The Story of Siegfried

  Suddenly, far down the street, the sound of a bugle was heard, and thenof the swift clattering of horses' hoofs coming up the hill towards thecastle.

  "Who are they who come thus to join us at the last moment?" asked Hagenof the watchman above the gate.

  "They are strangers," answered the watchman; "and they carry apeace-flag."

  In a few moments the strange horsemen dashed up, and halted somedistance from the castle-gate, where Siegfried and his heroes stood.

  "Who are you? and what is your errand?" cried Hagen, in the king's name.

  They answered that they were heralds from the North-land kings, sentquickly to correct the message of the day before; for their liegelords, Leudiger and Leudigast, they said, had given up warring againstBurgundy, and had gone back to their homes. And they had sent humbly toask the Rhineland kings to forget the rash threats which they had made,and to allow them to swear fealty to Gunther, and henceforth to be hishumble vassals, if only they might be forgiven.

  "Right cheerfully do we forgive them!" cried Gunther, not waiting toconsult with his wise men. "And our forgiveness shall be so full, thatwe shall ask neither fealty nor tribute from them."

  Then he turned to Siegfried, and said, "You hear, friend Siegfried, howthis troublesome matter has been happily ended. Accept our thanks, wepray you, for your proffered help; for, without it, it might have gonebut roughly with us in a second war with the Northland kings. But nowyou are free to do what pleases you. If, as you said yesterday, youwould fain return to Nibelungen Land, you may send your warriors on theway to-day, for they are already equipped for the journey. But abide youwith us another day, and to-morrow we will bid you God-speed, and youmay easily overtake your Nibelungen friends ere they have reached ourown boundaries."

  Siegfried was not well pleased to give up an undertaking scarce begun,and still less could he understand why the king should be so ready toforgive the affront which the North-land kings had offered him. Andhe was not slow in reading the look of shame and guilt that lurked inGunther's face, or the smile of jealous hate that Hagen could no longerhide. Yet no word of displeasure spoke he, nor seemed he to understandthat any mischief was brewing; for he feared neither force nor guile.So he bade his Nibelungens to begin their homeward march, saying that heand Kriemhild, and the ladies of her train, would follow swiftly on themorrow.

  "Since it is your last day with us," said Gunther, grown cunning throughHagen's teaching, "what say you, dear Siegfried, to a hunt in Odin'sWood?"

  "Right glad will I be to join you in such sport," answered Siegfried."I will change my war-coat for a hunting-suit, and be ready within anhour."

  Then Siegfried went to his apartments, and doffed his steel-clad armor,and searched in vain through his wardrobe for his favorite hunting-suit.But it was nowhere to be found; and he was fain to put on the richembroidered coat which he sometimes wore in battle, instead of acoat-of-mail. And he did not see the white lime-leaf that Kriemhild withanxious care had worked in silk upon it. Then he sought the queen, andtold her of the unlooked-for change of plans, and how, on the morrow,they would ride towards Nibelungen Land; but to-day he said he hadpromised Gunther to hunt with him in the Odenwald.

  But Kriemhild, to his great surprise, begged him not to leave her, evento hunt in the Odenwald. For she had begun to fear that she had made agreat mistake in telling Hagen the story of the lime-leaf; and yet shecould not explain to Siegfried the true cause of her uneasiness.

  "Oh, do not join in the hunt!" she cried. "Something tells me thatdanger lurks hidden in the wood. Stay in the castle with me, and help meput things in readiness for our journey homewards to-morrow. Last nightI had another dream. I thought that Odin's birds, Hugin and Munin, saton a tree before me. And Hugin flapped his wings, and said, 'What morevile than a false friend? What more to be feared than a secret foe?Harder than stone is his unfeeling heart; sharper than the adder'spoison-fangs are his words; a snake in the grass is he!' Then Muninflapped his wings too, but said nothing. And I awoke, and thought atonce of the sunbright Balder, slain through Loki's vile deceit. And, asI thought upon his sad death, a withered leaf came fluttering throughthe casement, and fell upon my couch. Sad signs and tokens are these, myhusband; and much grief, I fear, they foretell."

  But Siegfried was deaf to her words of warning, and he laughed at thefoolish dream. Then he bade her farewell till even-tide, and hastened tojoin the party of huntsmen who waited for him impatiently at the gate.

