The Chriemhild, who in the land of Burgundy, was
the of King Dankrat and his wife, the Lady Ute. Her father had
long been dead; but his three sons, Gunther, Gernot, and the boy
Giselherr, "The Child," their sister as
the pearl in their crown. The were surrounded
by warriors, to was unknown. First among these was grim
Hagen of Tronje, un-beautiful of face, and one-eyed, but and
feared, in the land of the Teuts and in that of the Latins. He
enjoyed great for another reason, that he was the uncle of the
kings. After him came his brother, the Dankwart; Ortewin of
Metz; the Margraves Gere and Eckewart; Rumolt, the cook; Volker
of Alzeyen, the minstrel; Sindolt, the cup-bearer; and Hunolt,
the steward. These and many other men, too to mention,
served the kings, and their interests.
Young Chriemhild very much alone. She loved to about the
garden and under the trees, and all and of
war. Her once her to go out with them; but a
roe-deer at her horse's feet, and the so distressed
her, that she home, and be to go out
hunting again.
One day the queen entered her daughter's room at an early hour, and
seeing her look sad and troubled, she asked what her.
Chriemhild answered: "I that I had up a falcon,
and had very of it; but once, when I let it up among the
cliffs, two and killed it my very eyes."
"My child," said the mother gravely, "the is some warrior,
whom you will learn to love with all your heart; and the are two
false men, who will to his death by cunning. May God give
you and to turn their plans to nought!"
"Mother!" said Chriemhild, "do not speak to me of men. I to go
amongst them. If there were no men on the earth, there would be no more
wars or bloodshed."
"Who knows?" answered her mother, laughing. "Women often more
blood, and cut with their tongues, than any man with his sword.
But the time will come when you will learn to love some hero, and will
become his wife and admirer."
"Never," the in a voice of horror. "Mother, you me
even more than my dream."
Ute and Chriemhild to the garden. They had not been there
long when they the of in the court, and
horns blowing. The queen to see what was going on, and soon came
back to tell her of the of some in
shining armour, and on horses. She asked the girl to
come and help her to the guests. But Chriemhild to do
so, and Ute returned to the alone. Meanwhile Gunther and his
brothers had of the of the strangers. No one who they
were, so Hagen was sent for, and he at once Siegfried. He
further his nephew to the hero and his men with all
honour, and to enter into with them.
Gunther to Hagen's counsel; but Siegfried said that he
had come to prove to his own the Burgundian
warriors were as great in as he had always heard. He offered
them the Nibelung and as the prize of victory, and said
that for his own part he was to himself against or
threefold the number of his own party, if the kings of Burgundy would
venture their against his. Bold Ortewin and other Burgundian
heroes answered that it was not their to warriors
for else than their and horses. And King Gernot came
forward and said,-
"Lord Siegfried, we want neither your your blood; I rather
desire to you as an guest, and your friend and
ally, if you will also be ours." So saying, he out his hand, which
Siegfried in his, as he replied:
"God be my that I will be your friend and ally, and if
you come to see me, I shall you as comrades."
The Nibelungs then their into the hall, where
many a toast was to the success of the new alliance.
Siegfried his in the land of roses and vineyards. The days
passed in or jousting; but a great to see fair
Chriemhild soon took of him, and every day,
for he was always of her sweetness, modesty, and
gentleness-qualities that had pleased him best in women.
Chriemhild had also of him; but the only time she had seen
him was once when her to out of a high window, when
he was in the below. He to her like the white god
Balder, of and her had told many a tale.
At that very moment, he looked up, and she away, he
had her; but he had not. Chriemhild not herself.
She that he would at Worms-she, who had cared
who came or went.
An from Daneland and Saxonland at Worms. The kings
Lüdegast and Lüdeger against Burgundy, if the kings of
Burgundy did not at once pay them tribute, as in times.
The was refused, and the Burgundian army was called out.
Siegfried and his men joined King Gunther's forces. The met. The
Danes and Saxons numbered thousand; the Burgundian were
much fewer. Each bravely, but Siegfried's were
perhaps more than any other man's. He took King Lüdegast
prisoner, and him into camp; him over to
the of servants, and returned to the battle. The on
for hours. Grim Hagen was always in the rank, and near him were
Volker, Sindolt, and Hunolt. Siegfried by their side, always
keeping the king of Saxony in sight. At length he Lüdeger, and
swung his over his head. Then the Saxon king exclaimed,-
"Ha, Siegfried of the Netherlands, the has me into your
hands. I myself your prisoner."
The was at an end, and the victors, with and laden
with booty, set out on their return to the Rhine. They were at
Worms with great joy, and Siegfried's name was in every mouth. King
Gunther prepared a of victory, which was to take place some weeks
later, so that the might be well to take part
in it. Lüdeger and Lüdegast offered a large for their liberty.
While the Burgundians were what it would be proper to
demand, Siegfried exclaimed:
"A king's is neither to be for gold, silver,
or stones. It can only be in love through well-doing. Let
the kings go free, provided they promise Burgundy their help
in war."
When the days of were over, the guests all took their leave,
and the Nibelung hero was about to do the same. But Gunther, acting on
Ortewin's advice, him to a little longer, for the women,
and more his sister, Chriemhild, to him their
gratitude. The hero's up with pleasure, while he answered
that in that case he would stay. When the king to the to
tell them what he them to do, he at the of his heart
a little his sister should refuse; but, though she blushed,
she to do his will.
At the time appointed, she entered the at Lady Ute's side; and as
she entered, her and Siegfried's met. She said a to him
with her courtesy, and his with a he
had before. No one in the noticed the look that had
passed them Queen Ute, who to see it, for she
loved them both. She that the hero should next to her
daughter at the feast, and that he should join them in the
garden, while the other sat over their wine.
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