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Updated: May 26, 2025
The quarrel arose from the fact that, according to ancient law, Siegfried acquired with the sword the rights of the first born, which the brothers, however, refused to accord to him. "Balmung". In the older Norse version and in the "Thidreksaga" Siegfried's sword bore the name of Gram.
The king sat beside his wife in good hope, for he minded Siegfried's promise. The one day seemed to him as thirty, for he thought only on Brunhild. Scarce could he wait till they rose from the table. Fair Kriemhild and also Brunhild were led to their chambers. Ha! what bold knights went before the queens! Joyful and without hate Siegfried the knight sat sweetly beside his beautiful wife.
The horses were led out for Siegmund's men, for they were ready to ride back to the land of the Nibelungs; and their harness was laid on the sumpters. Then went Siegmund to Kriemhild, and said to her, "Siegfried's men wait by their horses. Let us away, for it irketh me here by the Burgundians." Kriemhild answered, "They that are faithful among my kinsfolk counsel me to abide here with them.
It catches Siegfried's attention; he listens. "You sweet little bird," he at last addresses the singer up among the branches, "I never heard you before. Is your home here in the forest?..." The thought occurs to him, so natural to the simple: "Could I but understand the sweet babbling, certainly it would tell me something perhaps about the dear mother!"
The fame of Siegfried's court ceased not to be noised abroad, and with what worship his knights abode there; great was the fame also of Gunther's chosen warriors in Burgundy. The Nibelungs held their land in fee from Siegfried, and none of his kinsmen were so rich as he. For he was overlord to the knights of Shilbung, and owned the treasure of the two brothers.
The full story of Siegfried's ancestry is far too long to relate here, and does not especially concern us, as it has little or no influence on the later development of the story. It is sufficient for our purpose to know that Siegfried was the son of Siegmund, who was slain in battle before the birth of his son.
I have known the day when his kin were the mightiest kings of earth, and they fared through every land the noblest men of men-folk." The taunting word, the jeering tones, made Siegfried's anger rise. The blood boiled in his veins; but he checked his tongue, and mildly answered, "It is true that I am a prince, and my father is the wisest of kings; and it is for this reason that I come thus to you.
Loud rang the keen swords in the hands of the heroes of the Netherland, when they rode with their lord into the fray. They rode with Siegfried like good knights. None from the Rhine kept pace with him. By reason of Siegfried's hand streams of blood ran from bright helmets, till that he lit on Ludgast amidst of his men. Thrice he pierced through the army of the Saxons, and thrice returned.
And they blew a blast on a horn, that told the king was at the tryst-fire. Said one of Siegfried's huntsmen, "I heard the blast of a horn bidding us back to the camp. I will answer it." And they kept blowing to assemble the company. Siegfried bade quit the wood. His horse bare him smoothly, and the others pricked fast behind.
His own bride this latter will bring for him to the Rhine, but to me he will bring the Ring! You frank good fellows, light-hearted companions, sail cheerfully on! Abject though he may seem to you, you are yet his servants the servants of the Nibelung's son!" The curtain closes. When it reopens we see the scene once more of Siegfried's and Brünnhilde's leave-taking.
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