  When the party reached the Odenwald, they separated; each man taking hisown course, and following his own game. Siegfried, with but one trustyhuntsman and his own fleet-footed hound, sought at once the wildest andthickest part of the wood. And great was the slaughter he made among thefierce beasts of the forest; for nothing that was worthy of notice couldhide from his sight, or escape him. From his lair in a thorny thicket, ahuge wild boar sprang up; and with glaring red eyes, and mouth foaming,and tusks gnashing with rage, he charged fiercely upon the hero. But,with one skilful stroke from his great spear, Siegfried laid the beastdead on the heather. Next he met a tawny lion, couched ready to springupon him; but, drawing quickly his heavy bow, he sent a quivering arrowthrough the animal's heart. Then, one after another, he slew a buffalo,four bisons, a mighty elk with branching horns, and many deers and stagsand savage beasts.

  At one time the hound drove from its hiding-place another wild boar,much greater than the first, and far more fierce. Quickly Siegfrieddismounted from his horse, and met the grizzly creature as it rushedwith raving fury towards him. The sword of the hero cleft the beast intwain, and its bloody parts lay lifeless on the ground. Then Siegfried'shuntsman, in gay mood, said, "My lord, would it not be better to rest awhile! If you keep on slaughtering at this rate, there will soon be nogame left in Odenwald."

  Siegfried laughed heartily at the merry words, and at once called inhis hound, saying, "You are right! We will hunt no more until our goodfriends have joined us."

  Soon afterward the call of a bugle was heard; and Gunther and Hagen andDankwart and Ortwin, with their huntsmen and hounds, came riding up.

  "What luck have you had, my friends?" asked Siegfried.

  Then Hagen told what game they had taken,--a deer, a young bear, and twosmall wild boars. But, when they learned what Siegfried had done, theold chief's face grew dark, and he knit his eyebrows, and bit his lipsin jealous hate: for four knights, ten huntsmen, and four and twentyhounds, had beaten every bush, and followed every trail; and yet theNibelungen king, with but one follower and one hound, had slain tentimes as much game as they.

  While they stood talking over the successes of the day, the sound of ahorn was heard, calling the sportsmen together for the mid-day meal; andknights and huntsmen turned their steeds, and rode slowly towards thetrysting-place. Suddenly a huge bear, roused by the noise of bayinghounds and tramping feet, crossed their pathway.

  "Ah!" cried Siegfried, "there goes our friend Bruin, just in time togive us a bit of fun, and some needed sport at dinner. He shall go withus, and be our guest!"

  With these words he loosed his hound, and dashed swiftly forwards afterthe beast. Through thick underbrush and tangled briers, and over fallentrees, the frightened creature ran, until at last it reached a steephillside. There, in a rocky cleft, it stood at bay, and fought fiercelyfor its life. When Siegfried came up, and saw that his hound dared nottake hold of the furious beast, he sprang from his horse, and seizedthe bear in his own strong arms, and bound him safely with a stout cord.Then he fastened an end of the cord to his saddle-bows, and remountedhis steed. And thus he rode through the forest to the place where thedinner waited, dragging the unwilling bear behind him, while the dogbounded gayly along by his side.

  No nobler sight had ever been seen in that forest than that whichGunther's people saw that day. The Nibelungen king was dressed as wellbecame so great a hero. His suit was of the speckled lynx's hide andrich black silk, upon which were embroidered many strange devices,with threads of gold. (But, alas! between the shoulders wa
s the silkenlime-leaf that Queen Kriemhild's busy fingers had wrought.) His cap wasof the blackest fur, brought from the frozen Siberian land. Over hisshoulder was thrown his well-filled quiver, made of lion's skin; and inhis hands he carried his bow of mulberry,--a very beam in size, and sostrong that no man save himself could bend it. A golden hunting-horn wasat his side, and his sunbright shield lay on his saddle-bow; while hismighty sword, the fire-edged Balmung, in its sheath glittering withgemstones, hung from his jewelled belt.

  The men who stood around chief Hagen, and who saw the hero coming thusgod-like through the greenwood, admired and trembled; and Dankwartwhispered a word of caution to his dark-browed brother. But the oldchief's face grew gloomier than before; and he scowled fiercely upon thefaint-hearted Dankwart, as he hoarsely whispered in return,--

  "What though he be Odin himself, still will I dare! It is not I: it isthe Norns, who shape every man's fate."

