The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-09-18

were games and Tournaments and balls
and what passed for afternoon teas ir
those early days, at which the fair maid
ems and plump matrons attended In al
their finery. with their company manners
and most bewitching smiles.
But no maiden could stir the proud
heart of young siegfried. And yet he be.
gan to rather long for some fair damsel
to share his greatness and minister to
his self-esteem with daily and hourly
flattery. Taking 1t all In all, Siegfried
was a coward, a cad and snob. He
showed he was a coward because he
sought fight knowing that he was IN
vulnerable; ne was cad because he
was a boaster and a liar and selfish in
the extreme; he was a snob because he
well, just because he acted like snob
whenever the opportunity was given him.
But Siegfried was a hero of antiquity;
untold thousands have yawned or talked
scandal in modern times while the story
of his deeds was being portrayed upon
the stage and his history sung in mystic
numbers. Therefore, as we cannot reach
back through the centuries to spank the
disagreeable boy and send him to bed,
we must accept him as national hero
and the Nbeiungenlied as a national
| epic.
About this time rumors began to reach
the Netherlands of the beauty and worth
| of the royal Kriemhide, only sister OF
the three kings OF Burgundy-Gunther.
Gernot and Giselher. The fame of this
| royal paragon spread throughout the
world, and not a month passed but some
sutton of wealth and rank came riding
| with his attendant knights into her
brothers capital of Worms on the Rhine
to seek her hand, Kriemhilde was as
| much annoyed by the multitude OF her
suitors as she would have been had she
had none-for not one of the aspirants
| for her hand filled the bill. She was a
proud young lady and declared, like
many other young ladies, that she would
only give her hand where she could give
her heart
Travellers and troubadours told the
story Of the beauty and the pride of the
royal maiden at the court of Siegmund.
SieErried listened and made his resolve.
All the most valiant and most noble of
the royal and princely bachelors of Eu-
rope had tried for the lady's hand and
failed. But he-Siegfried-had not tried.
He would go and win her. This he an
nounced in his socksure manner to his
father and mother and set out. His
father offered to give him a following of
some 5000 knights, but the superior youth
declined with thanks. He would take
Il knights with him and no more; these
we're simply for a suitable escort-he
would do the rest. And he did.
| When he arrived at Worms the royal
brothers, knowing the rataI destinations
of the young hero carefully kept their
sister out of the way of siegfried and he
spent a whole year at the court of Bur-
gundy and yet had no glimpse of the
maiden he had come to captivate. When
the year was drawing to its close the
Burgundian court was stirred by tidings
of war Ludegar, King of the Saxons,
and Ludegast, King of the Danes. were
preparing war against the kingdom OF
the three brothers. herald came from
the allied monarchs saying that within
u weeks the allies would pitch their
camp in Worms. There was an old
knight at the Burgundian court, Hagen
| by name, man of sour disposition, who
hated Siegfried, but was perfectly con-
scious of the youths great merits. Ha-
gen advised that the heir Of the Neither
lands be called into counsel. 1t was so
done and the modest youth said: Leave
it to me. The foe will never see your
country. Watch me-"
So he took his IL knights and three or
four Burgundians. just for appearance
sake, and went forth. OF course. he SIM
ply annihilated the army of the allies,
and returned In triumph to Worms. As
reward for thus having saved the
kingdom Slegfried was taken to Kriem-
hide. Naturally the naughty young
| lady fell In love with the young hero at
| first sight. But Siegfried, though SO
brave in battle. where he knew he could
not be hurt, was less valiant when it
came to wooing. and minated to the
royal brothers that he thought 1t time
for him to go home. But the three
kings begged him to stay on-and he con-
| scented.
| Soon after King Gunther, eldest Of the
three brothers. decided that he would
take a wife. And no woman would he
| have but the fierce and man-like Brun-
hide, Queen of Iceland. Siegfried strong
| ly advised Gunther against the undertake
| ing of such an enterprise. Many strong
and brave king had come to Iceland WOO
ing that Queen, and had never been heard
of more. She was stronger than four OF
the strongest men, and when sutton ar
rived In her domains and asked for her
hand Brunhilde said: Certainly, 1 will
be your wife IL you can compete with
me in feats Of strength. If you fail your
head shall pay the forfeit" And SO far
the forfeit had always been paid.
! But Gunther was self-willed and said In
reply to those who tried to persuade him
not to venture upon such a perilous WOO
| ing: THE woman is not born that I can
not master, easily and slngle-handed. "
That wise old fox Hagen said: well, my
lord, the king. IL you will indeed go on
this adventure, let me entreat you 10
take along the noble siegfried to your
help" IT will go with you," said Sieg-
fried, III you will promise me as my re-
ward the hand of your sister, Kreim-
hide, in marriage upon our successful
return"
So 1t was arranged and the king set
like sensible man. was for going with
a small army. but the superior Siegfried
said: mo. let us do this thing In true