Their swords and shields were brought, their steeds were ready at a call,

But without gifts they must not leave the hospitable hall.

First to the bold Gernot, a gentle prince and brave,
A sword of trusty temper the noble Rudiger gave :
How little thought the host that, beneath a cruel blow
From the weapon he had given, he must suddenly fall
low!

'Of all the armour that I see,' said Haco, 'here to-day, There is one piece which I should love to carry hence

away;

If it might be, 'twould give me joy to own that splendid shield

Which the noble hero Nodung bore so often in the field.'

The gentle wife of Rudiger shed suddenly a tear ;
For 'twas her father's armour, and for his sake was dear;
But she took it from the wall, and at once to Haco gave :
Said she, 'It shall not rust—let it still protect the brave.'

Not long after leaving the hospitable Rudiger, Gunther reached the court of the Gothic King Dietrich, an ally of Etzel's, who warned the Burgundians of the dangers which awaited them, for Dietrich more than suspected that Kriemhilt had not forgotten her vow of vengeance for the death of Siegfried. The court of the king of the Huns is at length reached; but here their reception was cold, and altogether unlike the friendly welcome they had received at the hands of Rudiger.

'Receive your friends and brothers well!' to Kriemhilt Etzel said;

'Be merry with the living, and forget for aye the dead!'

But Kriemhilt from a window looked with a gloomy face, As she saw once more the heroes of the bold Burgundian

race;

And while King Etzel smiled with joy, as all the band came nigh,

The queen looked out on Haco with a stern and cruel

eye.

Then to the Hunnish warriors that near her stood she said: 'Here come the men beneath whose hands my hero Siegfried bled;

My time of vengeance now is nigh, my story I have told, And all who fight for me shall share the Nibelungen gold.'

Haco observed that the queen gave a friendly welcome only to Prince Geiselher, her brother, who was known to have been always sincerely attached to her; and the Burgundian champion, binding his helmet tightly on his head, went forth to the courtyard and spoke to Volker, the Burgundian minstrel, regarding their suspicious reception. While thus conversing, Kriemhilt came out and began to accuse and revile Haco for the murder of Siegfried, which he did not or would not palliate, but rather sought to justify by saying that his queen, Brunhilt, had been insulted, and that he

did it to vindicate her honour. While speaking thus, Haco held across his knees the sword of Siegfried, the famous Balmung, which Kriemhilt immediately recognised, and this helped still further to inflame her anger. The queen then inquired of him if he had brought her the Nibelungen treasure, when Haco bluntly answered that they had enough to do to bring their swords and shields, and that the treasure lay beneath the waters of the Rhine. Kriemhilt, thus baffled, retired from her wordy contest with the Burgundian, but soon after proposed that the newly-arrived guests should put off their armour, and give their swords and shields into the keeping of their hosts, according to the custom of those days; but Haco declined to give up his, and urged his companions to retain theirs also, and so be prepared for any assault which might treacherously be made upon them. When night came, neither Haco nor Volker the minstrel retired to rest; while the others slept they kept guard as sentinels before the hall, and Volker, foreshadowing their fate, took his instrument and sang a farewell to life, the death-song of the Burgundians. The night, however, passed in quietness, and some days elapsed without any actual outbreak of tumult, though all saw it could not long be delayed.

The queen at first limited her vengeance to the death of Haco, and urged upon Etzel and Dietrich to take his life; but both declined to act so basely towards an invited guest. At the close of a tournament one day a banquet was to follow, and Kriemhilt arranged for an attack upon Gunther's followers in another part of the castle while the banquet proceeded, at which she made her appearance in apparent friendship to Gunther and Haco, who were both present. While they were feasting together, a warrior suddenly rushed in and called to Haco that they were betrayed, for the Huns were slaying the Burgundians. Haco at once caused the door of the banquet-hall to be shut, and then, reproaching Kriemhilt for her treacherous spirit, struck off the head of her child as it sat upon her knee. A general combat appeared to be imminent, when Dietrich called out that he was not responsible for what had happened elsewhere, and then left the hall with Kriemhilt and Etzel. The struggle commenced, and proved a deadly one-body after body of men entering the hall, but they were as rapidly slaughtered by the infuriated Burgundians and their corpses flung out of the windows.

The queen became now more resentful than ever, refusing to listen to any of the requests to relinquish her

revenge, though earnestly entreated by her favourite brother Geiselher

'My sister, once so kind,

Can all the love that I have shown have vanished from your

mind?

Why should you bring me from the Rhine to perish in this

strife?

What have I done that you should seek to take away my life?'

Then said the queen, 'Dear Geiselher, you know, of all your clan,

My lasting hate is only fixed upon that fatal man

Who has my husband and my child so traitorously slain. Surrender Haco, or your prayers must ever be in vain.'

She then ordered the hall in which were Haco and his friends to be set on fire, and just at this time Rudiger arrived, expecting to find a scene of festivity, but found nothing but strife and woe. Etzel requested Rudiger to put an end to the combat by slaying Haco: loyalty and friendship were at variance in his breast on receiving this command, but at last he gathered together his followers and marched to the scene of conflict. When Rudiger appeared Gunther thought he came as a friend; but after many expressions of regret at the duty he was compelled unwillingly to perform, Rudiger told them they would have to defend themselves, and gave the command to his followers.