Nibelungs. Schilbung and Nibelung greeted well the knight; with
one accord these young and noble lordings bade the stately man
divide the hoard. Eagerly they asked it, and the lord in turn
gan vow it to them.

"He beheld such store of gems, as we have heard said, that a
hundred wains might not bear the lead; still more was there of
ruddy gold from the Nibelung land. All this the hand of the
daring Siegfried should divide. As a guerdon they gave him the
sword of Nibelung, but they were served full ill by the service
which the good knight Siegfried should render them. Nor could he
end it for them; angry of mood (6) they grew. Twelve bold men of
their kith were there, mighty giants these. What might that
avail them! Siegfried's hand slew them soon in wrath, and seven
hundred warriors from the Nibelung land he vanquished with the
good sword Balmung. (7) Because of the great fear that, many a
young warrior had of the sword and of the valiant man, they made
the land and its castles subject to his hand. Likewise both the
mighty kings he slew, but soon he himself was sorely pressed by
Alberich. (8) The latter weened to venge straightway his
masters, till he then discovered Siegfried's mighty strength; for
no match for him was the sturdy dwarf. Like wild lions they ran
to the hill, where from Alberich he won the Cloak of Darkness.
(9) Thus did Siegfried, the terrible, become master of the
hoard; those who had dared the combat, all lay there slain. Soon
bade he cart and bear the treasure to the place from whence the
men of Nibelung had borne it forth. He made Alberich, the
strong, warden of the hoard and bade him swear an oath to serve
him as his knave; and fit he was for work of every sort."