This captivating collection of legends and romances encompasses the principal hero-lays of the great epic cycles of the Teutonic Middle Ages. Timeless tales of love and war recount the deeds of the noble Siegfried and grim Hagen, the gentle Gudrun and her beautiful mother Hilde, the Lind-worm, and Sigenot the giant. These are the stories behind many great works of art and literature: the Amelungs, the ancient forebears of the heroic Dietrich and his bride; the Hegeling and Nibelung legends, on which Wagner based his Ring cycle; the saga of Beowulf and his victory over the monstrous Grendel; the legends of the Knights of the Round Table and their exalted quest for the Holy Grail; and the Rhine legend of Lohengrin, a source for the epic Parzival and Wagner`s well-known opera. Narrated in an accessible style, these inspiring legends of Northern Europe`s gods and heroes offer compelling reading, both in and out of the classroom.[BGRENOR]