to naught, and she was\nforced to devise other measures to gain her ends.\n\n\n\n\n_Chapter XXV_\n\n_The Burgundians go to Mass_\n\n\nSo the night passed, nor did the Huns again show themselves. \u201cMy\narmor grows chilly,\u201d said Volker, at last, \u201cmethinks the fresh breeze\nbetokens day is near.\u201d And the two sentinels went within to awaken the\nsleepers.\n\nSoon thereafter the beams of the rising sun shone into the hall, the\nbell for matins sounded, and Hagen summoned the Burgundians to go to\nmass. The knights were about to array themselves in festival attire,\nbut he bade them don their armor instead, change their silk garments\nfor hauberks, rich mantles for shields, and jewelled caps for good\nsteel helms; for strife would surely come ere set of sun and they must\nbe prepared.\n\n  \u201cNow go ye to the minster church,\n    Your sins there to confess;\n  And pray to God right earnestly,\n    For aid in our distress.\n  For of a surety I do say,\n    Ye heroes without fear,\n  Unless the God above will save,\n    No masses more ye\u2019ll hear.\u201d\n\nSo it was that clad in full armor the Burgundians took their way in\nprocession to the minster. When they were come to the churchyard,\nHagen said: \u201cHearken to my counsel, knights and princes! We must be\never on our guard against the Huns, wherefore it were well to keep\nin close array. Place your shields before you, and should any chance\nto offer evil greeting, see that his death stroke be your thanks. If\nour courage fail not, our knightly honor shall yet remain unstained,\nthough all beside be lost!\u201d Thus man to man they stood, while Hagen and\nVolker advanced to the church door that they might thence keep watch of\nKriemhild and her men.\n\nSoon came Etzel in all the splendor of his royal robes, his beauteous\nwife Kriemhild at his side, followed by a glittering train of knights,\nand not a little surprised was he to behold the Burgundians armed from\nhead to heel. Still unaware of the dark storm-clouds hourly gathering\nthicker and heavier above the heads of his guests, he was troubled\nat this sight, for it seemed that they misdoubted his good faith;\nwherefore, seeing Hagen, he sought to learn from him the cause thereof.\n\n\u201cHave any dealt you ill?\u201d he asked; \u201cif so, then dearly shall they rue\nit!\u201d\n\nNow was Kriemhild stricken with terror lest Hagen should betray her to\nthe King; but far too proud was the hero to seek help from Etzel and\nthereby own he lacked the courage to defend himself. So he replied:\n\u201cNaught has befallen us, O King. \u2019Tis but a custom we of Burgundy have,\nto go full-armed for three days during every feast.\u201d\n\nNor yet did Kriemhild reveal the truth to Etzel, fearing he would\nforbid her vengeful purpose, and thus her mortal enemy would once more\nescape her. So they passed on, and behind them came Kriemhild\u2019s knights\nin spreading ranks. Neither Hagen nor Volker would stir a handbreadth\nfrom the path, and thereby ensued great crowding and jostling. The Huns\nwould fain have provoked a conflict, but they feared the King\u2019s wrath;\nand presently all had passed into the church, the Burgundians following\nlast of all.\n\n\n\n\n_Chapter XXVI_\n\n_The Feast_\n\n\nAt midday all were summoned to the royal feast, and the Huns likewise\nappeared in full armor, whereat King Etzel\u2019s wrath arose. Whosoever\ndeemed it fit to sit at feast in arms, him should he not gainsay, he\nsaid, but woe unto any who should hold designs against his guests!\nDuring the feast Kriemhild left the hall and summoning the prince of\nBern and his lion-hearted old warrior, Hildebrand, to her, spoke with\nthem privately. Bitterly she complained of all her wrongs and besought\nthem to avenge her. But Hildebrand said: \u201cNo evil would I do the\nknights of Burgundy for all the gold that one could offer me!\u201d\n\nAnd Dietrich added: \u201cKing G\u00fcnther\u2019s kin never wronged or injured me;\nwherefore my dishonor were great did I now seek to stir up strife with\nthem.\u201d\n\nTherewith they returned to the hall, and Kriemhild sent for Bl\u00f6delin,\nthe brother of the King, and with passionate words urged him to\nvengeance against the traitor who had done her such foul wrong; but as\nEtzel had made it plain that he held the Burgundians as his friends,\nBl\u00f6delin feared to incur his wrath. Thereupon Kriemhild promised him\nmuch silver and gold and likewise the hand of a fair dame, the widow of\nSir Nudung, for whom he long had sighed, and when she added thereto the\ngift of rich lands, at last he yielded and swore to do her will in all\nthings.\n\n\u201cNow, by my faith, that false Hagen shall pay for all thy wrongs!\u201d he\ncried, \u201cnor will I rest till I have brought him to thy feet!\u201d\n\nJoyfully Kriemhild returned to the hall and seated herself once more\nbeside her lord. But Bl\u00f6delin went forthwith to his followers and bade\nthem arm, which they did right willingly, for secretly they hated the\nBurgundians. Kriemhild in her vengeful fury had bethought her of yet\nanother plan, and this was to cause her son Ortlieb to be brought to\nher.\n\n\u201cSurely,\u201d she thought, \u201cwill Hagen say evil words about the child\nto excite my wrath and thus affront my husband and his Hunnish kin,\nwhereby strife will ensue.\u201d Accordingly, four of Etzel\u2019s knights were\ndespatched to fetch the young prince thither, whereat the King was\ngreatly pleased. Taking the boy by the hand, he said:\n\n\u201cMy friends, behold my only son! I commend him to your affection.\nShould he grow to be like his kin, I shall have in him a bold and\nstalwart hero, worthy in truth to wear my crown and fill his high\nestate; for many a duke and king will one day do him homage. Take\nhim with you, I pray, unto your court, that he may gain all knightly\nvirtues there in return for which will I give you hearty thanks!\u201d\n\nHagen replied: \u201cIf he lives to grow to man\u2019s estate, full many an\nhonor well may be his; but as to that, methinks I see an early death\nimprinted on his brow!\u201d\n\nAt these words terror seized the Burgundians, who gladly would have had\nthem left unsaid, but Etzel gazed before him with a troubled look, and\nspoke no word. Little did he surmise the frightful thought in Hagen\u2019s\nmind.\n\n\n\n\n_Chapter XXVII_\n\n_Bl\u00f6delin and Dankwart_\n\n\nNow, the charge of the Burgundian following had been given to Dankwart,\nthe brother of Hagen, the same who in former days had journeyed\nto Iceland for the wooing of Brunhild; and Bl\u00f6delin\u2019s plan was to\noverpower them first, and then attack the princes and their knights.