Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1906-10-26


terest and value of the work.
An effort will be made to raise mon
ey for the equipment by entertain
ment or such means and in the mean
time Professor Silloway has kindly
loaned his lantern and shades.
A thorough trial of the scheme VIII
be given. The classes that are expect
ed to receive the greatest benefit from
it are those in history English, latin
zoology, physiology and physical geog-
raphy. The zoology class have been
preparing microscopic slides for use
with the stereoptican. These are used
by means of projection attachments
in connection with the lantern.
The following essay was written by
member of the senior class:
The NibelungenIied.
The Nibelungenlied, the epic poem
of the Germans. was composed during
the twelfth century. 1t was the "out-
come of the vast migration of the peo-
pies who wrecked the Roman empire
and laid the foundation of modern
/ European civilization That great
event was accomplished by many deeds
of heroism which deeply stirred the
] imagination of the people and thus
their fancy began to store away a
! great many legends for the future.
The material furnished by history and
the myths of former age were blend
ed together. making the voice of a
high-hearted and vigorous people
speak conscientiously of its own
worth. Not only the cruelties of a
rude and martial time are pictured
but also the rugged virtues, faithful
ness and loyalty, ornaments Of tn :
Teutonic character. Not only on ac-
count of its poetic and dramatic pow
er but as monument in the history
Of the human race. the Niebelun-
senlied takes rank among the great
national epics of the worlds literature
For two centuries and a half. The
Nibalungenlied lay neglected and for
gotten. This was due to the struggles
through which Germany had to pass.
The last person who took any inter,
est in the Nibelungenleid was the
Emperor Maximillian. who had a man
uscript made of it, During the six
teenth century. there is no mention of
it at all except by few obscure his
torians. It was not until 1856 that the
poem was discovered. The first com
plete edition appeared in 1882 The at
titude of many cultivated readers Ct
the time toward the NibelungenleiG
was that it was entirely worthless.
In 1902 and 1905. a course of lee
lures was given in which the poem
was treated in detail. These lectures
We're not published but Won der Hagen
one of the hearers caught the enthus
iasm of the lecturer and began d
translation of the Leid which was
published in 1907 Soon he was fol
lowed by Lachmann and so it seemed
the Nibelungenlied had "broken forth
in earnest"
The poem is written in middle high
, German and consists of two parts
. the first containing nineteen atlven
lures and the second twenty. The frs
, part is joyous with wooings and wed
! dings. with festal preparations an,
brilliant expeditions until the quarre
of the queens begins the TRACED,
which ends in the death Of Siegfried
The second part is devoted to Krm
, hild's revenge which results in the an
Inhalation Of all her people. But from
the beginning often in the midst o
the festivities the poet warns the read
er of the tragedy in the conclusion
The poem opens with description:
of the fair Kriemhild and the situation
. at the Burgundian court. Kriemhil'
is telling her monther of a dream sh.
has had: falcon which she has train
ed was torn to death by two fierc,
= eagles. Siegfried's death is thus fore
, Swallowed. In the second adventure
Siegfried is introduced. He has hear
, of Kriemhild's beauty and is deter
= mined to win her. Reluctantly hi
parents prepare an elaborate word
robe. He is cordially received by tn
. Burgundians whom he assists in
war against the Saxons. He grows pol
. ular and all seek to do him honor
kriemhild's shy growing interest Il
the handsome stranger is delicatel
, indicated For whole year he doe
not reveal his purpose; not until Gun
Their is seized with desire to Wi
and wed kriemhild, the strong mai
, en- of the north. This is perilou
enterprise, for every wooer must meo
her in various trials of strength an
if unsuccessful lose his life. Siet
a fried promises to aid Gunther if i
i return he shall receive kriemhild TO
n his wife. They undertake the journe
to lssland; and Siegfred, rendered IL
visible by his cloudlike cloak enable
Gunther TO overcome Brumhild. H
a then procures thirty thousand of hi
ii own NlDelunSlers as royal retinu
and at worms there are soon two brio
:. al couples. Siegfred and Kriemhil
are radantly happy but Gunther
r. dliflculties are not yet ended Sic;
Ia fried's supernatural power is agai
n. required to subdue the fierce northeT
q. maiden 10 her husbands will. Th
III
: fried Wrests from Brumhild he give
ID to kriemhild.. The tragedy is now i
If train. At the portals of the cathedr;
OF Worms, rises an unfortunate qua
Nv rel between the TWO high-hearte
N queens. Each asserts the superlorit
- OF her own husband and claims pr
IN cedence. In an unguarded moment
wrath kriemhild reveals 10 her riv
: what it was that subdued her and di
a. plays the girdle and the ring Tt
! clouds begin 10 gather over the seen
* / ne Gays Of innocent merry-makir
mr. are past and Siegfried, the imperso
II alton OF sunny serenity ana huma
re- Happiness is doomed Hagen II
Y. SombTe figure who moves through IL
IN poem faithful To none but to mis- kin
av learns from kriemhild the secret
Slegfrl"is vulnerable spot At BruI
a. ma ; lnstigation, but with his oV
coyetous purposes. he treacherous
re- murders Sicgfried AT the solemn fu