pared to sell their lives as dearly as possible.

Gudrun hastened to meet them with tender embraces, and, seeing that
they must fight, she grasped a weapon and loyally aided them in the
terrible massacre which ensued. After the first onslaught, Gunnar kept
up the spirits of his followers by playing on his harp, which he laid
aside only when the assaults were renewed. Thrice the brave Niblungs
resisted the assault of the Huns, until all save Gunnar and Hoegni had
perished, and the king and his brother, wounded, faint, and weary,
fell into the hands of their foes, who cast them, securely bound,
into a dungeon to await death.

Atli had prudently abstained from taking any active part in the
fight, and he now had his brothers-in-law brought in turn before him,
promising them freedom if they would reveal the hiding-place of the
golden hoard; but they proudly kept silence, and it was only after
much torture that Gunnar spake, saying that he had sworn a solemn
oath never to reveal the secret as long as Hoegni lived. At the same
time he declared that he would believe his brother dead only when
his heart was brought to him on a platter.

"With a dreadful voice cried Gunnar: 'O fool, hast thou heard
it told
Who won the Treasure aforetime and the ruddy rings of the Gold?
It was Sigurd, child of the Volsungs, the best sprung forth from
the best:
He rode from the North and the mountains, and became my summer
guest,
My friend and my brother sworn: he rode the Wavering Fire,
And won me the Queen of Glory and accomplished my desire;
The praise of the world he was, the hope of the biders in wrong,
The help of the lowly people, the hammer of the strong:
Ah, oft in the world, henceforward, shall the tale be told of
the deed,
And I, e'en I, will tell it in the day of the Niblungs' Need:
For I sat night-long in my armour, and when light was wide o'er
the land
I slaughtered Sigurd my brother, and looked on the work of
mine hand.
And now, O mighty Atli, I have seen the Niblung's wreck,
And the feet of the faint-heart dastard have trodden Gunnar's neck;
And if all be little enough, and the Gods begrudge me rest,
Let me see the heart of Hoegni cut quick from his living breast,
And laid on the dish before me: and then shall I tell of the Gold,
And become thy servant, Atli, and my life at thy pleasure hold.'"

Urged by greed, Atli gave imme