\nAccordingly he sought that remote part of the castle wherein they had\nbeen lodged, and asked for Dankwart. He was shown into a hall where\nthat hero with all his men was seated at the board, and from the window\nof which he had marked the approach of the band of armed Huns. Greeting\nBl\u00f6delin with fair words, he asked what brought him thither. \u201cNay,\nspare thy greetings,\u201d said Bl\u00f6delin, coldly, \u201cI come not in peace,\nSir Knight, but in good sooth to hold thee to account for thy brother\nHagen\u2019s murder of the noble Siegfried.\u201d\n\n\u201cBy my faith,\u201d said Dankwart, \u201cthen would thy vengeance overtake the\nguiltless, since I, as it chanced, did abide at the royal court when\nSiegfried met his death beside the spring.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat thou hast done concerns me naught,\u201d replied Bl\u00f6delin, \u201cit is\nenough that \u2019twas thy kinsman did the deed; and therefore must thou\ndie!\u201d\n\n\u201cGramercy!\u201d quoth Dankwart, \u201cmethinks \u2019twere well I had spared my\nwords\u201d; and springing from his seat he swung his sword aloft and at one\nblow swept Bl\u00f6delin\u2019s head from his shoulders, shouting: \u201cBe this my\nmarriage gift unto thy bride!\u201d For he had learned from a friendly Hun\nof Kriemhild\u2019s promise to Bl\u00f6delin.\n\nWhen the Huns saw their leader fall they burst into the hall with howls\nof vengeance. Dankwart shouted to his men to defend themselves to the\ndeath and therewith began a terrible conflict. Those of the Burgundians\nwho had no swords made weapons of whatever came to hand, but the\ngreater part were well armed, and so fiercely did they fight that soon\nthe Huns were driven from the hall leaving more than a hundred of their\ndead upon the floor and in the passage. But anon came fresh bands of\narmed Huns, gathering from all quarters and in such numbers, that their\nonslaught could not long be withstood. Bravely as they fought, the\nBurgundians at last were all slain save Dankwart. Alone he stood and\nshouted: \u201cBehold, ye Huns! of all my men I only am yet alive! If you\nare true knights, yield me passage to the open air, that I may once\nmore cool my brow before I fall.\u201d But the Huns would not give way for\nhim; whereupon Dankwart laid about him so fiercely that soon he made\nhis way to the door and succeeded in gaining the courtyard.\n\n\u201cNow would to God,\u201d he cried, cleaving a pathway before him step by\nstep, \u201csome messenger were near to warn my brother Hagen of my need!\u201d\n\nWhereon the Huns shouted: \u201cThou thyself shalt be the messenger when we\nshall fetch thee dead into the royal hall! Then shall Etzel learn that\nthou hast slain his brother Bl\u00f6delin and with him his liegemen!\u201d\n\nBut Dankwart scorned their threats. \u201cBy the mass, I\u2019ll bear the news\nmyself while yet I live!\u201d he cried; \u201cI\u2019ll stain many a Hunnish helm\nwith gore!\u201d So furiously did he spring upon his foes that they fell\nback before him and no longer dared meet him at sword\u2019s length, but\nhurled their javelins at him from afar. His shield was soon so thickly\npierced with spears that he could not bear the weight thereof, and\nso cast it off. Then they ventured again to approach; but he smote\nso fiercely and truly that none who came against him returned. Ever\nnearer and nearer he made his way to the royal hall. At last, weary and\nbreathless, the hero reached the palace. The terrified servants let\nfall the cups and dishes that they bore, and would have hastened to the\nhall to tell the tale. But Dankwart cried: \u201cStay, varlets! your task\nis but to carry wine and food unto the feast! I will bear the news unto\nthe King!\u201d Some among them sought to bar his passage, but again his\ngood sword marked a path. Springing up the stairs, of a sudden the hero\nappeared in the doorway of the vast hall where the Burgundians ate at\ntable with the Huns.\n\nJust at this moment it was that Hagen said the young prince bore the\nmarks of an early death.\n\n\n\n\n_Chapter XXVIII_\n\n_The Strife in the Hall_\n\n\n  Loud rang bold Dankwart\u2019s lusty tones\n    Throughout the lofty hall:\n  \u201cMy brother Hagen sits too long\n    In peace and ease withal!\n  To thee and to our God above,\n    I tell my tale of pain:\n  My knights and all our followers\n    Have been at quarters slain!\u201d\n\nWith one accord the knights sprang to their feet, their swords flashing\naloft, and Hagen cried fiercely: \u201cBy Heaven! who hath done this\nslaughter?\u201d\n\n\u201cSir Bl\u00f6delin and his men,\u201d answered Dankwart; \u201cyet dearly hath he paid\ntherefor; with mine own hand I slew him.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt was more honor than he merited, thus to meet his death by a hero\u2019s\nhand.\u201d\n\nNow was Hagen\u2019s resolution taken, and he shouted: \u201cDo thou, Dankwart,\nguard the door, nor suffer any Hun to leave the hall, while I hold a\nreckoning with these.\u201d\n\nThen springing to Kriemhild\u2019s side, he cried: \u201cNow let us drink to\nSiegfried\u2019s repose! For that, we need the King\u2019s own wine!\u201d Therewith\nhe struck off the head of the little prince. Then lifting Balmung with\nboth hands, he slew the attendant of the prince, and a third stroke\nsevered the right hand of the minstrel Werbel, who had borne King\nEtzel\u2019s message to the Burgundians. Volker sprang to his side, and\nthere began among the Hunnish knights \u201ca slaughter grim and great.\u201d\n\nKing G\u00fcnther and his brothers sought at first to check the strife, but\nall in vain. Then they too were seized with the fury of battle, and\nsoon all the Burgundians had joined the fray.\n\nMeanwhile the Huns had drawn their swords and were bravely striving to\ndefend themselves. Everywhere through the hall rose the clash of arms,\nand hoarse battle-cries re\u00ebchoed from the roof. From without more Huns\nhurled themselves against the door, eager to aid their comrades within;\nand Dankwart, hard pressed, was fain to cry to Hagen for aid. Whereupon\nthat hero shouted in a voice of thunder: \u201cFriend Volker, haste thee to\nmy brother\u2019s side, or we surely must lose a mighty champion!\u201d\n\nGladly sprang Volker to the door; and now so fiercely did they ply\ntheir blades that no man lived to pass within or out.\n\n  Joyous above the battle din\n    The minstrel\u2019s shout rang clear;\n  \u201cThe hall is now well closed, forsooth,\n    Good comrades, be of cheer!