Page:The Mythology of the Aryan Nations.djvu/160

128 ready for the last dread act, and the many years which go before the fall of Ilion. Nor can we well say that the prominence given to Kriemhild's love for Siegfried as the motive for vengeance over and above the desire to recover the hoard is "the refinement of a later age." The Odyssey shows precisely the same connexion between the desire to avenge Penelope and the wish to save the substance wasted by the suitors ; and we have more than faint signs of the same mingled feeling in the Saga of the Volsungs.

The story of Walthar of Aquitaine, a version of the same myth given by a monk of the eighth or ninth century, is noteworthy chiefly Aquitaine. as making the hero bear away both the bride and her hoard, and giving him a tranquil and a happy close to his troubled and stormy life. Here also we have the names of Gibicho, Gunther, Etzel: but the Sigurd of this version is Walthar, while the part of Brynhild is played by Hildegund, who declares her readiness to obey her lover's bidding, when he charges her, as the guardian of the treasure, to take out for him a helmet, a coat of mail, and a breastplate, and to fill two chests with Hunnish rings or money. Thus we have the same magic armour and weapons which we find in all such legends, while Hildegund leads the war-horse, which appears here under the name Lion. But no sooner have they reached the Frank land than the greed of King Gunther is roused, and he resolves to attack Walthar. But Hagen, who accompanies him, is by no means so doughty as in the Niblung Song, and he is not reassured when he finds Walthar performing a series of exploits which reproduce those of Herakles, Perseus, and Theseus. In the end he decides that he can have a chance of grappling successfully with Walthar only if he pretends to withdraw. His plan succeeds, and he is enabled to come up with Walthar as he is journeying on with Hildegund. In the fight which follows, Walthar smites off a portion of Hagen's armour, and brings Gunther to his knees with a stroke of his sword; but just as he is about to deal him the death-blow, Hagen interposes his helmeted head and the blade is shivered in pieces. Walthar in his impatience and anger throws away the hilt, and Hagen avails himself of the time to smite off Walthar's right hand, the right hand so fearful to princes and people. Here again it is the cap of darkness which is fatal to the gleaming sword, while the loss of ^'althar's right hand carries us to the myth of Indra Savitar. The closing scene curiously reflects the death of Sigurd. With failing breath, Walthar deals a blow which strikes out Hagen's right eye ; but whereas in the genuine myth Walthar's death ought here to follow, to be avenged afterwards by