romantic feeling which elevates the fairer and the weaker sex, and which is at once the consequence and the cause of advancing refinement-there is no obedience, no deference, no attention to the ladies, who are indeed frequently more savage than their lovers. The absence of all these milder virtues and romantic feelings establishes the antiquity of the Niebelungen Lay, just as their presence, even without anything else, proves Macpherson's 'Ossian' to be the production of a modern age.

The chivalrous and romantic spirit penetrated into Germany, and began to tincture all the Teutonic literature in the course of the twelfth century, when their brilliant contemporaries, the Troubadours of Provence, and the Trouveurs of Normandy, served as models to the northern minstrels. It was then that the most splendid period of Teutonic poetry commenced. Mr. H. Weber remarks: "For the space of a century and a half, beginning about the middle of the twelfth, and ending with the reign of Rudolph of Hapsburgh, emperors, kings, princes, nobles, monks, and menial minstrels, vied with each other in producing and translating lays of love, romances, fabliaux, chronicles, fables, and sacred legends. The names and works of above 300 minstrels of that period have been preserved."

The Song of the Niebelungen is the most ancient of all the Teutonic metrical romances that have been preserved entire. There are three old manuscript copies of it at St. Gall, Hohenems, and Munich, which were all consulted by the learned Miller, who printed a complete edition of the poem, in a collection of similar works, in the latter part of the last century. As soon as these antique productions became diffused through the medium of the press, they produced a sensible effect on the literature and fine arts of Germany. The painters, in particular, began to seek for subjects and for inspiration in the quaint and striking incidents of the Teutonic romances.

Mr. Weber, to whose learned labours we are indebted for the English translation of this wild romance, opens the story in verse of precisely the same measure as the Teutonic poem. The rest of the translation is partly in poetry, and partly in prose. Chrimhild, the heroine, is thus introduced:

"In ancient song and story marvels high are told,
Of knights of high emprize, and adventures manifold;
Of joy and merry feasting; of lamenting, woe, and fear:
Of champions, bloody battles, many marvels shall ye hear.

"A noble maid, and fair, grew up in Burgundy;

In all the land about, fairer none might be:

She became a queen full high; Chrimhild was she hight;

But for her matchless beauty fell many a blade of might."

This Chrimhild had three brothers, Gunter, Ghernot, and Ghiseler, who were all kings, and anxious to ally their sister to some great warrior;

but she obstinately resisted all such proposals, and vowed she would never marry, because she dreamt one night that a falcon she had trained and nourished, and cherished above all things, was struck down and killed by two fierce eagles. Siegfried, the wonderful hero who was destined to work a change in her resolution, was son of Siegmund, King of Netherland. Hearing of the matchless beauty of Chrimhild, he resolved to go and gain her for his bride, notwithstanding all that was told him of her obstinacy, her brothers' pride, and the savage fierceness of her uncle Haghen. He accordingly went to Worms, where she resided with her brother King Gunter, and instead of taking a formidable army with him, as his father and mother recommended, he would only accept of an escort of twelve knights. But the hero was otherwise well defended, and knew what he was about.

In the course of preceding journeys in search of adventures, he had slain twelve giants, made himself master of an immense treasure, of a magical sword called Balmung, and of a magical tarn-cap that rendered him invisible whenever he put it on. Nor were these all his advantages; for having killed a dragon, or fire-drake, he had bathed in the blood of the monster, "whereby his skin became of a horny consistence, which no sword or other weapon could penetrate." Being advised of these facts, King Gunter thought it wise to entertain him civilly, and Siegfried was allowed to thrash all the warriors of Burgundy in jousting and tournaments, for none could resist his might. Still the sight of the fair Chrimhild was denied him—but at length events favoured his suit. One day the King of Saxony sent to threaten Gunter, her brother, with war and invasion, unless he paid him tribute, and acknowledged himself his vassal. Siegfried seized this opportunity, and offered to go and chastise the Saxons, requiring only 1000 men, although he knew the enemy mustered 40,000, besides giants. This offer was joyfully accepted, and the hero soon returned with the King of Saxony, his ally the "strong King of Denmark," and a host of prisoners in chains, all of whom Siegfried presented to Gunter, as he sat in a balcony of the palace with his sceptre of gold in his hand. In reward for this service, the hero was presented to Chrimhild, who, "though she never before saluted man," kissed Siegfried, when told to do so by her grateful brother. There was now eating and drinking for twelve nights and twelve days, no fewer than 5000 guests and 32 princes royal being assembled at the feast. But Siegfried had other achievements to perform before he obtained his bride, who, however, by this time, dazzled by his heroic merits, had fallen in love with him, and forgotten her ill-omened dream of the falcon.

