agon's blood from touching that spot.[31]

"So now I'll tell the secret, dear friend, alone to thee
(For thou, I doubt not, cousin, will keep thy faith with me),
Where sword may pierce my darling, and death sit on the thrust,
See, in thy truth and honor how full, how firm my trust!"

Under pretext of protecting this vulnerable point, Hagen persuades
Kriemhild to embroider a cross on her husband's garment over the fatal
spot. Then, sure now of triumphing over this dreaded foe, he feigns
the kings have sent word they will submit, and proposes that instead
of fighting they all go hunting in the Odenwald.

_16th Adventure._ Troubled by strange presentiments, Kriemhild tries
to prevent Siegfried from going to the chase, but, laughing at her
fears, he departs joyfully, although he is never to see her again.
After describing the game slain in the course of this day's hunt, the
poet declares Siegfried captured a live bear and playfully let it
loose in amp, to the horror of his fellow hunters. Then, feeling
thirsty, Siegfried loudly began to call for drink, and, discovering
that owing to a mistake the wine has been conveyed to another part of
the forest, proposes that he, Gunther, and Hagen should race to a
neighboring spring, undertaking to perform the feat in full armor
while his companions run in light undress. Although handicapped,
Siegfried arrives first, but courteously steps aside to allow Gunther
to take a drink, pretending he wishes to remove his armor before
quenching his thirst. But, when he, in his turn, stoops over the
fountain, Hagen, after slyly removing his weapons out of his reach,
steals up behind him and runs a spear into the very spot where the
embroidered cross shines on his doublet. Mortally wounded, Siegfried
turns, and, grasping his shield, hurls it at the traitor with such
force that he dashes it to pieces.

E'en to the death though wounded, he hurl'd it with such power
That the whirling buckler scatter'd wide a shower
Of the most precious jewels, then straight in shivers broke.
Full gladly had the warrior ta'en vengeance with that stroke.

Sinking to the ground after this effort, Siegfried expends his last
breath in beseeching Gunther to watch over his wife. Gazing down at
the corpse, Gunther, afraid to acknowledge so dastardly a deed,
suggests they spread the report that Siegfried was slain by brigands
while hunting alone in the forest. Hagen, however, proud of his feat
does not i