Siegfried

• My Noble Falcon

• Wooing of Brunhild

• Death of Siegfried

• Treasure of the Nibelungs

My Noble Falcon

It began with Kriemhild having a dream. Kriemhild was the beautiful daughter of King Dancrat (Guiki) of Burgundy and Uote (Grimhild). She had three brothers, Gunther (Gunnar), Gernot and Giselher, who ruled and shared the kingdom between them.

Kriemhild dreamt of a beautiful falcon which was torn apart by two eagles. The dream upset her and she told her mother Uote. Uote interpreted that the falcon represented her husband. However, Kriemhild was still young, and was not interested in falling in love with any man.

While at Xanten, a city within the kingdom of the Netherlands, Siegfried was newly knighted. There was a great celebration because Siegfried was the son of King Siegmund and Sieglind (Hjordis). Siegfried, hearing of Kriemhild's great beauty, decided to woo her. Siegfried's parents were happy with their choice, because they did not trust Kriemhild's three brothers, particularly Hagen, Gunther's powerful vassal. Siegfried won the right to win the girl through his prowess and deeds.

Siegfried arrived with his twelve companions at the Burgundians' capital on the Rhine, called Worms. Only Hagen recognised the young hero.

Hagen told Gunther how Siegfried had won treasure from the Nibelungs, two brothers and mighty princes named Schilbung and Nibelung. Siegfried had killed Schilbung and Nibelung, and had captured seven hundred men of Nibelungland. Then the hero had wrested the cloak of darkness from Alberich, the treasurer of the Nibelungs. This cloak was called Tarnkappe, and it would make its wearer invisible. Siegfried became the lord of the Nibelungs' land (Nibelungland).

Hagen also told of how Siegfried had killed a dragon and bathed in its blood. His body became invulnerable because of the dragon's blood. Siegfried had only one vulnerable spot in his body, like the Greek hero Achilles. As he was soaked in the dragon's blood, a large leaf fell and landed between Siegfried's shoulder blades. Only this area was untouched by the dragon's blood. This was the only vulnerable spot on his body.

Hagen told Gunnar that he would gain a great and powerful ally if he befriended Siegfried. So Gunther and his brothers set about winning Siegfried's friendship.

Siegfried stayed with Gunther in Worms. The young hero attended the functions and festivals in Burgundy with Gunther and his brothers. Kriemhild only saw the brave warrior from a distance. She fell in love with Siegfried, but the two had not yet been properly introduced until a year later.

When news broke out that the Saxons and the Danes were making war against Burgundy, Siegfried decided to aid Gunther. Liudeger was the king of Saxony, while his brother named Liudegast was the king of Denmark. The combined Saxons and Danish armies had the strength of sixty thousand men, while Gunther's force was no more than a thousand strong. Siegfried advised that Gunther should stay in Worms while the young guest led the Burgundian army.

Siegfried was the best warrior in the war. In his reconnaissance, Siegfried captured Liudegast and killed twenty-nine Danish knights. Siegfried allowed one survivor to return to the Danish camp with the news of their king's capture.

In the battle that followed, Siegfried fought his way through enemy ranks until he reached King Liudeger of Saxony. They fought until Liudeger recognised the image on Siegfried's shield. Upon seeing it, Liudeger surrendered himself to Siegfried.

Liudeger and Liudegast became prisoners of war, and were shipped to Worms as hostages. Gunther treated his enemy kings magnanimously. A large celebration was held for their victory. After a period, Gunther released Liudeger and Liudegast when they agreed to become his vassals.

Wooing of Brunhild

During the victory celebration, Siegfried for the first time met Kriemhild. It was Gernot who thought that they would benefit from a marriage between Siegfried and Kriemhild.

Siegfried enjoyed Kriemhild's company for days. The hero and the maiden fell deeply in love. Siegfried would do anything for Kriemhild's brothers to win her favour.

When Gunther heard of the great beauty of Brunhild, Queen of Iceland, the Burgundian king wished to set out to win her. Siegfried advised Gunther against this, because he was aware of the queen's great strength. All of her suitors who had wooed her had met their deaths when she had defeated them in a contest.

Hagen advised Gunther to take Siegfried with him. Siegfried agreed to help Gunther win Brunhild, in return that the hero was allowed to marry Kriemhild.

Siegfried advised Gunther and everyone else to pretend that Siegfried was a vassal to Gunther when they were in the presence of Brunhild.

