uld some day urge to avenge her husband's murder by
slaying her kindred.

[Illustration: SIEGFRIED'S BODY BORNE HOME BY THE HUNTSMEN.--Pixis.]

While Gunther was trying to devise some plan to obtain possession of the
hoard, Hagen boldly seized the keys of the tower where it was kept,
secretly removed all the gold, and, to prevent its falling into any hands
but his own, sank it in the Rhine near Lochheim.

"Ere back the king came thither, impatient of delay,
Hagen seized the treasure, and bore it thence away.
Into the Rhine at Lochheim the whole at once threw he!
Henceforth he thought t'enjoy it, but that was ne'er to be.

"He nevermore could get it for all his vain desire;
So fortune oft the traitor cheats of his treason's hire.
Alone he hop'd to use it as long as he should live,
But neither himself could profit, nor to another give."
_Nibelungenlied_ (Lettsom's
tr.).

When Gunther, Gernot, and Giselher heard what Hagen had done, they were so
angry that he deemed it advisable to withdraw from court for a while.
Kriemhild would fain have left Burgundy forever at this fresh wrong, but
with much difficulty was prevailed upon to remain and take up her abode at
Lorch, whither Siegfried's remains were removed by her order.

[Sidenote: King of Hungary a suitor for Kriemhild.] Thirteen years had
passed by since Siegfried's death in the Odenwald when Etzel, King of
Hungary, who had lost his beautiful and beloved wife, Helche, bade one of
his knights, Ruediger of Bechlaren, ride to Worms and sue for the hand of
Kriemhild in his master's name.

Ruediger immediately gathered together a suitable train and departed,
stopping on the way to visit his wife and daughter at Bechlaren. Passing
all through Bavaria, he arrived at last at Worms, where he was warmly
welcomed, by Hagen especially, who had formerly known him well.

In reply to Gunther's courteous inquiry concerning the welfare of the King
and Queen of the Huns, Ruediger announced the death of the latter, and
declared that he had come to sue for Kriemhild's hand.

"Thereon the highborn envoy his message freely told:
'King, since you have permitted, I'll to your ears unfold
Wherefore my royal master me to your court has sent,
Plung'd as he is in sorrow and doleful dreariment.

"'It has been told my master, Sir Siegfried now is dead,
And Kriemhild left a wi