! And now, dear cousin, I will
trust thee with the secret, and tell thee, that thou mayst prove thy
faith, where my husband may be wounded. For that I know thee honourable,
I do this. When the hot blood flowed from the wound of the dragon, and
Siegfried bathed therein, there fell atween his shoulders the broad leaf
of a lime tree. There one might stab him, and thence is my care and
dole."

Then answered Hagen of Trony, "Sew, with thine own hand, a small sign
upon his outer garment, that I may know where to defend him when we stand
in battle."

She did it to profit the knight, and worked his doom thereby. She said,
"I will sew secretly, with fine silk, a little cross upon his garment,
and there, O knight, shalt thou guard to me my husband when ye ride in
the thick of the strife, and he withstandeth his foemen in the fierce
onset."

"That will I do, dear lady," answered Hagen.

Kriemhild thought to serve Siegfried; so was the hero betrayed.

Then Hagen took his leave and went forth glad; and his king bade him say
what he had learned.

"If thou wouldst turn from the journey, let us go hunting instead; for I
have learned the secret, and have him in my hand. Wilt thou contrive
this?"

"That will I," said the king.

And the king's men rejoiced. Never more, I ween, will knight do so
foully as did Hagen, when he bade his faith with the queen.

The next morning Siegfried, with his thousand knights, rode merrily
forth; for he thought to avenge his friends. And Hagen rode nigh him,
and spied at his vesture. When he saw the mark, he sent forward two of
his men secretly, to ride back to them with another message: that Ludger
bade tell the king his land might remain at peace.

Loth was Siegfried to turn his rein or had he done battle for his
friends. Gunther's vassals scare held him back. Then he rode to the
king, that thanked him.

"Now, God reward thee, Siegfried, my kinsman, that thou didst grant my
prayer so readily. Even so will I do by thee, and that justly. I hold
thee trustiest of all my friends. Seeing we be quit of this war, let us
ride a hunting to the Odenwald after the bear and the boar, as I have
often done."

Hagen, the false man, had counselled this.

"Let it be told to my guests straightway that I will ride early. Whoso
would hunt with me, let him be ready betimes. But if any would tarry
behind for pastime with the women, he shall do it, and please me thereby."

Siegfried answered o