  When Siegfried reached the camp with his prize, the huntsmen shoutedwith delight; and the hounds howled loudly, and shook their chains, andtried hard to get at the shaggy beast. The king leaped to the ground,and unloosed the cords which bound him; and at the same time the houndswere unleashed, and set upon the angry, frightened creature. Hemmed inon every side, the bear rushed blindly forwards, and leaped over thefires, where the cooks were busy with the dinner. Pots and kettles wereknocked about in great confusion, and the scared cooks thrown sprawlingupon the ground; and many a dainty dish and savory mess was spoiled. Thebear fled fast down the forest road, followed by the baying hounds andthe fleet-footed warriors. But none dared shoot an arrow at him for fearof killing the dogs; and it seemed as if he would surely escape, sofast he ran away. Then Siegfried bounded forwards, swifter than adeer, overtook the bear, and with one stroke of the sword gave him hisdeath-blow. And all who saw this feat of strength and quickness wonderedgreatly, and felt that such a hero must indeed be without a peer.

  When Gunther's cooks had made the dinner ready, the company sat down onthe grass, and all partook of a merry meal; for the bracing air and themorning's sport had made sharp appetites. But, when they had eaten, theywere surprised to find that there was nothing to drink. Indeed, therewas neither wine nor water in the camp.

  "How glad I am," said Siegfried gayly, "that I am not a huntsman bytrade, if it is a huntsman's way to go thus dry! Oh for a glass of wine,or even a cup of cold spring-water, to quench my thirst!"

  "We will make up for this oversight when we go back home," said Gunther;and his heart was black with falsehood. "The blame in this matter shouldrest on Hagen, for it was he who was to look after the drinkables."

  "My lord," said Hagen, "I fell into a mistake by thinking that we woulddine, not here, but at the Spessart Springs; and thither I sent thewine."

  "And is there no water near?" asked Siegfried.

  "Yes," answered Hagen. "There is a cool, shady spring not far fromhere, where the water gushes in a clear, cold stream from beneath alinden-tree. Do but forgive me for the lack of wine, and I will lead youto it. It is a rare spring, and the water is almost as good as wine."

  "Better than wine for me!" cried Siegfried. And he asked to be shown tothe spring at once.

  Hagen arose, and pointed to a tree not far away, beneath whose spreadingbranches Siegfried could see the water sparkling in the sunlight.

  "Men have told me," said the chief, "that the Nibelungen king is veryfleet of foot, and that no one has ever outstripped him in the race.Time was, when King Gunther and myself were spoken of as very swiftrunners; and, though we are now growing old, I fancy that many young menwould, even now, fail to keep pace with us. Suppose we try a race to thespring, and see which of the three can win."

  "Agreed!" cried Siegfried. "We will run; and, if I am beaten, I willkneel down in the grass to him who wins. I will give the odds in yourfavor too; for I will carry with me my spear, and my shield, and myhelmet and sword, and all the trappings of the chase, while you may dofffrom your shoulders whatever might hinder your speed."

  So Gunther and Hagen laid aside all their arms, and put off theirheavy clothing; but Siegfried took up his bow and quiver, and his heavyshield, and his beamlike spear. Then the word was given, and all threeran with wondrous speed. Gunther and his chief flew over the grass aslight-footed as two wild panthers: but Siegfried sped swift as an arrowshot from the hand of a skilful bowman. He reached the spring when yetthe others were not half way to it. He laid his spear and sword, andbow and quiver of arrows, upon the ground, and leaned his heavy shieldagainst the linden-tree; and then he waited courteously for King Guntherto come up, for his knightly honor would not allow him to drink untilhis host had quenched his thirst.

  Gunther, when he reached the spring, stooped over, and drank heartilyof the cool, refreshing water; and, after he had risen, Siegfried kneltupon the grass at the edge of the pool to quaff from the same gushingfountain. Stealthily then, and with quickness, did chief Hagen hide hishuge bow and his quiver, and his good sword Balmung, and, seizing thehero's spear, he lifted it in air, and with too steady aim struck thesilken lime-leaf that the loving Kriemhild had embroidered. Never in allthe wide mid-world was known a deed more cowardly, never a baser act.The hero was pierced with his own weapon by one he had deemed hisfriend. His blood gushed forth in torrents, and dyed the green grassred, and discolored the sparkling water, and even filled the face andeyes of vile Hagen.