When they arrived at Isenstein, Brunhild's stronghold in Iceland, the warrior queen immediately recognised Siegfried. She thought that Siegfried had come to woo her. Brunhild seemed willing to marry Siegfried because he was the strongest and bravest warrior in the world. She thought that Siegfried would be a more worthy husband than any of the other men who had wooed her.

Brunhild was terribly disappointed when Siegfried proclaimed that he was Gunther's vassal, and that it was Gunther who had come to woo her. Brunhild only agreed to marry him if Gunther could defeat her in a contest. Brunhild's words angered Gunther and Hagen. Siegfried told Gunther that he would help him through his ordeal.

Gunther had to face Brunhild's spear. Then the Rhenish king would have to throw a boulder as far as he could, but he must also jump further than the boulder that he would throw.

Gunther and his followers were quite dismayed at the size of her spear and the boulder that he would have to throw. The poet informed the readers that even twelve ordinary men could barely lift the stone.

When the contest began, Siegfried wore his cloak of invisibility and fought for Gunther. Brunhild threw her large, heavy spear at Gunther. Siegfried, holding the shield for Gunther, caught the spear. The king and hero would have been skewered had they not been protected by Siegfried's magical cloak. Yet blood spurted from his mouth, where the spear had struck Siegfried.

Siegfried hurled Brunhild's spear back at the queen, but with the spear-point reversed, so that only the blunt end of the spear struck Brunhild. Brunhild was knocked down to the ground, but was uninjured. She immediately leaped to her feet. Not knowing of the deception, she praised Gunther for his strength.

Then Brunhild easily lifted the large rock and hurled the boulder as far as she could. At the same time she released the boulder she leaped after the stone. The stone landed at a great distance, but she easily leapt further than the stone. Gunther and his followers were amazed and afraid of her great strength.

Gunther then pretended to lift and throw the stone. It was Siegfried who threw the stone, even at a greater distance than Brunhild. Siegfried then leaped after the stone, carrying Gunther with him. They flew past the stone.

Brunhild was angry that she had lost the contest, but conceded that she would marry Gunther. However, she refused to leave until she had gathered her vassals and had given out some of her wealth.

Hagen and the others feared that she would betray them, since they would be heavily outnumbered by her vassals. Siegfried promised Gunther to gather his men from Nibelungland. Using his magic cloak, Siegfried left Isenstein, found a bark (boat) and rowed across the sea to Nibelungland.

Siegfried had to fight and overcome the gatekeeper and Alberich, the dwarf and treasurer of Nibelungland. Then, Siegfried gathered a thousand of their best warriors and returned to Isenstein.

Brunhild reluctantly left her home for a new home in Worms, with her future husband. A double marriage was arranged, because Siegfried and Kriemhild were to be married on the same day as Brunhild and Kriemhild's brother. Only Brunhild was unhappy at the wedding, because she was still in love with Siegfried.

Siegfried and Kriemhild enjoyed their wedding night, but the same could not be said for Gunther and Brunhild. Not only did Brunhild resist her new husband trying to make love with her; Brunhild easily overpowered Gunther. The new queen bound him with her girdle and suspended him high on the wall peg, while she slept on their bed. Gunther was totally embarrassed by how his wife easily manhandled him.

In the morning, Brunhild released him and threatened to do the same each night, if he tried to make love to her. Gunther regretted that he had ever married her.

When Siegfried found out about Gunther's problem with his new wife, he again promised to help the king.

At night, Siegfried sneaked into Gunther's room. In the darkness of night, Siegfried took the king's place in bed with Brunhild. Brunhild threatened the king with violence and threw Siegfried across the room.

Though stunned by her strength, Siegfried became angry and attacked the queen. They fought one another in the darkness, until Siegfried overcame her. Brunhild was in pain when she surrendered to the hero. Brunhild thought it was Gunther who had bested her.

Before Siegfried left Brunhild, Siegfried foolishly took her gold ring and her embroidered girdle. Gunther then took over Siegfried's place, but had difficulty taking his wife's virginity. However, once Gunther had deflowered Brunhild, her seemingly invincible strength vanished and reduced her power to that of an ordinary woman.

Siegfried returned to his own chamber, and foolishly gave Brunhild's ring and girdle to Kriemhild.

Two weeks later, Siegfried decided to return home with his new wife. In the Netherlands, Siegmund and Sieglind welcomed Kriemhild, and loved the girl like their own daughter. Siegfried and Kriemhild had a son, which they named after her treacherous brother, Gunther.

