enounced all pleasure
at his death. To the earth she sank, not a word she spake, and here they
found lying the hapless fair. Passing great grew Kriemhild's woe. After
her faint, she shrieked, that all the chamber rang. Then her meiny said:
"Perchance it is a stranger knight."

The blood gushed from her mouth, from dole of heart; she spake: "'Tis
Siegfried, mine own dear husband. Brunhild hath counseled this and Hagen
hath done the deed."

The lady bade them lead her to where the hero lay. With her white hand
she raised his head, and though it was red with blood, she knew him
soon. There lay the hero of the Nibelung land in piteous guise. The
gracious queen cried sadly: "Oh, woe is me of my sorrow! Thy shield is
not carved with swords, thou liest murdered here. Wist I who hath done
the deed, I'd ever plot his death."

All her maids made mourn and wailed with their dear lady, for they
grieved full sore for their noble lord whom they had lost. Hagen had
cruelly avenged the wrath of Brunhild.

Then spake the grief-stricken dame: "Go now and wake with haste all
Siegfried's men. Tell Siegmund also of my grief, mayhap he'll help me
bewail brave Siegfried."

A messenger ran quickly to where lay Siegfried's warriors from the
Nibelung land, and with his baleful tidings stole their joy. They could
scarce believe it, till they heard the weeping. Right soon the messenger
came to where the king did lie. Siegmund, the lord, was not asleep. I
trow his heart did tell him what had happed. Never again might he see
his dear son alive.

"Awake, Sir Siegmund; Kriemhild, my lady, bade me go to fetch you. A
wrong hath been done her that doth cut her to the heart, more than all
other ills. Ye must help her mourn, for much it doth concern you."

Siegmund sat up; he spake: "What are fair Kriemhild's ills, of which
thou tellest me?"

Weeping the messenger spake: "I cannot hide them from you; alas, bold
Siegfried of Netherland is slain."

Quoth Siegmund: "For my sake let be this jesting and such evil tales,
that thou shouldst tell any that he be dead, for I might never bewail
him fully before my death."

"If ye will believe naught of what ye hear me say, then you may hear
yourself Kriemhild and all her maids bewailing Siegfried's death."

Siegmund then was sore affrighted, as indeed he had great need, He and
a hundred of his men sprang from their beds and grasped with their hands
their long sharp swords. In sorrow they ran toward the