IV. The third 12th century versions, of two contemporaneous poets, cir. 1190-1200, in which assonances are almost entirely superseded by rhymes. Extant in several MSS. which fall under two heads:-- 1. MS. A. The Munich manuscript, of which only one single copy exists; this perhaps represents the poem just as this _rédacteur_ left it. It is based on a good and ancient original, but is very carelessly written, and omits (apparently through oversight) a number of strophes. This, the shortest version, was adopted by Lachmann as the basis of his edition. {P. xviii} 2. MS. B. The St. Gall manuscript. This represents the text as modified by later hands in the 13th and 14th centuries. Of this there are numerous copies. It was adopted by Bartsch as the basis of his edition. V. MS. C. The fourth 12th century version, of about the same date as the preceding. It presents the same metrical characteristics, but aims 1. In its matter, at reconciling contradictions and inconsistencies in the original Saga; 2. At establishing a connexion between the _Lied_ and _Lament for the Niblungs_ (a poetically inferior continuation), which it does by a reference in the concluding strophe, and more especially by the insertion of a series of strophes at various points in the text, the tendency of which is to excite and maintain sympathy with Kriemhild, and to present her in the light of a righteous avenger. The author also, in the last line of the poem, changes the title from the original _Nibelungen-nôt_ to _Nibelungen-lied_. Extant in the Donaueschingen manuscript, the additional strophes of which are included in Simrock's modern German version.