"This youth he was the falcon she in her dream beheld,
Who by the two fierce eagles dead to the ground was felled;
But since right dreadful vengeance she took upon his foen,
For the death of that bold hero died many a mother's son."

When the feast was over at Worms, tidings came to the court of a queen named Brunhild, who dwelt in a country "far over the sea," called Isonland. Her beauty was matchless, but her fierceness and strength equalled her beauty. She forced every champion who came to woo her to contend with her in throwing the spear, leaping, and casting the stone. Whoever failed in the contest with her, was put to a cruel death for his presumption in attempting it. It was scarcely known how many lovers she had killed already, yet, in spite of such discouraging examples, Chrimhild's brother, the most royal Gunter, determined to try his fortune with her. Siegfried's offer to accompany the king was gladly accepted. Great preparations were made for the journey. "Chrimhild undertook to provide for each three suits of the richest apparel; and with thirty of her virgins she was employed for seven weeks in the task. Their mantles were made of white silk, brought from Arabia, and of green silk from the land of Zazamank, embroidered with many a gem. The covers of the mantles were made of the skins of strange fishes, covered with silk from Morocco and Libya. The choicest ermine was procured, and the heroes were richly adorned with gems set in Arabian gold." Thus apparelled, they embarked in a strong ship," which sailed down the Danube, and on the twelfth day landed them at the "strong castle" of Isenstein, in the land of Brunhild. As soon as that cruel fair one was informed of the motives of King Gunter's coming, she ordered preparations to be made for the trial of strength, and presently came forth in complete armour, with a shield of the thickness of three spans, and of such weight that four of her chamberlains could scarcely carry it. When Haghen, the uncle of Gunter, cast his eyes upon her, he exclaimed, with trepidation:

66

"And how is 't now, King Gunter? Here must you tine your life! (tine, lose. For the lady you would gain, well may be the devil's wife!"

The king, too, felt uncomfortable; and when he saw a mighty spear carried by three knights, and a stone that twelve could hardly lift, "he would fain have been back in his castle at Worms, without the love of Brunhild." But at this critical moment, Siegfried, who had put on his tarn-cap, and was invisible, took Gunter's shield, and, whispering in his ear, told him to imitate the movement he was about to perform. Thus Gunter visibly, and the hero unseen, stood under cover of the shield. Brunhild threw the spear with marvellous force; Siegfried received it on the shield; but such was the shock, that he and his companion were both struck to the ground, and the blood gushed from their mouths. Siegfried, placing his invisible hand before the hand of the king, returned the spear, and knocked her down. Then Brunhild in great wrath heaved up the heavy stone, threw it to an immense distance, and leaped after it, so that "her armour resounded loudly." Siegfried

next seized the stone, and hurled it to a still greater distance; and then, taking Gunter up in his arms, leaped after it. The wrathful beauty fell at the king's feet, and acknowledged he had beaten and won her! At this touching moment Siegfried, who had stepped aside and taken off his tarn-cap, appeared to the eyes of the conquered queen, and with an innocent face asked when the games were to begin. Brunhild told him they were over, at which he expressed great astonishment.

