# The Lay of the Nibelungs/Chapter 19

ADVENTURE XIX.— HOW THE NIBELUNG HOARD WAS BROUGHT TO WORMS.
1101.
Now when the noble Kriemhild a widow thus was made Count Eckewart was with her, and in the land he stay’d With all his men, and daily he served her without fail, And helped his lady often his master to bewail.
1102.
At Worms, hard by the minster, they built for her a hall: ’Twas very wide and lofty, and richly deck’d withal. There, with her own attendants, all joylessly sat she. She loved the church’s service and went there willingly.
1103.
From where her love lay buried, she seldom was away; With sorrow-laden spirit she went there every day. She prayed to God Almighty to keep his soul aright. And faithfully and often bewailéd was the knight.
1104.
Uté and all her women to cheer her aye were fain; Yet was the heart within her so sorely smit with pain, However they might comfort she took not any heed. She had for her belovéd such all-surpassing need,
1105.
As for a well-loved husband no other wife ere found. Thus might one see how virtues in her did much abound . Unto her end she mourn’d him, as long as she had life, And soon a mighty vengeance took valiant Siegfried’s wife!
1106.
So after all this sorrow— ’tis truth—she did abide Until the fourth year’s halving from when her husband died; Nor all this time ’twixt Gunther and her did speech arise, Nor did she once on Hagen, her enemy, set eyes.
1107.
Then Hagen spake, of Tronjé: “Could you not so contrive That you might with your sister in friendly fashion live? That so unto this country might come the Niblung gold: If but the queen were friendly, your gain were manifold.”
1108.
He said: “We must attempt it; my brothers are with her; We’ll beg them so to urge her that she be friendlier, Until at last prevail we that she thereto agree.” Quoth Hagen: “I misdoubt me that that will ever be.”
1109.
He presently bade Ortwein unto her court to go Likewise the margrave Gere: and both of them did so. And Giselher the youthful and Gernot, too, they brought, Who straightway Dame Kriemhilda in friendly wise besought.
1110.
To her the valiant Gernot of Burgundy then said: “Too long hast thou, O Lady, bewail’d thy Siegfried dead! The king to you will swear that by him he was not slain. Still day by day one hears thee so bitterly complain.”
1111.
Said she: “None doth accuse him: ’twas Hagen’s hand that slew; And where he might be stricken from me alone he knew. How could I have believed that such hate to him he bore? More care would I have taken”— the Queen said furthermore—
1112.
“Ere any word of mine had his noble life betray’d: Then little cause for weeping should I, poor wife, have had. No more can I have kindness for those who this have done.” Then Giselher besought her, the brave and comely one.
1113.
“To greet the king I’m willing,” she did at last declare: With his best friends before her one saw him soon appear. But Hagen durst at no time within her presence go His guiltiness well knew he; ’twas he who wrought her woe.
1114.
Since she her hate to Gunther was willing to forswear, ’Twould better have beseem’d him to kiss her then and there. Were’t not that by his counsel her sorrows had been made, He might have met Kriemhilda with boldness undismay’d.
1115.
Ne’er was a reconcilement, when friend by friend was met, More tearfully accomplish’d: her sorrow rankled yet. Save only one amongst them, she pardon’d every one: He ne’er were slain, if Hagen the murder had not done.
1116.
Not very long thereafter they brought it so about That unto dame Kriemhilda the mighty hoard came out Of Niblung-land, and safely was to the Rhine conveyed. It was her wedding dowry, and rightly hers was made.
1117.
’Twas Gernot who went for it, and with him Giselher And eighty-hundred liegemen, who had commands from her To go and fetch the treasure from where it lay unseen, Since Alberich its keeper, with trusty friends, had been.
1118.
Now when they saw the Rhine-men coming the hoard to take, The ever-valiant Albrich unto his comrades spake: “We dare not keep the treasure withholden from her power, Seeing the noble lady can claim it as her dower.
1119.
“Yet never would the matter have come to such a pass, Had we not had,” said Albrich, “the evil luck, alas! The goodly cap of darkness with Siegfried’s self to lose: Which fair Kriemhilda’s husband was ever wont to use.
1120.
“Now evil unto Siegfried hath happen’d since the day That from our hands the hero the Tarnhelm took away, And all this land by conquest did to his service bind.” Then went the treasure-keeper straightway the keys to find.
1121.