\n  King Etzel\u2019s door is faster made\n    By Burgund heroes twain\n  Than if a thousand bolts were shot\n    To make all entry vain!\u201d\n\nWhereat Hagen flung his shield upon his back, and again grasping\nBalmung with both hands, laid about him more furiously than before.\nFear came upon Kriemhild, for she saw that the Burgundians were\nstronger than the Huns; and turning in terror to Dietrich of Bern, who\nstood near, she besought him to aid her to escape.\n\n\u201cBut how may that be done, O Queen,\u201d replied he. \u201cSo mad with fury are\nthese heroes that even I must fight for my life.\u201d\n\nBut Kriemhild pressed him so sorely in her fear that at length Dietrich\npromised he would seek to save her; and leaping upon a table, he gave\na mighty shout. Clearly above the clash of arms it sounded like the\nblast of a battle horn. It caught King G\u00fcnther\u2019s ear, and knowing it\nfor Dietrich\u2019s voice, he commanded the strife to cease till he should\nlearn the will of the hero, who made signal with his hand that he\nwould speak. For a space there was silence while G\u00fcnther asked whether\nDietrich or any of his knights had suffered ill.\n\n\u201cLoath were I, noble knight, that such should chance,\u201d said he, \u201cfor\nsurely no cause for strife lies \u2019twixt us two.\u201d\n\nDietrich replied that no evil had befallen them; he did but seek\npermission to withdraw with all his men. This G\u00fcnther gladly granted,\nwhereupon Dietrich, taking the Queen on one arm and King Etzel on the\nother, retired from the hall, followed by his knights; but no Huns\nwere permitted to depart with them. Then R\u00fcdiger, who had welcomed the\nBurgundians so hospitably on their way thither, also sprang upon the\ntable and asked if no others might pass out. And Giselher, who was\nbetrothed to R\u00fcdiger\u2019s daughter, cried:\n\n\u201cNaught is there but peace between us, gallant R\u00fcdiger, for thou hast\never kept true faith with us and never sought to do us harm.\u201d\n\nSo R\u00fcdiger with his followers also departed from the hall in peace.\nA Hunnish knight had sought to slip out unseen behind the King, but\nVolker swiftly smote him dead upon the spot. When King Etzel was once\nmore without he stood and cried aloud in grief:\n\n  \u201cNow woe unto this peaceful feast!\n    And woe unto this day!\n  For there within is one doth rage\n    Like wild boar brought to bay.\n  This devil fierce is Volker hight\n    A minstrel knight is he.\n  Thanks be to God that by his grace\n    I now in safety be!\n  His fearful melodies ring out\n    O\u2019er all the din and strife;\n  His viol bow is crimson red;\n    Full many a hero\u2019s life\n  Doth answer to its mighty tones.\n    Howe\u2019er his wrath began,\n  Sure ne\u2019er had I so dread a guest\n    As this same minstrelman.\u201d\n\nAnd now fiercer and fiercer raged the strife. The Burgundians showed no\nmercy. When the last Hun was dead, the victors laid down their arms and\nsat them down to draw breath, while Hagen and Volker with drawn swords\nkept guard before the door.\n\n\n\n\n_Chapter XXIX_\n\n_Iring\u2019s Fight with Hagen_\n\n\nPresently Giselher spoke: \u201cNot yet, methinks, dear comrades, are our\nlabors ended, and many hours of warfare lie before us ere we shall be\novercome. But these dead Huns greatly encumber us, wherefore let us\ncast them out!\u201d Hagen smiled grimly when he heard the young prince\u2019s\nwords, for they pleased him well.\n\nThereupon they seized the dead warriors and flung them out. Etzel came\nto gaze upon the dead, and Hagen, seeing him, cried out: \u201cIt were well,\nmethinks, O King of Huns, an thou didst wield the sword and cheer thy\npeople on, for they lack somewhat of heart! Behold the work the blade\nof our ruler hath wrought on helm and shield!\u201d\n\nAt these words Etzel\u2019s brow grew red with wrath and shame, and he\ncalled for his arms; but Kriemhild cried: \u201cNay, venture not thy life,\ndear lord! Thy single arm were of small avail against yon heroes.\nRather heap thy shield with ruddy gold as a prize to those Huns who\nwill maintain the strife.\u201d But Etzel was no craven knight, and would\nhave gone to do battle with Hagen had not his lords withheld him by\nforce.\n\nThen Hagen taunted the Queen with scornful words till her wrath against\nhim rose hotter and fiercer than before, and she cried to the Huns: \u201cOn\nhim who slayeth yon knight I will bestow the King\u2019s shield piled up\nwith gold, and many a castle and fruitful field besides.\u201d\n\nBut none stirred; whereupon Volker mocked them, saying \u2019twere shame\nin them to eat the King\u2019s bread, since none had courage to do his\nwill, nor could such dastards hope to gain their lord\u2019s esteem, but\nmust hold themselves disgraced as knights forsworn. The bravest of the\nHuns felt bitter shame within them at the truth of Volker\u2019s words, and\nwere roused to fresh fury; yet none dared lead the attack. But there\nchanced to be a strange knight at the court,--the Margrave Iring of\nDenmark,--and he now stepped forth, saying: \u201cI ever have been bent on\nglorious deeds, nor will I fail now to strive for such. Wherefore, Sir\nHagen, arm thyself to meet me.\u201d\n\nHagen sought to dissuade him from his purpose, but Iring replied:\n\n\u201cI have encountered great odds heretofore, and will not fail to\nmeet them now\u201d; and therewith he donned his armor. Then Irnfried of\nThuringia, a valiant youth, and stout Hawart of Denmark, made ready to\naid him with their followers.\n\nWhen Volker saw the band of armed men advancing with the three knights\nat their head, he said: \u201cNow, of a truth, friend Hagen, doth not a\nfalsehood ill become a gallant knight? I thought yon boastful Iring\nwould have dared a single combat with thee, and now behold, how well\nsupported he comes!\u201d\n\nBut Iring, hearing this, replied, \u2019twas not his wont to stain his\nknightly honor thus, and what he vowed he would now fulfil. Whereupon\nhis men stood still and reluctantly allowed him to advance alone to\nmeet his foe.\n\nRaising aloft their well-poised javelins, the two champions hurled\nthem at each other with such mighty force and so true an aim that\nboth shields were pierced and the shafts snapped short, whereupon\nthey rushed together, their great swords clanging sharply on the iron\nshields. So heavy were Sir Iring\u2019s strokes that fire leaped out beneath\nthem, and the clash of arms resounded through the hall, yet of no avail\nwere they against Hagen\u2019s strength and skill; whereupon, giving over\nthe attempt, he fell upon G\u00fcnther; and then again baffled, upon Gernot.