“’Into this same country we well may come again

To seek and find the traitor who laid our master low. 
Among the kin of Siegfried they have many a mortal foe.’”

          
                                                                Nibelungenlied (Lettsom’s tr.).

[Sidenote:  The Nibelungen hoard.] Eckewart the steward alone remained with Kriemhild, with a faithfulness which has become proverbial in the German language, and prepared for his mistress a dwelling close by the cathedral, so that she might constantly visit her husband’s tomb.  Here Kriemhild spent three years in complete seclusion, refusing to see Gunther, or the detested Hagen; but they, remembering that the immense Nibelungen hoard was hers by right, continually wondered how she could be induced to send for it.  Owing to Hagen’s advice, Gunther, helped by his brothers, finally obtained an interview with, and was reconciled to, his mourning sister, and shortly after persuaded her to send twelve men to claim from Alberich, the dwarf, the fabulous wealth her husband had bestowed upon her as a wedding gift.

“It was made up of nothing but precious stones and gold;
Were all the world bought from it, and down the value told,
Not a mark the less thereafter were left than erst was scor’d. 
Good reason sure had Hagen to covet such a hoard.

“And thereamong was lying the wishing rod of gold,
Which whoso could discover, might in subjection hold
All this wide world as master, with all that dwelt therein. 
There came to Worms with Gernot full many of Albric’s kin.”

          
                                                                  Nibelungenlied (Lettsom’s tr.).

But although this wealth is said to have filled nearly one hundred and fifty wagons, Kriemhild would gladly have given it all away could she but have seen her husband by her side once more.  Not knowing what else to do with it, she gave away her gold right and left, bidding all the recipients of her bounty pray for Siegfried’s soul.  Her largesses were so extensive that Hagen, who alone did not profit by her generosity, and who feared the treasure might be exhausted before he could obtain a share, sought out Gunther and told him that Kriemhild was secretly winning to her side many adherents, whom she would some day urge to avenge her husband’s murder by slaying her kindred.

[Illustration:  SIEGFRIED’S BODY BORNE HOME BY THE HUNTSMEN.—­Pixis.]

While Gunther was trying to devise some plan to obtain possession of the hoard, Hagen boldly seized the keys of the tower where it was kept, secretly removed all the gold, and, to prevent its falling into any hands but his own, sank it in the Rhine near Lochheim.

“Ere back the king came thither, impatient of delay,
Hagen seized the treasure, and bore it thence away. 
Into the Rhine at Lochheim the whole at once threw he! 
Henceforth he thought t’enjoy it, but that was ne’er to be.