Siegfried, confronted with Brunhild, denied that he had ever approached her in any unseemly way, and he and Gunther attempted to make peace between their wives.  But all to no avail.  A deadly feud had sprung up between them, which was to end in woe for all.  Hagen swore a great oath that Siegfried should pay for the insult his wife had put upon Brunhild.

The Plot against Siegfried

Now, but four days after, news came to Gunther’s court that war was declared against him.  But this was merely a plot to draw Siegfried from the court and compass his death.  The heroes armed for war, among them Siegfried.  When Hagen bade farewell to Kriemhild she recommended Siegfried to his care.  Now, when Siegfried slew the dragon which guarded the treasure of the Nibelungs, he bathed in its blood and became, like Achilles, invulnerable, save at a spot where a linden leaf had fallen between his shoulders as he bathed, and so prevented contact with the potent stream.  Hagen inquired of Kriemhild the whereabouts of this vulnerable spot, pretending that he would guard Siegfried against treachery in battle; and she, fully believing in his good faith, sewed a silken cross upon Siegfried’s mantle to mark the place.

On the following morning Siegfried, with a thousand knights, took horse and rode away, thinking to avenge his comrades.  Hagen rode beside him and carefully scanned his vesture.  He did not fail to observe the mark, and having done so, he dispatched two of his men with another message.  It was to the effect that the King might know that now his land would remain at peace.  This Siegfried was loath to hear, for he would have done battle for his friends, and it was with difficulty that Gunther’s vassals could hold him back.  Then he rode to Gunther, who thanked him warmly for having so quickly granted his prayer.  Gunther assured him that if need be he would at any time come to his aid, and that he held him the most trusty of all his friends.  He pretended to be so glad that the threat of war was past that he suggested that they should ride hunting to the Odenwald after the bear and the boar, as they had so often done before.  This was the counsel of the false Hagen.

It was arranged that they should start early for the greenwood, and Gunther promised to lend Siegfried several dogs that knew the forest ways well.  Siegfried then hurried home to his wife, and when he had departed Hagen and the King took counsel together.  After they had agreed upon the manner in which they would compass the destruction of Siegfried, they communicated their plans to their comrades.  Giselher and Gernot would not take part in the hunt, but nevertheless they abstained from warning Siegfried of his danger.  For this, however, they paid dearly in the end.

The morning dawned bright and clear, and away the warriors cantered with a clatter of hoofs and a boasting of bugles.

Siegfried’s Farewell to Kriemhild