red their
tidings, and then spread out before him and his courtiers the raiment
and the gold which Siegfried had bestowed upon them.

Hagen looked upon the gifts, his keen eyes full of greed. 'Well may
the mighty King Siegfried give such gifts,' he said. 'If he were to
live for ever, yet could he not spend the great treasure which he
possesses in the land of the Nibelungs.'

CHAPTER XIV

SIEGFRIED AND KRIEMHILD GO TO WORMS

One fine morning Siegfried and all his fair company set out on their
journey to Rhineland. Their little son they left at the palace in the
Netherlands.

As they drew near to Burgundy, a band of Gunther's most gallant
warriors rode forth to meet their guests. Brunhild also went to greet
the royal company, yet in her heart the hatred she felt for Siegfried
and his wife grew ever more fierce, more cruel.

Gunther rejoiced when he saw the brave light-hearted hero once again,
and he welcomed him right royally. As for Brunhild, she kissed the
Queen of the Netherlands, and smiled upon her, so that the lovely lady
was well pleased with her greeting.

Twelve hundred gallant warriors sat round the banqueting table in the
good city of Worms that day. Then the feast ended, and the travellers
sought their couches, weary with their long journey. The next morning
the great chests which they had brought with them were opened, and
many precious stones, and many beautiful garments were bestowed by
King Siegfried and Queen Kriemhild on the ladies and the knights of
the royal city.

Queen Ute, too, was happy, for now again she might look upon the face
of her dear daughter.

Then a tournament was held, and the knights tilted, while beautiful
damsels looked down upon them from the galleries of the great hall.
And at evensong the happy court would wend its way to the Minster, and
there, the Queens, wearing their crowns of state, would enter side by
side. Thus for eleven days all went merry as a marriage ball.

One evening, ere the Minster bell pealed for vespers, the two Queens
sat side by side under a silken tent. They were talking of Siegfried
and Gunther, their lords.

'There is no braver warrior in the wide world than my lord Siegfried,'
said Kriemhild.

'Nay,' cried Brunhild angrily, 'nay, thou dost forget thy brother,
King Gunther. None, I trow, is mightier than he.'

Then the gentle Kriemhild forgot her gentle ways, and bitter to Queen
Brunhild's ears were the words she spoke.

'My royal