At the hill-foot were waiting the Queen Kriemhilda’s men And sundry of her kinsmen; the treasure bore they then Down to the lake-shore, lading their vessel with the same: Then o’er the waves they took it and up the Rhine-stream came.
1122.
Now may you of this treasure a wondrous story hear: It took a dozen wagons it from the mount to bear; Four days and nights they ceased not to carry it away; And each must make the journey, so laden, thrice a day.
1123.
Naught else but gold and jewels within this treasure lay; And had one taken from it what would the whole world pay, ’Twould not have seem’d to eyesight of one mark’s value quit. Ay! Not without some reason did Hagen covet it.
1124.
The gem of all lay lowest— a little rod of gold. Whoever understood it he might the mastery hold In all the world’s dominions, o’er every race of men. Of Albrich’s kinsmen many did follow Gernot then.
1125.
As soon as they had carried the hoard to Gunther’s land, And thus the queen had taken the whole into her hand, The storerooms and the towers were full as they could hold. Never of such vast treasure the marvel hath been told.
1126.
And even were the treasure increased a thousand fold, And she once more might Siegfried in health and strength behold, Gladly to him would Kriemhild have empty-handed gone: For never could a hero a truer wife have won.
1127.
Now that she had the treasure, she brought unto the land Full many a stranger-warrior; in truth the lady’s hand Her bounty gave so largely, the like had ne’er been known. This queen had many virtues: that all the folk did own.
1128.
To poor men and to wealthy she now began to give So much, that Hagen argued: if she perchance should live For long enough, ’twas likely so many would she win To stay there in her service, that ’twould go ill with him.
1129.
King Gunther said: “Her own are her body and estate; What she shall do with either how then can I dictate? Nay, hardly could I compass that she became thus kind. So let both gold and silver go as she hath a mind.”
1130.
But to the king said Hagen: “No prudent man and wise Would leave to such a woman a treasure of this size. In gifts we’ll see her spend it and squander the whole store, And then the bold Burgundians may rue it evermore.”
1131.
Then answer’d him king Gunther: “To her an oath I swore That I to her would never do any evil more; And that will I abide by, for she my sister is.” But thereunto said Hagen: “Let me be blamed for this.”
1132.
The oaths that they had taken they reckon’d all for naught. And from the widow’s keeping the mighty hoard they brought, And quietly did Hagen of all the keys get hold. Wroth was her brother Gernot when he the truth was told.
1133.
Then spake the noble Giselher: “Hagen a deal of ill Hath done unto my sister: reckon with him I will. And were he not my kinsman, “twould stand him in his life.” Then once again to weeping fell Siegfried’s widow’d wife.
1134.
Then up and spake Lord Gernot: “Ere we be troubled aye By reason of this treasure, we’ll take it all away And sink it in the Rhine-stream; then will it no man’s be.” To Giselher her brother then went she woefully.
1135.
She spake: “Belovéd brother, thou must take thought for me; Of both my life and substance the guardian thou shouldst be.” Then spake he to the lady: “This will I undertake When we have home returned: we have a ride to take.”
1136.
The king and all his kinsmen now left their land behind— The best of all were taken that one therein could find— None stay’d save Hagen only; that did he for the hate He bore unto Kriemhilda; with purpose did he wait.
1137.
Before the mighty king came back to his home again, Hagen had meanwhile managed the treasure great to gain. Down in the Rhine at Lochheim he sank it bodily. He hoped yet to enjoy it: but that was not to be.
1138.
The princes came back shortly, and with them many a man. Of her great loss Kriemhilda to make complaint began, And all her maids and ladies: great was their grief, in sooth. Ready with faithful service was Giselher the youth.
1139.
They one and all said: “Hagen hath done us a foul wrong.” Then from the princes’ anger he kept aloof for long, Till he regain’d their favour; and so they left him free: Yet never to Kriemhilda could he more hateful be.
1140.
Before Hagen of Tronjé had hidden thus the hoard, They made a pact together and with strong oaths assured, That it should remain hidden as long as each should live: None for himself should take it, nor to another give.
1141.
So now again with sorrow her heart was desolate: First for her husband’s murder, and now that her estate Had all been taken from her. Thus she became a prey Unto her grief forever until her dying day.
1142.
After the death of Siegfried, as verily appears, With many troubles burthen’d she dwelt for thirteen years; And all the while could never forget the warrior dead. She aye was faithful to him: that all the people said.