\nAt last, in a fury at finding himself no match for these heroes he\nsprang at one of the Burgundian knights and slew him and thereafter\nthree others.\n\nNow Giselher, beside himself with rage, longed for vengeance, nor did\nhe long in vain, for therewith Iring rushed upon him, but Giselher\nsmote him so powerfully that he fell senseless to the floor. All\nthought him dead, yet he was but stunned with the crashing blow upon\nhis helm; and suddenly springing to his feet he rushed from the hall,\nsmiting Hagen as he reached the door, and wounding him. Furious with\nrage, that hero grasped his sword in both hands and pursued Sir Iring\ndown the stairs, striking sparks from his upraised shield.\n\nKriemhild, seeing the blood on Hagen\u2019s helm, greeted Iring joyfully;\nbut Hagen shouted to her to save her thanks until the knight should\nhave proved himself worthy of them by returning again to the combat,\nwarning her also that his wound was but slight and had done him little\nharm as she should soon learn. Thereupon Iring caused a new shield to\nbe brought, and hastily donning fresh armor he rushed again to the\nstairway. Like a raging lion, down sprang Hagen to meet him, striking\nsuch fearful blows that naught could long withstand them. Soon they\nshore through shield and helm and wounded Iring. Higher he raised his\nshield to guard his head, when Hagen, seizing a spear that lay upon\nthe ground, hurled it through the shield and fatally pierced him. Back\nfled Iring to his Danes and there sank dying at their feet, while they\ncrowded about him with cries of sorrow. Kriemhild too bent over him\nweeping. He died like a hero; yet ere his eyes grew dim he spoke once\nmore in warning to his followers:\n\n  \u201cThose largesses which Etzel\u2019s Queen\n  Did promise you to-day\n  Ne\u2019er hope to conquer or to win\n  While holding mortal breath;\n  For he who fights with Hagen bold\n  Is sure to meet with death!\u201d\n\nMaddened with grief and rage by the death of their chief, Irnfried and\nHawart rushed headlong on the Burgundians and another fierce fight\nbegan. Soon Irnfried fell by Volker\u2019s sword, and Hawart by Hagen\u2019s.\nThen Volker ordered that their followers who were storming at the\ndoor be admitted to the hall, and again the din of battle rose more\nfrightful than before. The Burgundians fought like lions; nor, fiercely\nas the Danes and Thuringians strove to avenge their lords, did one\nescape the swords of G\u00fcnther\u2019s dauntless heroes.\n\nVolker, the minstrel knight, took his place by the palace door to\nwatch for any new foe, but there were none who dared attack them. The\nHuns lacked courage, while Dietrich of Bern, and R\u00fcdiger, who had bold\nknights at their command, not only shunned the strife but bitterly\nlamented that it had ever occurred.\n\n\n\n\n_Chapter XXX_\n\n_The Night of Terror_\n\n\nNot long were the Burgundians to enjoy repose, however, for fresh\nbodies of Huns came pouring in from all sides, and soon Etzel and\nKriemhild had mustered another force; nor was it easy to repel them, by\nreason of their great numbers.\n\n  The onslaught and defence did last\n    Till hindered by the night.\n  Those dauntless guests beyond all praise\n    With Etzel\u2019s men did fight\n  The whole of one long Summer\u2019s day--\n    So do the legends tell--\n  Hella! what thousands of brave men\n    By Burgund weapons fell.\n\nThus night came on, and gladly would the war-worn heroes have sought a\nspeedy death. Their thoughts also turned toward peace, and they made\nknown to the Huns that they would have speech with the King. Word was\nsent to Etzel, and he forthwith appeared, with Kriemhild, before the\npalace, upon the stairway of which stood the three princes in their\nblood-stained armor, and behind them Hagen and Volker and Dankwart.\n\nThen Etzel spoke: \u201cWhat would ye have with me? \u2019Twere vain to sue for\npeace, for never so long as I have breath shall it be granted to those\nwho so cruelly have slain my only child and many of my kin!\u201d\n\nG\u00fcnther answered that it had been forced upon them, while Giselher,\nturning to the Huns, cried out:\n\n\u201cWhat charge against me do ye bring? Did I not come hither in all peace\nand friendship to your land?\u201d\n\nThe knights replied: \u201cAlready hath such friendship cost us dear! Full\nmany a widowed wife and orphaned child have bitter cause to wish thou\nne\u2019er hadst left the Rhine!\u201d\n\nAgain G\u00fcnther sought to make peace; but Etzel would hear naught\nthereof. \u201cYour griefs are not as mine,\u201d he said, \u201cfor to my loss is\nadded shame; nor may it be effaced save with your blood. Wherefore, I\nsay, not one of you shall depart hence with his life!\u201d\n\n  Then said the youthful Giselher:\n    \u201cO beauteous sister mine,\n  I little treachery feared when thou\n    Didst bid me cross the Rhine.\n\n  \u201cTo thee I\u2019ve ever faithful been,\n    Nor grief nor sorrow wrought,\n  Believing that thou heldst me dear,\n    To bring thee joy I sought.\n  Nor can I think thou\u2019lt wish me ill;\n    Be still my sister true!\n  With kindly judgment look on us,\n    Sure less thou canst not do.\u201d\n\nOnce more a ray of love warmed Kriemhild\u2019s sorely wounded heart, and\nshe replied:\n\n  \u201cNow if Sir Hagen you\u2019ll agree\n    Into my hands to give,\n  Then will I not refuse to grant\n    That ye three all shall live;\n  Since ye in truth my brethren are\n    And from one mother spring,\n  Of further mercy I\u2019ll consult\n    With those about the King.\u201d\n\n\u201cNow, Heaven forbid!\u201d cried Gernot. \u201cFar rather death than such\ndisloyalty!\u201d\n\nAnd Giselher said: \u201cNever yet did I break faith with comrade, nor will\nI fail to-day in knightly duty.\u201d\n\nThus was the last spark of affection extinguished in Kriemhild\u2019s bosom.\nShe no longer felt pity even for her own kin, since they had refused\nto deliver over to her the slayer of her Siegfried and her child.\nSummoning the Huns, she bade them fire the palace on all sides.\n\nNow was it in truth a night of terror for the Burgundians. Blazing\nshafts flew on to the roof, and soon it was wrapped in flame. Thick\nsmoke and fiery vapors filled the hall, and the heroes suffered\ntortures. Gladly would they have welcomed a swift death in battle. Many\ncalled on God to pity their distress, and one knight cried out woefully\nfor a drop of water. Hagen shouted: \u201cKeep to the walls, my comrades,\nand raise your shields aloft!\u201d\n\nAnd still that dauntless hero, with the brave Volker, kept unceasing\nwatch before the door. At daybreak Volker said to Hagen: \u201cLet us\nwithin, and then perchance the watchful Huns will think we have\nperished.