What is Siegfried?
:''This page is about the character in the book called the [[Nibelungenlied]]. For [[Richard Wagner|Wagner's]] [[opera]] see [[Siegfried (opera)]]. [[File:Siegfried.jpg|thumb|Siegfried]] '''Sigurd''' ([[Old Norse language|Old Norse]]: '''Sigurðr''') is a strong hero in the ''[[Nibelungenlied]]'', an epic poem written about the year [[1200]]. He killed the [[dragon]] Fafnir and took its treasure, the ''Nibelungenschatz''. After killing the dragon, he bathed in its blood and so changed his skin, so that he could not be wounded any more. The earliest extant representations for his legend come in pictorial form from seven [[runestone]]s in [[Sweden]]<ref>[http://www.foteviken.se/sweden/gastrik/arsunda/arsunda2.htm An article at the Museum of Foteviken, Sweden] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100818200500/http://www.foteviken.se/sweden/gastrik/arsunda/arsunda2.htm |date=2010-08-18 }}, retrieved January 19, 2007.</ref> and most notably the [[Ramsund carving]] (c. 1000) and the [[Gök Runestone]] (11th century). But a leaf fell from a [[linden tree]] above while he was bathing and landed on his back, and the little patch of skin that it covered did not touch the dragon's blood, so that Siegfried remained vulnerable (he could be hurt) in that one spot. Siegfried wants to marry Kriemhild, the sister of Gunther, kin of the Burgundians in [[Worms, Germany|Worms]]. But before he is allowed to marry her he has to help Gunther to win against Brünhild, the queen of [[Iceland]]. He does it with the help of a cloak which lets him become [[wikt:invisible|invisible]]. After their marriage Siegfried and Kriemhild live in Siegfried's kingdom for some years. Then they come to visit Worms and Kriemhild's family again. Brünhild, the wife of Gunther, and Kriemhild argue about who is of higher rank. Now Kriemhild tells Brünhild that Siegfried helped Gunther in his fight against her and that he gave a proof of this victory to Kriemhild. Therefore, Brünhild becomes so furious that she decides that Siegfried must be killed.