When she confided this dream to her
mother, the wise Uta declared that it meant that she would one day wed a
fair prince threatened with a dreadful doom.
"Then I will never wed!" cried Kriemhild. "Better to forego the bliss thou
tellest me attends only the wedded state than to taste the anguish
foretold by my dream." Alas! little could she guess of what the future
held in store for her.
In the wide country of the Netherlands, in the city of Xanten, dwelt the
great prince Siegmund and his wife Sieglind. Their kingdom was wide, their
wealth great, but nothing gave them so much happiness as the renown of
their glorious son Siegfried. Such mighty deeds of valor had he performed
that his fame was already world-wide, though he was but a youth. To Xanten
the fame of the peerless princess Kriemhild had penetrated, and the young
prince declared to his parents his intention of seeking her out in
Burgundy, and wooing her for his wife. All entreaties were in vain; with
but twelve companions, each fitted out with the most gorgeous vestments,
by the care of the queen mother, the haughty prince advanced into
Burgundy.
King Guenther, surprised at the sight of the splendidly attired strangers,
called one after another of his knights to inform him who they were. None
knew, until Hagan was at last called because he was familiar with the
warriors of every land.
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