It resembles the older "Spielmannsdichtung", or minstrel poetry,
in the terseness and vigor of its language and in the lack of
poetic imagery, but it is free from the coarseness and vulgar and
grotesque humor of the latter. It approaches the courtly epic in
its introduction of the pomp of courtly ceremonial, but this
veneer of chivalry is very thin, and beneath the outward polish
of form the heart beats as passionately and wildly as in the days
of Herman, the Cheruscan chief. There are perhaps greater poems
in literature than the "Nibelungenlied", but few so majestic in
conception, so sublime in their tragedy, so simple in their
execution, and so national in their character, as this great
popular epic of German literature.


ENDNOTES:
(1) A is a parchment MS. of the second half of the thirteenth
century, now found in Munich. It forms the basis of
Lachmann's edition. It is a parchment MS. of the middle of
the thirteenth century, belonging to the monastery of St.
Gall. It has been edited by Bartsch, "Deutsche Klassiker
des Mittelalters", vol. 3, and by Piper, "Deutsche National-
Literatur", vol. 6. C is a parchment MS., of the thirteenth
century, now in the ducal library of Donauesehingen. It is
the best written of all the MSS., and has been edited by
Zarncke.
(2) The "Thidreksaga" differs from the other Norse versions in
having "Sigfrod", as he is called here, brought up in
ignorance of his parents, a trait which was probably
borrowed from the widespread "Genoveva" story, although