The Nibelungenlied

Prose translation of epic tale, best known to modern audiences as source for Wagner's Ring cycle, recounts the life and death of Sifrid (Siegfried), the dragon-slaying superman who can only be undone through betrayal. In the 2nd half, his noble queen Kriemhilde extracts vengeance, destroying not only thousands of her countrymen but all of her kinsmen as well.