\u201d\n\nAnd so in truth did Etzel and Queen Kriemhild now believe. Yet still\nsix hundred of them were alive. When this news was brought to Kriemhild\nshe caused a great store of gold to be brought and divided among the\nHuns, with which to spur their valor. Thereupon a thousand of the\nboldest rushed to the assault; but though many of the Burgundians too\nwere slain, not one of Kriemhild\u2019s warriors came forth from that dread\nhall of death to claim his gold.\n\n\n\n\n_Chapter XXXI_\n\n_The Margrave R\u00fcdiger_\n\n\nSoon thereafter came Sir R\u00fcdiger, and when he beheld the smoking,\nroofless palace, so filled with sorrow was his noble heart at all\nthe evil wrought and yet to come, that tears fell from his eyes and\ntrickled down his long gray beard. Hoping that something might yet be\ndone to bring about a reconciliation, he sent a message to Dietrich\nof Bern, saying: \u201cLet us go together unto the King; perchance we may\nprevail upon him to forego his wrath.\u201d\n\nBut Dietrich, who also deeply lamented what had befallen, sent back\nword that it was useless, for Etzel would not hear of peace on any\nterms, nor might any venture now to speak thereof to him. As R\u00fcdiger\nstood leaning on his sword, his mournful gaze fixed upon the Queen, a\nHunnish knight observed him and said scornfully to Kriemhild: \u201cSee,\nyonder stands Sir R\u00fcdiger! Etzel hath shown favor to him and richly\ndowered him with lands and gold, yet hath he not struck a blow in all\nthis strife! Renowned is he for skill and valor. Methinks such fame\ncan be of little worth since we have not seen him display either here.\u201d\n\nR\u00fcdiger overheard these words and was seized with a mighty wrath\nthereat. Clinching his fist he smote the insolent scoffer with such\ngiant force that he dropped lifeless at his feet.\n\nAt that same moment Etzel appeared in the courtyard. \u201cHow now, Sir\nKnight?\u201d he cried, \u201cthat is an evil deed of thine. Are there not dead\nenough, forsooth, that thou shouldst seek to add to them?\u201d\n\nThe Queen too was about to reproach him bitterly, when suddenly she\nbethought her of the vow R\u00fcdiger made to her when he came to Worms\nto urge King Etzel\u2019s suit. \u201cBethink thee of thy oath, Sir R\u00fcdiger,\u201d\nshe cried, solemnly. \u201cDidst thou not swear to serve me loyally and\nfaithfully to avenge all my wrongs?\u201d\n\n\u201cThat did I truly, most noble lady,\u201d replied R\u00fcdiger, \u201cnor would I fail\nto risk my life in thy cause. But \u2019tis my soul that I should lose were\nI to be at strife with these thy guests, for \u2019twas as friends I brought\nthem hither to thy court!\u201d\n\nYet still the Queen demanded vengeance on her foes, and Etzel thereto\njoined his prayers, till R\u00fcdiger in bitter anguish cried:\n\n  \u201cOh, woe is me, forsaken one,\n    That ever I was born!\n  Oh, woe\u2019s the day, that I must be\n    Of all my honor shorn!\n  Of truth and gentleness of mind\n    Which God to me did give.\n  Oh, God! that I might only die!\n    I fain would cease to live.\n\n  \u201cWhichever duty I avoid,\n    The other to fulfil,\n  I\u2019m counted dastardly and base,\n    A worker-out of ill;\n  Yet leave I both of them undone,\n    I with the world have strife.\n  May He vouchsafe to counsel me,\n    Who first did give me life!\u201d\n\nHe besought the King to take back all the lands and honors that he held\nin fee, and let him retire with his followers to his castle, a poor\nman, rather than force him to attack the friends whom he had welcomed\nin all love and loyalty, who had slept beneath his roof, and to one of\nwhom indeed his daughter was betrothed. But he pleaded in vain, for\nKriemhild firmly held him to his word, while the King promised him\nstill greater riches and honor if he would rid him of his foes.\n\nAt last R\u00fcdiger yielded. He agreed to keep his oath and give his life\nin payment for the kindnesses he had received from his sovereigns; he\ncommended his wife and daughter to their care, then sorrowfully sought\nhis followers and bade them arm for battle with the Burgundians.\n\nWhen Volker saw the band of knights approaching, his heart sank, but\nGiselher cried joyfully: \u201cWell for us all was it that I was betrothed\nto R\u00fcdiger\u2019s daughter, for now our gallant friend comes to bring us\npeace!\u201d\n\n\u201cNay, my lord! he who brings peace comes not in this array,\u201d replied\nVolker.\n\nPausing before the palace, R\u00fcdiger placed his shield upon the ground,\nbut no friendly greeting did he pay the Burgundians as was his wont.\nIn lieu thereof he renounced his loyalty to them and challenged them\nto combat. Great was their distress thus to be forced to strife with\nfriends after struggling against so many foes; and G\u00fcnther cried: \u201cNow\nHeaven forbid, Sir Knight, that thou shouldst do our friendship such\nwrong!\u201d\n\n\u201cThere is no help for it, alas!\u201d replied R\u00fcdiger, \u201csince the Queen\ndemands of me fulfilment of a vow!\u201d\n\nThen said Gernot: \u201cThis sword was thy gift to me, most noble R\u00fcdiger,\nwhen thou didst welcome us beneath thy roof; never hath it failed me in\ntime of need, and shall I turn it now against thee, the giver, to bring\nthy noble wife to widowhood?\u201d\n\n\u201cWould to God that I indeed were dead!\u201d cried R\u00fcdiger. \u201cIf thou go safe\nfrom hence, full well I know thou wilt bring comfort to my wife and\ndaughter.\u201d\n\nThen commending himself to God, he lifted his shield and was about\nto rush into the hall, when Hagen shouted to him from the stairway:\n\u201cBehold, Sir R\u00fcdiger, my sorry plight! This shield, which thy wife gave\nme in happier hours, hath been so hacked and hewed by hostile Huns that\nno longer may it serve for my defence. Had I another such as that which\nthou dost bear, I would go undismayed again to battle!\u201d\n\nLoath as was R\u00fcdiger to give away his own shield under the Queen\u2019s eyes\nand thereby incur her wrath, his noble heart could not withstand his\nfriend\u2019s appeal, and he bestowed it on Hagen, saying: \u201cTake it, Sir\nKnight, and mayst thou bear it back to Burgundy in memory of me!\u201d\n\n  That R\u00fcdiger so courteously,\n    Did give away his shield,\n  Filled many an eye with gentle tears,\n    And to their hearts appealed.\n  It was his last and dearest gift;\n    No more could bold knight crave\n  In token of the courtesy\n    Of R\u00fcdiger the brave.