Siegfried became king of the Netherlands, ruling with his father. Siegfried was also the lord of Nibelungland, and possessed the great hoard of treasure of the Nibelungs. For ten years, Kriemhild lived in happy contentment with her husband. However, that happiness would be short-lived.

Death of Siegfried

In Burgundy, Brunhild was still unhappy with her marriage with Gunther. Brunhild also thought that it was strange that Gunther had allowed Kriemhild to marry Siegfried, whom she believed was a vassal to her husband. She still did not realise the deception of how Siegfried had won her for Gunther.

Brunhild wanted to know the truth about Siegfried's status and persuaded Gunther to invite his sister and Siegfried for the coming festival.

Siegfried returned to Burgundy with his wife and son. His father also attended the festival with them.

In the festival, Gunther treated Siegfried as an equal, which surprised Brunhild. Still thinking that Siegfried was only her husband's vassal; she treated Kriemhild as inferior to her.

This led to quarrels between the two queens. When Brunhild confronted Kriemhild that Siegfried was her husband's vassal, the other queen claimed that Siegfried was not only her brother's equal, but a hero who was stronger and braver than her own brother. Neither queen would back away from their claims.

This finally led to Kriemhild revealing that it was her husband who had overcome Brunhild. Kriemhild also (falsely) believed that her husband had taken Brunhild's virginity. Brunhild was not only angry at her sister-in-law's claim; she was also humiliated and embarrassed. Especially when Kriemhild foolishly revealed the ring and girdle that she had received from Siegfried.

Her quarrel with Kriemhild distressed and shocked the queen, such that she demanded the truth from Gunther. She demanded that Gunther punish Siegfried and Kriemhild. Gunther had no choice but to confront Siegfried.

Siegfried swore that he had never boasted of being Brunhild's first man. Gunther immediately dropped the charges against his brother-in-law.

But this did not satisfy Brunhild's demands for vengeance. Hagen, who did not like Brunhild when they first met, now promised the queen that he was willing to plot Siegfried's downfall.

At first, Gunther was reluctant to turn against Siegfried, since the hero had helped him win his war and his wife for him. But Hagen managed to persuade his king that it was best for Siegfried to die. It seemed that Hagen envied Siegfried's great wealth, power and prowess. Though Hagen was Gunther's best warrior, Hagen was really no match for Siegfried.

First, Gunther would announce a false report that Liudeger and Liudegast were going to invade his land again, and ask Siegfried for aid. A request to which Siegfried readily agreed.

Hagen then went to Kriemhild, to find out if Siegfried had any weakness. Kriemhild, unaware of her brother's henchman's plans for treachery, disclosed that Siegfried's only weakness was a small area on the hero's back, between his shoulder blades. Hagen lied to her, saying that he would protect her husband back in battle. Kriemhild, who was reassured by Hagen's words, told the villain that she would sew a patch on Siegfried's tunic, so that Hagen would know what area to protect.

The day Siegfried was about to set out with the army, Gunther gave another false report that Liudeger and Liudegast had withdrawn all claims to his land. Instead, Gunther invited Siegfried on a hunting trip.

Remembering her dream, Kriemhild had a feeling of foreboding. She failed to persuade Siegfried to stay with her, rather than go hunting with her brother. Kriemhild began to suspect treachery from Hagen and her brother.

During the long day of hunting in the woods, Siegfried killed a bear with his sword. During lunch, Hagen had secretly salted the food, to make Siegfried thirsty. Hagen also ensured that the servants left behind some wine.

Hagen challenged Siegfried to a race to a spring beyond the hills. There, they could drink to quench their thirst. Siegfried eagerly agreed and told them he would give them a chance by carrying all of his equipment and weapons, while Gunther and Hagen could run in their tunics.

Siegfried easily outran his brother-in-law and Hagen, and reached the spring before the two. However, he let Gunther drink first. Siegfried stood his spear and sword against his tree, before taking off his armour.

While Siegfried took a drink from the spring, Hagen quickly hid Siegfried's sword (Balmung) and picked up the hero's javelin. With patch on the hero's tunic which revealed his vulnerable area, Hagen was able to drive the spear unerringly into Siegfried's back, between his shoulder blades. The spear reached Siegfried's heart.

Although Hagen had treacherously stabbed him in the back, Gunther's henchman fled in terror from the mortally wounded hero. In anger, Siegfried leaped to his feet to avenge himself, but could not find his sword. Taking his shield with him, he pursued and caught up with his enemy. Siegfried bashed Hagen with his shield. Without his sword, Siegfried could not kill Hagen.

