And they hung so sore upon him that he yielded at last to their prayer.
Such wealth of precious gemstones he beheld, as telleth the tale,
That fivescore wains had sufficed not that treasure thence to hale:
There were heaps yet huger of red gold, the wealth of the Niblung land:
And all that hoard must be portioned by the aweless Siegfried’s hand.
And for hire did they give to the hero King Niblung’s dwarf-wrought sword—
But, ere all was done, for their guerdon they won them an evil reward;
Yea, enforced was Siegfried to deal them therewith great slaughter and grim;
For his sharing might nowise content them, and they turned their fury on him.
(C) So there in the midst that treasure yet all unportioned lay;