\n\n  However grim Sir Hagen was,\n    Or ill-disposed in mind,\n  The generous gift which R\u00fcdiger\n    So noble and so kind,\n  When near his end had given him,\n    His stubborn heart subdued;\n  While many a lofty knight did sigh,\n    As that brave act he viewed.\n\n  Said Hagen: \u201cMay the Lord of Heaven\n    Sir R\u00fcdiger protect!\n  When he shall die, his like on earth\n    We may no more expect:\n  For he to homeless, shieldless knight\n    His own defence did give;\n  May God vouchsafe that when no more,\n    His virtues still shall live!\u201d\n\nThen he added: \u201cAs for thyself, brave R\u00fcdiger, though thou shouldst\nslay us every one, yet never shall this sword be raised against thy\nlife.\u201d And this stout Volker also swore.\n\nSeizing his arms, R\u00fcdiger rushed upon the Burgundians and the strife\nbegan once more. Hagen and Volker stood aside, nor did Giselher seek to\nmeet his sword; but deep were the wounds it dealt, and many the knights\nthat fell before it. R\u00fcdiger\u2019s liegemen followed him, and soon the hall\nwas filled with the din of battle.\n\nWhen Gernot saw the terrible havoc R\u00fcdiger\u2019s sword wrought among the\nBurgundians, he shouted: \u201cI pray thee, cease, Sir R\u00fcdiger! Now must I\nseek vengeance for my true liegemen thou hast slain and thereby turn\nthy gift against thyself!\u201d\n\nTherewith they cut their way through the press of battle till they\nstood face to face. Fast fell the strokes of sword on shield and helm,\ntill R\u00fcdiger, whirling his sword aloft, smote Gernot; and as Gernot\nreceived his death wound he grasped his sword with both hands and dealt\nR\u00fcdiger the mightiest blow that ever he had struck. Both heroes fell,\nslain at the same moment by each other\u2019s hands.\n\nWhen Hagen saw this, his wrath was terrible to behold, and he swore\nR\u00fcdiger\u2019s men should pay dearly therefor, while loud were the\nlamentations of the princes for the death of their brother. Mad with\nfury now, they rushed upon the foe, nor was it long ere the last man\nlay dead.\n\nNow once more there was silence, and those who were left of the\nBurgundians laid aside their arms to rest them after the fierce\nstruggle. Meanwhile Etzel and Kriemhild waited without, expecting each\nmoment to see R\u00fcdiger come forth with word that the Burgundians were\nslain. But when all grew still again she began to doubt that hero, and\ncried aloud that he had deceived her and made peace with her foes.\nWhereat Volker shouted wrathfully: \u201cIf I dared to give the lie to lady\nsuch as thou, O Queen, I would right willingly! So loyally hath R\u00fcdiger\nkept faith with thee that here he lieth dead with all his knights. An\nthou art loath to trust my word, then may thine own eyes banish doubt.\u201d\n\nTherewith the body was borne out by four knights and laid upon the\nstairs. When Etzel beheld this, he cried aloud with grief, while from\nall the Huns arose such wails and plaints of woe that they spread far\nbeyond the court, and tower and hall re\u00ebchoed with the cries.\n\n\n\n\n_Chapter XXXII_\n\n_Hildebrand and Dietrich_\n\n\nOne of Dietrich\u2019s knights heard the doleful sound and hastened to his\nmaster, crying: \u201cI pray thee, lord, give ear! Etzelburg gives forth\nsuch cries of woe and lamentation as never yet have I heard. I fear the\nBurgundians have slain the King or Kriemhild!\u201d\n\nThe knights all sprang to their feet, with swords aloft, but Dietrich\nsaid: \u201cDraw not your swords, my faithful liegemen, nor judge too rashly\nthose of Burgundy, for I have peace with them. Stern necessity has\ncompelled them to do much that they have done.\u201d\n\nThen stepped forth Wolfhart, the boldest and fiercest of the knights.\nIn former days he had met Hagen in battle and sorely wounded him, and\nnow he sought leave to go and learn what had befallen. This would not\nDietrich grant, however, for he feared lest the fiery Wolfhart should\naffront the Burgundians with too hasty words. He despatched Helferich\ninstead, who soon returned with the grievous news of R\u00fcdiger\u2019s death.\nHorror-stricken, Dietrich cried: \u201cGod forbid that such report should\nbe true! Sir R\u00fcdiger always held yon heroes dear in his regard, as well\nI know. How then could he have earned such reward of them?\u201d\n\nWolfhart shouted furiously: \u201cNow, by my faith, an they have slain that\nchief who hath done us many a service, they shall die,--aye, every man!\u201d\n\nThereupon Dietrich bade the ancient Hildebrand go to the Burgundians\nand learn more nearly of the matter, while overcome with grief he sat\nby the window to wait his return. As Hildebrand was about to depart,\nWolfhart cried: \u201cNay, go not thus unarmed, good master, or perchance\nyon haughty chiefs will send thee back with insult. But an they see\nthou canst defend thyself, then they will spare thee such attack.\u201d\n\nSo the old hero donned mail and helm, and taking his sword and shield,\nrode forth. But the knights all followed, likewise fully armed; and\nwhen he asked the cause thereof, they said they would not that he came\nto harm. Meanwhile the Burgundians had borne the body of R\u00fcdiger back\nwithin the hall; and as Volker spied Hildebrand and the knights, he\nwarned his comrades of their approach. Whereupon G\u00fcnther and Giselher\nstrode to the window, Hagen following.\n\nThe warriors drew rein in the courtyard, while Hildebrand lowered his\nshield and asked in Dietrich\u2019s name if it was indeed true that they\nhad slain Sir R\u00fcdiger. For such foul wrong, he added, might not go\nunavenged.\n\nHagen replied: \u201cHeartily do I wish, Sir Hildebrand, that thou hadst\nbeen deceived. Yet it is true, alas! Noble R\u00fcdiger lies dead in this\nhall, nor can his loss be bewailed too deeply!\u201d\n\nThen arose a great cry of woe from Dietrich\u2019s band, and many a bearded\nwarrior\u2019s cheeks were wet with tears.\n\n  For sobbing, noble Hildebrand\n    No question more could ask:\n  Said he: \u201cNow, knights, perform the will\n    Of him who set the task!\n  Give us, from out the hall forthwith\n    Sir R\u00fcdiger again,\n  Whose death is cause of so much grief\n    To all these warlike men.\n  That we repay by obsequies\n    His martial feats of yore\n  And noble friendship shown to us,\n    Now lost forevermore.\u201d\n\nAnd G\u00fcnther consented to this; but Wolfhart, who could no longer\ncontain his wrath, demanded with threatening gestures how long they\nwere to beg and wait for what they sought. Volker replied that none\nshould bring it to them now; if they would have R\u00fcdiger\u2019s body they\nmust come with their swords and fetch it themselves from out the hall.