recious
relic of Germanic Folksepic. A powerful story it is of sin and
suffering: corresponding to the world itself and just as the primitive
mind of a people loves to represent it. The story begins as a lovely
idyll but ends in gloomy tragedy.

The ancient Rhenish town of Worms was during the great migrations the
seat of authority of the Burgundian invaders, an east Germanic stock.
During the glorious reign of King Gunther there appears, attracted by
the beauty of Chriemhild the king's sister, a young hero, Siegfried,
by name. He is himself a king's son, his father Siegmund reigning in
Xanten "nieden by dem Rine." King Gunther receives the fair Recken
into his service as a vassal.

Siegfried, exhibiting the fairest loyalty to his overlord, and
rendered invisible by magic, conquers for him the redoubtable
Brunhild, the proud queen of the island kingdom of Isenland (Iceland)
and compels her to wed King Gunther. As a reward Siegfried receives
the hand of Chriemhild. In the fulness of his heart the hero presents
to Chriemhild as a marriage gift, the Nibelungen Hoard, which he had
gained in his early years from the sons of the king of the Nibelungen
and from Dwarf Alberich the guardian of the treasure.

Joy reigns in the king's court at Worms, but it was not shared by all.
Besides Chriemhild there was another secretly drawn towards the hero,
and in Brunhild's heart the bridal happiness of Chriemhild awakens
such envy that soon no friendly word passes between the women. They
become estranged and one day her bad feeling leads Brunhild to harsh
words. Then alas, Chriemhild gave unbridled licence to her tongue. In
her rash insolence she represents to Brunhild that it was not Gunther
but Siegfried who formerly overcame her. As proof of this she produces
the ring and girdle which Siegfried had taken on that night from the
powerful Brunhild, and which he had presented to Chriemhild. With
fierce haughtiness Chriemhild taunts her opponent with a hateful name
no woman could endure, and forbids her to enter the cathedral.

Brunhild, weeping, informs King Gunther of the contumely heaped upon
her. The king is filled with wrath, and his vassal, the gloomy Hagen,
considers how he may destroy Siegfried avowedly to avenge the Queen,
but secretly for the possession of the Nibelungen Hoard. During a hunt
in the Odenwald Siegfried was treacherously stabbed by Hagen whilst
stopping to drink from a well. The intention was to spread the repor