Siegfried Weak Point

"Lady," spake then Hagen, / "an hast thou e'er a fear
That hostile blade should pierce him, / now shalt thou give to hear
With what arts of cunning / I may the same prevent.
On horse and foot to guard him / shall ever be my fair intent."

She spake: "Of my kin art thou, / as I eke of thine.
In truth to thee commended / be then dear spouse of mine,
That him well thou guardest / whom full dear I hold."
She told to him a story / 'twere better had she left untold.

She spake: "A valorous husband / is mine, and doughty too.
When he the worm-like dragon / by the mountain slew,
In its blood the stately / knight himself then bathed,
Since when from cutting weapons / in battle is he all unscathed.

"Nathless my heart is troubled / when he in fight doth stand,
And full many a spear-shaft / is hurled by hero's hand,
Lest that I a husband / full dear should see no more.
Alack! How oft for Siegfried / must I sit in sorrow sore!

"On thy good-will I rest me, / dear friend, to tell to thee,
And that thy faith thou fully / provest now to me,
Where that my spouse may smitten / be by hand of foe.
This I now shall tell thee, / and on thy honor this I do.

"When from the wounded dragon / reeking flowed the blood,
And therein did bathe him / the valiant knight and good,
Fell down between his shoulders / full broad a linden leaf.
There may he be smitten; / 'tis cause to me of mickle grief.'

Then spake of Tronje Hagen: / "Upon his tunic sew
Thou a little token. / Thereby shall I know
Where I may protect him / when in the fight we strain."
She weened to save the hero, / yet wrought she nothing save his bane.

- Fifteenth Adventure: How Siegfried was Betrayed