\nHe added: \u201cSuch service, methinks, were but Sir R\u00fcdiger\u2019s due.\u201d\n\nFurious at this, Wolfhart would have rushed at Volker, but Hildebrand\nwithheld him by force. \u201cNay--curb thy headlong wrath! or thou wilt\nsurely bring disgrace upon us all!\u201d\n\n  \u201cLet loose, good master Hildebrand,\n    That lion of rash mood,\n  That he may come within my reach!\u201d\n    So said the minstrel good,\n  \u201cAnd though he may have slain a host\n    Of valiant knights before,\n  I\u2019ll smite him such a stinging blow\n    That he\u2019ll reply no more.\u201d\n\nThese words filled Dietrich\u2019s men with rage, while Wolfhart with a\nfierce shout tore himself free and like a raging lion leapt upon his\nfoe, followed by all the knights. But old Hildebrand was there before\nhim, \u201cfor since to fighting it must come--himself would be the first.\u201d\nStraight on Hagen he rushed, and therewith arose a mighty clashing\nof sword on shield, while the sparks flew in showers. Yet soon were\nthey parted by the tide of battle that surged about them. So terrible\nwas the din, it was as that of a thousand forges. Bravely did they\nfight on either side, but G\u00fcnther and Giselher, Hagen and his brother\nDankwart, and Volker, outdid all the rest. Now Hildebrand saw Volker\nslay Sir Dietrich\u2019s kinsman Siegestab, and thirsting for vengeance, the\nold warrior sprang upon him. Not long could he withstand such furious\nonslaught, and soon thereby did the brave minstrel meet his end. At the\nsame moment also was Dankwart slain by Helferich. When Hagen saw both\nVolker and his brother dead, he swore most fearfully to avenge their\nfall, and therewith he rushed into the thickest of the fray, slaying\nright and left, and smiting so fiercely that all his former efforts\nseemed but as play.\n\nBut stout heroes were not lacking among Dietrich\u2019s warriors, and surely\nwas there never seen so mighty and so dire a combat. Thrice had the\nfiery Wolfhart encircled the hall, hewing down all before him, when he\nencountered Giselher. Fiercely the young prince sprang at him, and so\ntruly and so mightily he smote that his sword clove Wolfhart\u2019s shield\nand hauberk. Yet summoning all his strength, the dying hero dealt\nGiselher too his death stroke so that he fell lifeless at his feet.\nWhen Hildebrand saw his nephew Wolfhart fatally smitten he sprang\nquickly to his side and sought to bear him from the hall.\n\n  Then said the wounded-unto-death:\n    \u201cKind uncle, all is o\u2019er!\n  No help canst thou or any one\n    Render to Wolfhart more.\n  One parting word I leave with thee--\n    Beware of Hagen\u2019s brand;\n  He has in heart and arm a power\n    That nothing may withstand.\n\n  \u201cIf that my friends, when I am dead,\n    Do weep and mourn for me,\n  Then to my best and nearest kin\n    Say, with much clemency,\n  That they desist from heart-lament,\n    Nor of my fall complain,\n  For that I found a glorious death\n    And was by king\u2019s hand slain.\u201d\n\nAnd therewith he died.\n\nAt last, in all the great hall there were but three heroes left\nalive,--G\u00fcnther, Hagen, and Hildebrand.\n\n  Then Hagen smote Sir Hildebrand,\n    For that he Volker slew;\n  The ancient chief did ward his blows\n    With skill and courage too.\n\nYet could he not prevail against the might of the Burgundian hero,\nbut soon received a grievous wound from Balmung\u2019s flashing blade;\nwhereupon, using his shield for cover, he turned and fled to the\ncourtyard without.\n\n  Now lived of all those stalwart knights\n    No more than these bold two:\n  G\u00fcnther, the King of Burgundy,\n    And Hagen keen and true.\n\nSorrowfully sat Dietrich in his chamber meanwhile, hoping for better\nnews from Hildebrand. Little was he aware that his knights had followed\nthe old warrior, and still less that all by the Burgundians\u2019 swords\nwere slain. Wherefore, when Hildebrand appeared before him, his armor\nstained with blood, the hero shrank aghast and sternly asked if he\nhad been at strife with the Burgundians against his strict commands.\nHildebrand replied that Hagen had wounded him, and barely had he\nescaped with his life from that arch-fiend.\n\n  Then said Sir Dietrich, haughtily:\n    \u201cThou hast been rightly served;\n  For thou didst know that from these guests\n    My friendship never swerved;\n  Also thou hast infringed the peace\n    I proffered with my breath:\n  Were\u2019t not that \u2019twould be lasting shame,\n    Thou shouldst atone by death.\u201d\n\nThen Hildebrand sought to excuse himself, saying they had but asked for\nthe body of R\u00fcdiger, and this the Burgundians had refused them. When\nDietrich thus learned that R\u00fcdiger indeed was dead he abandoned himself\nto grief, but after a space asked by whose hand he fell. Hildebrand\nreplied that Gernot had slain him, and by his hand, in turn, had been\nslain. Thereupon Dietrich resolved to go himself and have speech with\nthe Burgundians; and calling for his armor, he bade Hildebrand summon\nhis knights forthwith.\n\n\u201cAlas! my lord,\u201d cried Hildebrand, \u201cthou seest before thee all thy\nwarriors!\u201d And while Dietrich gazed at him horror-stricken, he told him\nall that had passed.\n\nNow was Dietrich indeed plunged in sorrow. Loudly did he lament the\nloss of Wolfhart and all his brave knights, and cried: \u201cThis is the\nlast day of my joy on earth!\u201d\n\n\n\n\n_Chapter XXXIII_\n\n_Kriemhild\u2019s Revenge and Death_\n\n\nWhen Dietrich of Bern had regained his wonted composure he asked how\nmany of the Burgundians yet were left alive, and Hildebrand told him\nnone save G\u00fcnther and Hagen,--all the rest were slain. Whereupon,\nfilled with grief and wrath, he seized his arms and went forth with\nHildebrand to seek them.\n\nLeaning against the arched doorway stood the two Burgundian heroes,\ntheir shields before them on the ground; and when they saw the knights\napproaching, Hagen, still undaunted, declared himself ready to do\nbattle with Sir Dietrich; nor did he fear to meet him, mighty as he\ndeemed himself, for then would it be proved who was the better knight.\n\nDietrich heard this bold speech, but vouchsafed no reply. Laying down\nhis shield and looking sorrowfully at them, he asked: \u201cWherein, O\nknights of Burgundy, have I injured you, that you should slay the noble\nR\u00fcdiger, and with him all my friends and warriors?\u201d\n\n\u201cNot all the blame lies with us, Sir Knight,\u201d said Hagen, \u201cfor to this\nhall thy men came in arms. Thou hast been misinformed.\u201d\n\n\u201cAlas!