There till the night they tarried / and o'er the Rhine they went. By knights in chase might never / more evil day be spent; For the game that there they hunted / wept many a noble maid. In sooth by many a valiant / warrior must it since be paid. 1003 Of humor fierce and wanton / list now and ye shall hear, And eke of direst vengeance. / Hagen bade to bear Siegfried thus lifeless, / of the Nibelung country, Unto a castle dwelling / where Lady Kriemhild found might be. 1004 He bade in secret manner / to lay him there before Where she should surely find him / when she from out the door Should pass to matins early, / ere that had come the day. In sooth did Lady Kriemhild / full seldom fail the hour to pray. 1005 When, as was wont, in minster / the bell to worship bade, Kriemhild, fair lady, wakened / from slumber many a maid: A light she bade them bring her / and eke her dress to wear. Then hither came a chamberlain / who Siegfried's corse found waiting there. 1006 He saw him red and bloody, / all wet his clothing too. That it was his master, / in sooth no whit he knew. On unto the chamber / the light in hand he bore, Whereby the Lady Kriemhild / did learn what brought her grief full sore. 1007 When she with train of ladies / would to the minster go, Then spake the chamberlain: / "Pause, I pray thee now: Here before thy dwelling / a noble knight lies slain." Thereat gan Lady Kriemhild / in grief unmeasured sore to plain. 1008 Ere yet that 'twas her husband / she did rightly find, Had she Hagen's question / begun to call to mind, How might he protect him: / then first did break her heart, For all her joy in living / did with his death from her depart. 1009 Unto the earth then sank she / ere she a word did say, And reft of all her pleasure / there the fair lady lay. Soon had Kriemhild's sorrow / all measure passed beyond: She shrieked, when past the swooning, / that did the chamber all resound. 1010 Then spake her attendants: / "What if't a stranger were?" From out her mouth the heart-blood / did spring from anguish sore. Then spake she: "It is Siegfried / my husband, other none: This thing hath counselled Brunhild, / and Hagen's hand the deed hath done." 1011 The lady bade them lead her / where did lie the knight, And his fair head she raised / with her hand full white. Red though it was and bloody / she knew him yet straightway, As all forlorn the hero / of Nibelungenland there lay. 1012 Then cried the queen in anguish, / whose hand such wealth might wield: "O woe is me for sorrow! / Yet is not thy shield With blow of sword now battered, / but murdered dost thou lie. And knew I who hath done it, / by my counsel should he die." 1013 All of her attendants / did weep and wail enow With their beloved mistress, / for filled they were with woe For their noble master / whom they should see no more. For anger of Queen Brunhild / had Hagen wrought revenge full sore. 1014