One moment the unhappy queen was accusing
herself for revealing her husband's secret; again she was vowing revenge
against Hagan, and at another time she reviled the traitorous Guenther.
When her father-in-law Siegmund returned home, she would not go with him,
but remained near the body of her husband, under the protection of her
brothers Gernot and Giselher and in the company of her mother.
Kriemhild, living in joyless state in her lonely palace, was at last
induced to speak to Guenther and pardon him. The pardon granted, Guenther
and Hagan at once plotted to have the Nibelungen hoard, Siegfried's
morning-gift to Kriemhild, brought to Worms. Never before was such a
treasure seen. Twelve huge wagons, journeying thrice a day, required four
nights and days to carry it from the mountain to the bay. It consisted of
nothing but precious stones and gold, and with it was the magic
wishing-rod. It filled Kriemhild's towers and chambers to overflowing, and
won many friends for the queen, who distributed it liberally.
When the envious Hagan could not induce Guenther to take the treasure from
Kriemhild, he selected a time when the king and his brothers were away
from home, and seizing the treasure, cast it into the Rhine, hoping to get
it again. In this he failed, so the great treasure was forever lost.
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