in them, exalted lady. For my
sake, I pray you, spare these homeless men."

She vowed she'd do it gladly. Then Sir Dietrich left the worshipful
knights with weeping eyes. Later Etzel's wife avenged her grimly; she
took the life of both the chosen heroes. To make their duress worse she
let them lie apart, so that neither saw the other, till she bare her
brother's head to Hagen. Kriemhild's vengeance on both was great enow.

Then the queen went to Hagen. In what right hostile wise she spake to
the knight: "If ye will give me back what ye have taken from me, then ye
may still go home alive to Burgundy."

Grim Hagen answered: "Thou dost waste thy words, most noble queen.
Forsooth I have sworn an oath, that I would not show the hoard, the
while and any of my lords still live; so I shall give it to none."

"I'll make an end of this," quoth the high-born wife. Then she bade her
brother's life be taken. His head they struck off, and by the hair she
bare it to the knight of Troneg. Loth enow it was to him. When sad of
mind the warrior gazed upon his master's head, he spake to Kriemhild:
"Thou hast brought it to an end after thy will, and it hath happed, as I
had thought me. The noble king of Burgundy now lieth dead, and Giselher,
the youth, and Sir Gernot, too. None knoweth of the treasure now save
God and me, and it shall ever be hid from thee, thou fiend."

Quoth she: "Ye have requited me full ill, so I will keep the sword of
Siegfried, the which my sweetheart bare, when last I saw him, in whom
dole of heart hath happed to me through you."

From the sheath she drew it, nor could he hinder her a whit. She planned
to rob the knight of life. With her hands she raised it and struck off
his head. This King Etzel saw, and sore enow it rued him. "Alack!" cried
the lording, "how lieth now dead at a woman's hands the very best of
knights, that ever came to battle or bare a shield! However much I was
his foe, yet it doth grieve me sorely."

Then spake old Hildebrand: "Forsooth it shall not boot her aught, that
she durst slay him. Whatso hap to me, and however much it may bring me
to a dangerous pass, yet will I avenge bold Troneg's death."

Hildebrand sprang in wrath towards Kriemhild. For fear of him she
suffered pain; but what might it avail her, that she shrieked so
frightfully? He dealt the queen a grievous sword-blow, the which did
cut the high-born dame in twain. Now all lay low in death whom fate had
doomed. Dietrich and