Kriemhild at Siegfried's Bier 
 
Emil Lauffer, Artist 
 
 
 
 
  L?RIEMHILD, daughter of Dancrat and sister of Gunther, King of Burgundy.

L        She first married Siegfried, King of the Netherlanders, who was
murdered 
          by Hagan. Thirteen years afterwards, she married Etzel (Attila),
King of 
the Huns. Sometime after her marriage, she invited Gunther, Hagan and others
to 
visit her, and Hagan slew Et~el's young son. Kriemhild now became a perfect
fury 
and cut off the heads of both Gunther and Hagan with her own hand, but was
her- 
self slain by Hildebrand. Till the death of Siegfried, Kriemhild was gentle,
modest 
and lovable, but afterwards she became vindictive, bold and hateful. 
 
         "'Let me have one small pleasure 'mid pains so manifold, 
            The stalely head of Siegfried I would once more behold.' 
            She begged so long, so wailful, that less they could not do 
            Than force the coffin open and give the corpse to view. 
 
          "'So thither they led the lady, where lay the clay-cold dead,

            With her five snowy fingers she raised his stately head, 
            And kissed him lifeless lying; long bending there she stood;

            Her fair eyes for anguish wept o'er him tears of blood. 
 
            "How woeful was their parting! borne was she thence away,

            Walk she could no longer, insensible she lay 
            Through bitterness of sorrow, so lovely and so still, 
            As if Death would have smitten, yet wanted heart to kill."

 
                                    Nibelungen Lied (translation by W. N.
Lettson). 
 
 
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