\u201d replied Dietrich, \u201cI know only too well what passed; for\nHildebrand but now brought me word that he desired of you the corpse of\nR\u00fcdiger, and you treated his suit with scorn.\u201d\n\n\u201cNow, by my faith,\u201d cried G\u00fcnther, \u201c\u2019twas in despite of Etzel that we\nrefused; but forthwith Wolfhart grew insolent, and thus it came to\nstrife.\u201d\n\nThen said Dietrich: \u201cG\u00fcnther of Burgundy, for the evil thou hast\nwrought, methinks thou owest me some amends, and thou likewise, Sir\nHagen. If you will yield yourselves captives to my sword, then I will\nguard you from the wrathful Huns,--at peril of my life, if need be.\u201d\n\n\u201cGod in heaven forbid,\u201d cried Hagen, \u201cthat two such knights should give\nup their trusty swords while alive and well armed withal!\u201d\n\nBut again Dietrich urged them to accept his terms, and Hildebrand\nadded: \u201cGod knows, Sir Hagen, there is little need for shame in such\natonement. And soon, it may be, the hour will come when you would\ngladly obtain such peace.\u201d\n\n[Illustration: _DEATH OF KRIEMHILD_]\n\n\u201cIn faith,\u201d replied Hagen, scornfully, \u201cI would indeed accept such\nterms ere I, like thee, would fly full-armed, from a single knight.\u201d\nHildebrand would have returned this taunt, but Dietrich forbade them\nthus to bandy words like two old market-wives, and turning to Hagen\nhe said, sternly: \u201cTell me, valiant hero, did I hear aright that you\nwished to measure swords with me?\u201d\n\nWell as he knew Sir Dietrich\u2019s giant strength, he could not gainsay\nthis; wherefore he replied that he would willingly abide the issue of a\ncombat with him, so his good Nibelung sword did not fail him.\n\nThereupon Dietrich raised his shield as signal for attack, and Hagen\nsprang fiercely down to meet him, the sword of the Nibelungs ringing\nloudly on the stout shield of his foe. Sir Dietrich, too, was well\naware of Hagen\u2019s might, and sought at first with caution merely to ward\nhis powerful blows, yet did he lose no chance for skilful sword-strokes\nhere and there. At last he dealt stout Hagen such a deadly wound that\npowerless he sank upon the ground. Then casting his sword and shield\naside, Dietrich quickly bound him fast and led him thus unto the Queen.\n\nNow, indeed, did Kriemhild\u2019s joy and triumph know no bounds. Vowing her\nlasting gratitude to Dietrich, she promised to reward him well that\nhe had thus delivered up her deadly foe into her hands. But Dietrich\nurged her to spare Sir Hagen, saying: \u201cBe merciful, O Queen! and it may\nchance that one day he shall make amends to thee for all thy wrongs.\u201d\n\nTo this Kriemhild made no reply, but ordered Hagen to be put in chains\nand cast into a dungeon where none might see him.\n\nMeanwhile G\u00fcnther loudly called for Dietrich, that he might avenge\nHagen\u2019s downfall. Soon he returned and then followed another fierce\nencounter; but though G\u00fcnther fought with the courage of despair, he\nwas overpowered at last, as Hagen had been, and taken before the Queen.\n\nKriemhild bade him welcome; but G\u00fcnther replied: \u201cSmall thanks will I\nbestow on thee for thy greetings, for well I know they bode us little\ngood.\u201d\n\n  Then said the gallant prince of Bern:\n    \u201cMost high and potent Queen!\n  There ne\u2019er appeared as captive bound\n    So brave a knight, I ween,\n  As he whom unto thee I gave\n    With loyal courtesy,\n  At thy fair hands let him partake\n    Of favor due to me!\u201d\n\nKriemhild declared she would perform his wish; whereupon Dietrich\ndeparted, his eyes wet with tears. But no thought had she for aught\nsave vengeance. Causing G\u00fcnther to be also chained and cast into a\nseparate dungeon, she betook herself to Hagen. Again she demanded of\nhim her treasure, promising him his life if he would confess where he\nhad hidden it.\n\nHagen, although a captive, wounded and in chains, was still undaunted.\nWith a scornful glance at Kriemhild he replied: \u201cI gave a solemn oath\nto my lord G\u00fcnther, that never while he drew breath would I divulge\nthe spot where it lies.\u201d\n\n\u201cNow will I quickly make an end of that, forsooth!\u201d cried Kriemhild;\nand thereupon she ordered G\u00fcnther\u2019s head to be struck off. Then she\ntook it to Hagen, saying: \u201cNow doth thy lord no longer live and thereby\nart thou freed from thy sworn oath!\u201d\n\nBut Hagen cried:\n\n  \u201cThou hast indeed thy will fulfilled,\n    As I did fear thou wouldst!\n  Now where the hoard lies hid is known\n    To none but God and me,\n  And shall from thee, accursed Queen!\n    Forever hidden be!\u201d\n\n  She said: \u201cThou\u2019st foul atonement made\n    In purpose, deed, and word;\n  Therefore will I possess myself\n    Of virtuous Siegfried\u2019s sword,\n  Which he did bear upon his thigh\n    When last I saw that chief,\n  Whose death has ever been to me\n    A keen heart-rending grief.\u201d\n\n  She drew it from the well-known sheath\n    Nor could he this prevent;\n  To take the warrior\u2019s life forthwith\n    Was her unmasked intent.\n  She swung it with both hands, and smote\n    His head from off its trunk.\n  King Etzel saw the vengeful deed,\n    And from its horror shrunk.\n\nJust at this moment the King had appeared in the dungeon with\nHildebrand.\n\n  \u201cAlas!\u201d the King of Huns did cry,\n    \u201cHow doth the matter stand--\n  That he, the boldest of all knights,\n    Should fall by woman\u2019s hand?\n  He who in onslaught was the first,\n    The bravest that bore shield!\n  Although he was mine enemy,\n    I fain to sorrow yield.\u201d\n\nBut Hildebrand shouted in wrath: \u201cShe shall rue this shameful deed!\nThough he hath well-nigh slain me, yet will I forthwith take vengeance\nfor valiant Hagen\u2019s death!\u201d\n\nAnd drawing his sword he rushed on Kriemhild, and despite her shrieks\nhe smote the terrified Queen so that she fell dead upon the ground.\n\n  Thus were the mighty of the earth\n    By hand of death laid low.\n  The people all lamented loud\n    And bitter grief did show.\n  In suffering did the King\u2019s feast end--\n    That joyous time was past,\n  For love to sorrow aye must turn,\n    So long as life shall last.\n\n\n\n\nTRANSCRIBER\u2019S NOTES:\n\n\n  Italicized text is surrounded by underscores: _italics_.\n\n  Obvious typographical errors have been corrected.\n\n  Inconsistencies in hyphenation have been standardized.\n\n  Archaic or variant spelling has been retained.\n\n  New original cover art included with this eBook is granted to the\n    public domain.","title":"The Nibelungs","tradition":"myth-cosmogony","translated_text":null,"word_count":32394}