After this amiable courtship, King Gunter was sorely afraid lest his bride should treacherously murder him and his servants; but his fears were no sooner known to Siegfried than that hero volunteered to go to his own dominions in Niebelungen, and return with a thousand choice knights to protect the brother of his dear Chrimhild. Putting on his cap of invisiblity, he went alone aboard the ship, heaved anchor, and sailed away, much to the wonderment of Queen Brunhild's warriors, who saw no mariners in the vessel. The next day he reached a castle on a mountain, in the land of the Niebelungen, where his treasure was deposited, and where he had thirty thousand and more warriors "fast asleep," but all ready (on being awakened) to do his bidding. At this, as in many other parts, the poem runs into an episode of fighting and bone-breaking; but (to keep to the main stream of narrative) Siegfried selects 1000 out of the 30,000 sleepers, and returns with them to the Castle of Isenstein. When the fierce Brunhild sees this arrival, she asks who they may be, and Gunter tells her (for lying goes for nothing in these heroic tales) that they are part of his retinue he had left behind, in his haste to seek her lovely presence. Being thus put in a safe position, Gunter feels comfortable, and getting his bride on board ship, they all make sail, and in due course of time reach Worms, where the marriage is to be celebrated. Gunter's arrival in the capital of his dominions was celebrated with tournaments and other games. When these were over, and as they were washing their hands and faces previous to supper, Siegfried reminded King Gunter that he had promised him his sister Chrimhild if he (Gunter) should gain Brunhild. Gunter very readily complied, and the marriage ceremony was performed between the hero and the heroine of the Niebelungen Lay that very evening, immediately after the marriage of the king and Brunhild.

The proud Brunhild was indignant at this match, which she thought beneath the rank of her sister-in-law; and she told Gunter he must expect no favour from her, unless he declared what were his motives for consenting to such an unequal alliance as that between Chrimhild and & vassal. Gunter assured her, that though Siegfried might appear as a vassal at his court, he was a king in his own country, little inferior in power to himself. This answer did not satisfy her, and so Gunter found to his cost when they retired for the night. She took her girdle, and, tying his hands and feet together, hung him upon a nail in the wall.

The next morning King Gunter was very disconsolate; nor could a splendid tournament, the dubbing of six hundred new knights, nor the mass in the cathedral, dissipate his melancholy. Siegfried had shrewd suspicions of what had happened, and these were verified on inquiry.

"Thus to his guest spake Gunter:-'With shame and woe I sped;
I have brought the evil devil, and took her to my bed:
When I hoped her love to gain, she bound me as her thrall;

To a nail she bore me, and hung me on the wall.

There I hung, with fear and anguish, till the sun of morning shone,
While soundly in the bed slept Brunhild, all alone.

Loudly to thee I plain of my shame and sorrow sore.'

Then spake the hero Siegfried:-'Right sorry am I therefore." "

But Siegfried's friendship went farther than this rather cool expression of condolence, and he promised to help the king the next night, as he had done in his former trial of strength. Accordingly, when bedtime came, he put on his tarn-cap, and, joining the chamberlains, entered invisibly the chamber of Gunter, and placed himself by his side. As soon as the chamberlains retired, and the lights were put out, Siegfried began to assist the king, when a most violent and singular combat commenced. Brunhild threw the hero to the ground with such violence that his head "loudly resounded on the footstool," she pressed him between a door and the wall, until he roared with pain,-she squeezed his hands till the "blood flowed from his nails," but at last the strength of Siegfried prevailed; and leaving the subdued wife with her husband, he retired to his own bride, carrying off Brunhild's girdle and ring, both of which, shortly after, in a moment of affectionate confidence, he gave to the fair Chrimhild, "and for this gift he and many other champions lost their lives."

Next morning King Gunter was in high good humour, and dispensed rich gifts on all sides. "A high feast" was given, which lasted fourteen days; and then the guests departed for their several homes, Siegfried conducting his wife with him to Netherland.

Ten years had passed in peace, when "Brunhild one day ruminated how Siegfried was vassal to Gunter, and had not for a long time done any homage to his lord." She easily prevailed on the king to invite him and his wife to "a high feast" at Worms; and Siegfried, with Chrimhild and his royal father, Siegmund, accompanied by a thousand Netherland knights, appeared at court as soon as possible. For eleven days tournaments and other games were celebrated with much harmony; but at length, in a procession to hear mass, this concord was fatally interrupted. Brunhild and Chrimhild had been praising the perfections of their several husbands; and growing warm upon the subject, the former taunted the latter with her husband's being the vassal of King Gunter. Chrimhild