Soon, Siegfried collapsed from blood loss, apparently dying from his wound. Some of those people who were loyal to the hero mourned for him. Gunther also arrived, wept and mourned for Siegfried. Siegfried rebuked Gunther for his tears, because he knew that his brother-in-law was treacherous.

Hagen did not care if Kriemhild knew of his treachery, and took Siegfried's body back to the palace, setting it at the threshold. When Kriemhild woke up before dawn, one of her servants discovered the body. Kriemhild knew immediately that the body was her husband's.

According to an older manuscript of the Nibelungenlied, Brunhild laughed when she heard Kriemhild's laments, which this poem left out.

Kriemhild was inconsolable over Siegfried's death, and knew that Hagen and Brunhild were responsible for the murder. News soon reached Siegmund of his son's death, who became distraught. The men of Nibelungland swore vengeance.

Kriemhild knew that her father-in-law could not hope to defeat her brothers, and dissuaded him from seeking revenge. Kriemhild told Siegmund that she would exact revenge upon her enemies. She told Siegmund that he must help and arrange a suitable funeral for the hero they loved.

When Gunther went to comfort Kriemhild, she rebuked him for treachery against the man who had helped him win great honour as king.

It was customary that mourners would move around the bier. When Hagen and Gunther appeared before the bier, Siegfried's wound flowed anew, revealing his murderers. Kriemhild accused them of being responsible for her husband's death. Kriemhild did not believe her brother's lie that robbers had killed Siegfried.

After a long funeral, Siegfried was finally buried.

Siegmund knew who was responsible for his son's death, and decided to go home. Siegmund asked his daughter-in-law to come with him to the Netherlands. Kriemhild would still be queen, being Siegfried's wife.

However, her mother and two brothers, Gernot and Giselher, managed to persuade them to stay. Giselher promised to be her protector and offered his own palace as her home. Siegmund was upset that Kriemhild would not leave her family behind. Kriemhild gave her son Gunther to Siegmund to raise, while she stayed with her family.

Unlike the Norse counterpart, such as the Volsunga Saga, Brunhild did not commit suicide at Siegfried's funeral, like Brynhild did at Sigurd's funeral (see Brynhild in Volsunga Saga). After Siegfried's funeral, Brunhild disappeared from the rest of the Nibelungenlied, which I consider to be quite strange.

Treasure of the Nibelungs

Kriemhild lived with her younger brother Giselher, mourning for her brave husband, Siegfried. She continued to go to church as well as regularly visit her husband's grave.

For over three years, she refused to reconcile with her brother Gunther and her enemy Hagen. Hagen, who knew of the fabled treasure of the Nibelungs, convinced his king to take the first step in conciliation with his sister, so they could bring the treasure to Worms, the city of Burgundy.

Gunther's younger brothers, Gernot and Giselher, convinced Kriemhild to make peace with their elder brother (Gunther). Soon, Gunther convinced her of bring the Nibelung treasure to Burgundy. Alberich the Nibelung Treasurer thought that since Kriemhild was Siegfried's widow, then she had the right to the treasure. Beside that, Alberich could protect the gold since Siegfried's cloak of invisible was lost.

Kriemhild became the richest woman in the world. Rather than use the treasure for herself, she continuously gave away the treasure to friends and strangers who visited her.

Her generosity irritated Hagen. Hagen also feared that she would use the treasure to gather followers or an army so she could destroy Hagen and his lord. (Since Gunther's reluctance to punish Hagen in any way for the murder of Siegfried or for stealing her inheritance (the Nibelung treasure), she would one day destroy her brother along with Hagen, to avenge Siegfried's death.)

Hagen complained to his lord, and Gunther rebuked his henchman, saying that the treasure belonged to his sister, which she could do with what she liked. Gunther refused to do anything about it.

So Hagen took matters into his own hands and stole the hoard. To prevent Kriemhild regaining the treasure, he had the entire hoard sunk in the Rhine, near Locheim.

Now Hagen had murdered Kriemhild's husband and stolen her treasure. Though this angered the three Burgundian kings, they did not punish him. Gunther and his brothers also knew of the treasure's location, and swore not to reveal it.

However in the second last chapter (28), Hagen said that the three kings commanded him to sink the treasure in the Rhine. This contradicted this scene.

Once again, Hagen and her brother incurred her wrath.