she repent it. I swear with a high oath, in the presence of all thy
knights, that I said not this thing."

The king of the Rhine made answer, "So be it. If thou swear the oath
here, I will acquit thee of the falsehood." Then the Burgundians stood
round in a ring, and Siegfried swore it with his hand; whereupon the
great king said, "Verily, I hold thee guiltless, nor lay to thy charge
the word my sister imputeth to thee."

Said Siegfried further, "If she rejoiceth to have troubled thy fair wife,
I am grieved beyond measure." The knights glanced at each other.

"Women must be taught to bridle their tongues. Forbid proud speech to
thy wife: I will do the like to mine. Such bitterness and pride are a
shame."

Angry words have divided many men. Brunhild made such dole, that
Gunther's men had pity on her. And Hagen of Trony went to her and asked
what ailed her, for he found her weeping. She told him the tale, and he
sware straightway that Kriemhild's husband should pay for it, or never
would Hagen be glad again.

While they talked together, Ortwin and Gernot came up, and the warriors
counselled Siegfried's death. But when Giselher, Uta's fair child, drew
nigh and heard them, he spake out with true heart, "Alack, good knights,
what would ye do? How hath Siegfried deserved such hate that he should
lose his life? A woman is lightly angered."

"Shall we rear bastards?" cried Hagen. "That were small honour to good
knights. I will avenge on him the boast that he hath made, or I will
die."

But the king himself said, "Good, and not evil, hath he done to us. Let
him live. Wherefore should I hate the knight? He hath ever been true to
me."

But Ortwin of Metz said, "His great strength shall not avail him. Allow,
O Lord, that I challenge him to his death." So, without cause, they
banded against him. Yet none had urged it further, had not Hagen tempted
Gunther every day, saying, that if Siegfried lived not, many kings' lands
were subject to him.

Whereat the warrior began to grieve.

Meanwhile they let the matter lie, and returned to the tourney. Ha! what
stark spears they brake before Kriemhild, atween the minster and the
palace; but Gunther's men were wroth.

Then said the king, "Give over this deadly hate. For our weal and honour
he was born. Thereto the man is so wonderly stark and grim, that, if he
were ware of this, none durst stand against him."

"Not so," said Hagen. "Assure thee on that sco