  Yet, in the hour of death, King Siegfried showed how noble was his soul,how great his strength of will. Up he rose from his bended knees, andfiercely glanced around. Then, had not the evil-eyed chief, who neverbefore had shunned a foe, fled with fleet-footed fear, quick vengeancewould have overtaken him. In vain did the dying king look for his bowand his trusty sword: too safely had they been hidden. Then, thoughdeath was fast dimming his eyes, he seized his heavy shield, and sprangafter the flying Hagen. Swift as the wind he followed him, quickly heovertook him. With his last strength he felled the vile wretch to theground, and beat him with the shield, until the heavy plates of brassand steel were broken, and the jewels which adorned it were scatteredamong the grass. The sound of the heavy blows was heard far through theforest; and, had the hero's strength held out, Hagen would have had hisreward.[EN#32] But Siegfried, weak and pale from the loss of blood, nowstaggered, and fell among the trampled flowers of the wood.

  Then with his last breath he thus upbraided his false friends:--

  "Cowards and traitors, ye! A curse shall fall upon you. My every carehas been to serve and please you, and thus I am requited. Bitterly shallyou rue this deed. The brand of traitor is set upon your foreheads, andit shall be a mark of loathing and shame to you forever."

  Then the weak old Gunther began to wring his hands, and to bewail thedeath of Siegfried. But the hero bade him hush, and asked him of whatuse it was to regret an act which could have been done only by his leaveand sanction.

  "Better to have thought of tears and groans before," said he. "I havealways known that you were a man of weak mind, but never did I dreamthat you could lend yourself to so base a deed. And now, if there isleft aught of manliness in your bosom, I charge you to have a care forKriemhild your sister. Long shall my loved Nibelungen-folk await mycoming home."

  The glorious hero struggled in the last agony. The grass and flowerswere covered with his blood; the trees shivered, as if in sympathywith him, and dropped their leaves upon the ground; the birds stoppedsinging, and sorrowfully flew away; and a solemn silence fell upon theearth, as if the very heart of Nature had been crushed.

  And the men who stood around--all save the four guilty ones--bowed theirheads upon their hands, and gave way to one wild burst of grief. Thentenderly they took up Siegfried, and laid him upon a shield, with hismighty weapons by him. And, when the sorrowing Night had spread herblack mantle over the mid-world, they carried him silently out of theforest, and across the river, and brought him, by Gunther's orders,to the old castle, which now nevermore would resound with mirth andgladness. And they laid him at Kriemhild's door, and stole
sadly away totheir own places, and each one thought bitterly of the morrow.[EN#33]

  Adventure XX. How the Hoard Was Brought to Burgundy.

  And what was done on the morrow?

  Too sad is the tale of Kriemhild's woe and her grief for the mightydead. Let us pass it by in tearful, pitying silence, nor wish to awakenthe echoes of that morning of hopeless anguish which dawned on the coldand cheerless dwelling of the kings. For peace had fled from Burgundy,nevermore to return.

  Siegfried was dead. Faded, now, was the glory of the Nibelungen Land,and gone was the mid-world's hope.

  It is told in ancient story, how men built a funeral-pile far out on thegrassy meadows, where the quiet river flows; and how, in busy silence,they laid the sun-dried beams of ash and elm together, and made readythe hero's couch; and how the pile was dight with many a sun-brightshield, with war-coats and glittering helms, and silks and rich dyedcloths from the South-land, and furs, and fine-wrought ivory, andgem-stones priceless and rare; and how, over all, they scattered sweetspices from Araby, and the pleasantest of all perfumes. Then theybrought the golden Siegfried, and laid him on his couch; and beside himwere his battered shield, and Balmung with its fire-edge bare. And,as the sun rose high in heaven, the noblest earl-folk who had lovedSiegfried best touched fire to the funeral-pile. And a pleasant breezefrom the Southland fanned the fire to a flame, and the white blazeleaped on high, and all the folk cried out in mighty agony to the gods.

  Such was the story that men told to each other when the world was stillyoung, and the heroes were unforgotten.[EN#34] And some said, too, thatBrunhild, the fair and hapless queen, died then of a broken heart and ofa hopeless, yearning sorrow, and that she was burned with Siegfried onthat high-built funeral-pile.