Then spake the Queen of Rhineland: "Send unto me straightway

Then spake the Queen of Rhineland: "Send unto me straightway Gunther the Lord of the Kingdom, for he shall hear this day How foully his sister hath slandered and spoken shame of the Queen. She saith before all people that Siegfried's wife have I been." The King came girt with his barons: he saw the grief-bowed head And the tears of his dear wife Brunhild, and lovingly he said: "Of whom, my wife, my belovèd, hath a hurt been done unto thee?" And she spake to the King, and she answered: "Joyless for aye must I be! Of all my wifely honour this thy sister is fain To strip me by shameful accusing: unto thee I must needs complain. She saith that with Siegfried her husband I have wantoned in shame and sin." Answered and spake King Gunther: "She hath wickedly done herein!" "She weareth here my girdle, which long time since I lost, And withal my ring of the red gold—O me, to my bitter cost Was I born, and I rue it ever! If thou clear not my name From the stain of such utter abasement, my love never more shalt thou claim."

Then spake to a lord King Gunther: "Summon him hither thou. If he of such deed have boasted, he must make confession now, Or must give to the lie denial, this hero of Netherland." So unto that presence Siegfried was called by the King's command. So then when the good knight Siegfried saw faces disquieted, And the cause thereof divined not, straightway he spake and said: "Now wherefore weep these ladies? This unto me make known; And wherefore the King hath called me hither, be this too shown." Then spake King Gunther: "Sorrow I find here bitter as death. The Lady Brunhild hath told me a tale of venomous breath, Even this, that thou hast vaunted that thou in bridal bed First didst embrace her. Of Kriemhild thy wife is this thing said."

Made answer the hero Siegfried: "If Kriemhild hath said this thing, I will take no rest or ever she rue her slandering! Yea, and thereof will I clear me in presence of all thy lords By the faith of my solemn oath-plight, that never I spake such words."

Answered the Lord of Rhineland: "Give that assurance thou. Let the oath that thou hast tendered be spoken before these now. So shalt thou of treacherous dealing be acquitted, and stand without stain." Then made they the proud Burgundians in a ring draw round these twain. His hand stretched Siegfried the dauntless to the hand of the King to swear; But Gunther spake: "Thine utter guiltlessness here I declare Out of mine heart's assurance. Thou goest of this charge free. That whereof Kriemhild accused thee never was done of thee."

Then yet again spake Siegfried: "And if ever my wife reap joy Of her sowing for Lady Brunhild this seed of heart-annoy, This unto me of a surety shall be nought but measureless grief." Then looked on each other the good knights with faces of glad relief. "So must men's wives be governed," again spake Siegfried the thane, "That from all such arrogant speeches they may for ever refrain. Thou then to thy wife forbid them; this likewise to mine will I. For such overweening railing I take shame verily."

But by reason of words once spoken fair ladies held them apart. And the Lady Brunhild sorrowed with such sore anguish of heart That in all her affliction afflicted were Gunther's vassal-train. Then went in Hagen of Troneg to commune with the Queen of her pain. And he asked of her what ailed her, that weeping he found her there; And she told him the shameful story. A grim oath straightway he sware: "For this shall the lord of Kriemhild to the uttermost atone, Or never hereafter joyance by Hagen shall be known!"

Joined in their plotting were Gernot and Ortwein, Metz's lord. "Death unto Siegfried!" the heroes counselled with one accord. Then Giselher, child of Uta, did these into council take; But swiftly against their sentence the lad true-hearted spake: "Alas, good knights, now wherefore would ye do so black a deed? Never such ruthless hatred hath Siegfried earned for meed

That e'er he should pay you forfeit of the precious life for this! By very nothings enkindled is the wrath of a woman, I wis." "Shall men say that we rear his bastards?" cried Hagen savagely: "It should bring right little honour unto good knights such as we! The name of our Lady belovèd hath he blasted with arrogant breath! If his life for the slander atone not, myself will die the death!"

Then the King's self spake: "Nay, nothing hath he done to us unto this day Save lovingkindness and honour: let him therefore live, I say. What boots it that I should harbour hatred of this good knight? Loyally aye hath he helped us, and hath had therein his delight." Then the Knight of Metz, Lord Ortwein, made answer passion-hot: "Though passing-great be his prowess, it shall verily help him not: I will wreak on him deadliest vengeance, so my Lord will but suffer me." So the heroes imagined mischief against him causelessly.

Yet further went none with the matter, save that Hagen ever and aye In season and out of season, still unto Gunther would say: "If but Siegfried live no longer, lordships many shall come Under thine hand." The spirit of the King was wrapped in gloom. But awhile the matter rested. Men jousted even as before: Strong spear-shafts many they shivered from afront of the minster-door Up the broad green space to the palace, escorting Siegfried's wife. But of Gunther's liegemen were many that lowered on the joyous strife.

Spake the King: "Put away for ever the murderous hate ye nurse. He was born to be honour and profit to us, and nowise a curse; Yea also, so battle-resistless is the marvellous hero's hand, That, if aught he divined of your purpose, before him should no man stand." "That shall he never," said Hagen. "Beware thou reveal it not! With secrecy so deadly will I handle the matter, I wot, That to him shall the weeping of Brunhild be Ruin's baleful breath. Evermore unto him shall Hagen be Hate and the Shadow of Death!"