of my kindred, hearken, and see how I put my trust in your honour.  While Siegfried washed his limbs in the blood of the dragon, there fell a leaf from a linden tree between his shoulders.  There and there only can steel harm him.” “’Tis easy,” said the false Hagen, “for me to defend so small a spot.  Only do you sew a little token on his cloak, that I may the better know the spot that most needs protection when we stand together in the fight.”  “I will do so,” said the Queen; “I will sew a little cross with threads of silk on his cloak, and you will guard him when he fights in the throng of his foes.”  “That will I do, dear lady,” said the traitor.

Hagen went straightway to King Gunther and said, “I have learnt that which I needed to know; put off this march; let us go on a hunt.  So that which we would do will be easier done.”  “I will order that,” answered the King.

Siegfried, before he set out for the hunting, bade farewell to his wife:  “God grant,” said he, “that we may soon meet happily again; meanwhile be merry among your kinsfolk here.”  But Kriemhild thought of how she had discovered the secret to Hagen, and was sore afraid, yet dared not tell the truth.  Only she said to her husband, “I pray you to leave this hunting.  Only this night past I had an evil dream.  I saw two wild boars pursuing you over the heath, and the flowers were red as with blood.  Greatly I fear some treason, my Siegfried.”  “Nay,” said he, “there is not one in Rhineland here that bears me ill-will.  Whom have I wronged?” “I know not,” answered the Queen, “but yet my heart bodes evil.  For I had yet another dream.  I seemed to see two mountains fall with a terrible noise on your head.  If you go, you will break my heart.”  But he laughed at her fears, and kissed her, and so departed.

Then Siegfried went on the hunting, and Gunther and Hagen went with him, and a company of hunters and hounds.  When they came to the forest Siegfried said, “Now who shall begin the hunting?” Hagen made answer, “Let us divide into two companies ere we begin, and each shall beat the coverts as he will; so shall we see who is the more skilful in the chase.”  “I need no pack,” said Siegfried; “give me one well-trained hound that can track the game through the coverts.  That will suffice for me.”  So a lime-hound was given to him.  All that the good hound started did Siegfried slay; no beast could outrun him or escape him.  A wild boar first he slew, and next to the boar a lion; he shot an arrow through the beast from side to side.  After the lion he slew a buffalo and four elks, and a great store of game besides, so that the huntsmen said, “Leave us something in our woods, Sir Siegfried.”

King Gunther bade blow the horn for breakfast.  When Siegfried’s huntsman heard the blast he said:  “Our hunting-time is over; we must back to our comrades.”  So they went with all speed to the trysting-place.