"She weareth here my girdle, which I have lost, and my ring of ruddy
gold. It doth repent me sore that I was ever born, unless be thou
clearest me of this passing great shame, for that I'll serve thee ever."
King Gunther spake: "Have him come hither. He must let us hear if
he hath made boast of this, or he must make denial, the hero of
Netherland." One bade fetch at once Kriemhild's love.
When Siegfried saw the angry dames (he wist not of the tale), how
quickly then he spake: "I fain would know why these ladies weep, or for
what cause the king hath had me fetched."
Then King Gunther spake: "It doth rue me sore, forsooth. My Lady
Brunhild hath told me here a tale, that thou hast boasted thou wast the
first to clasp her lovely body in thine arms; this Lady Kriemhild, thy
wife, doth say."
Then spake Lord Siegfried: "And she hath told this tale, she shall rue
it sore, or ever I turn back, and I'll clear me with solemn oaths in
front of all thy men, that I have not told her this."
Quoth the king of the Rhineland: "Let that be seen. The oath thou dost
offer, and let it now be given, shall free thee of all false charges."
They bade the proud Burgundians form a ring. Siegfried, the bold,
stretched out his hand for the oath; then spake the mighty king: "Thy
great innocence is so well known to me, that I will free thee of that
of which my sister doth accuse thee and say, thou hast never done this
thing."
Siegfried replied: "If it boot my lady aught to have thus saddened
Brunhild, that will surely cause me boundless grief."
Then the lusty knights and good gazed one upon the other. "One should
so train women," spake again Siegfried, the knight, "that they leave
haughty words unsaid. Forbid it to thy wife, and I'll do the same to
mine. In truth, I do shame me of her great discourtesie."
Many fair ladies were parted by the speech. Brunhild mourned so sore,
that it moved King Gunther's men to pity. Then came Hagen of Troneg to
his sovran lady. He found her weeping, and asked what grief she had.
She told him then the tale. On the spot he vowed that Kriemhild's lord
should rue it sore, or he would nevermore be glad. Ortwin and Gernot
joined their parley and these heroes counseled Siegfried's death.
Giselher, the son of the noble Uta, came hither too. When he heard the
talk, he spake full true: "Ye trusty knights, wherefore do ye this?
Siegfried hath not merited forsooth such hate, that he should therefore
lose his life. Certes, women oft grow angry over little things."
"Shall we then raise cuckolds?" answered Hagen; "such good knights would
gain from that but little honor. Because he hath boasted of my liege
lady, I will rather die, an' it cost him not his life."
Then spake the king himself: "He hath shown us naught but love and
honor, so let him live. What booteth it, if I now should hate the
knight? He was ever faithful to us and that right willingly."
Knight Ortwin of Metz then spake: "His great prowess shall not in sooth
avail him aught. If my lord permit, I'll do him every evil."
So without cause the heroes had declared a feud against him. In this
none followed, save that Hagen counselled all time Knight Gunther the
that if Siegfried no longer lived, then many kingly lands would own his
sway. At this the king grew sad, so they let it rest.
Jousting was seen once more. Ho, what stout shafts they splintered
before the minster in the presence of Siegfried's wife, even down to the
hall! Enow of Gunther's men were now in wrath. The king spake: "Let be
this murderous rage, he is born to our honor and to our joy. Then, too,
the wonderly bold man is so fierce of strength, that none durst match
him, if he marked it."
"No, not he," spake Hagen then, "Ye may well keep still; I trow to bring
it to pass in secret, that he rue Brunhild's tears. Certes, Hagen hath
broken with him for all time."