while she entered, and Kriemhild would not. A storm of words
followed. Finally Kriemhild insulted the other queen by declaring that
Brunhild was not a faithful wife.

"You loved Siegfried better than Gunther," she declared. "Here are your
girdle and ring which my husband gave to me." So saying, she displayed
the girdle and ring which Siegfried had unwisely given her when he
confided to her the story of Gunther's wooing.

Brunhild summoned Gunther to defend her, and he sent for Siegfried. The
latter publicly swore that his wife had not told the truth and that
Brunhild had never loved him or he her.

"This quarrel is disgraceful," he said. "I will teach my wife better
manners for the future." Gunther promised to do likewise.

The guests departed, but Brunhild still smarted from the insult and
longed for revenge. Hagen, finding her in tears, undertook to avenge
her. He continually reminded Gunther of the insult his wife had
received. The king at first paid no attention to the insinuations, but
at last he consented to an assault on Siegfried.

He asked the great hero to help him in a war which he pretended his old
enemy Ludeger was about to bring upon him. Siegfried consented, and
Kriemhild, because she loved her husband very deeply, was much
troubled. In her distress she confided to Hagen that Siegfried was
invulnerable except in one spot, between the shoulder blades, where a
lime leaf had rested and the dragon's blood had not touched him.

"Never fear," said Hagen, "I myself will help to protect him. You sew a
tiny cross on Siegfried's doublet, just over the vulnerable spot, that I
may be the better able to shield him."

Brunhild promised to obey his instructions, and Hagen departed, well
pleased, to carry the news to Gunther.

At last the day came for Siegfried to leave his queen. He talked to her
and comforted her and kissed her rosy lips.

"Dear heart," he said, "why all these tears? I shall not be gone long."

But she was thinking of what she had told Hagen, and wept and wept and
would not be comforted.

When Siegfried joined Gunther's party he was surprised to learn that the
rebellion had been quelled and that he was invited to join in a hunt
instead of a fray.

So he joined the hunting party. Now Siegfried was as great a hunter as
he was a warrior, and while the noonday meal was being prepared he
scoured the forest, slew several wild boars, caught a bear alive and in
a spirit of mischief turned him lo