The Ring of the Niblungs

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THE RING OF THE NIBLUNG A TRILOGY WITH A PRE- LUDE BY RICHARD WAGNER TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH BY MARGARET ARMOUR

Prelude: The Rhinegold First Day of the Trilogy: The Valkyrie Second Day of the Trilogy: Siegfried Third Day of the Trilogy: The Twilight of the Gods

The Rhinegold & The Valkyrie

THE RING OF THE NIBLUNG

The Rhinegold: Prelude The Valkyrie: First Day of the Trilogy Siegfried: Second Day of the Trilogy The Twilight of the Gods: Third Day of the Trilogy

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THE RING OF THE NIBLUNG

II. Siegfried and the Twilight of the Gods

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THE RING OF THE NIBLUNG A TRILOGY WITH A PRE- LUDE BY RICHARD WAGNER TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH BY MARGARET ARMOUR I

“Raging, Wotan Rides to the rock!

Like a storm-wind he comes!” >>See p. 143

THE·RHINEGOLD &·THE·VALKYRIE

BY · RICHARD·WAGNER WITH · ILLUSTRATIONS BY · ARTHUR · RACKHAM

-

TRANSLATED·BY·MARGARET·ARMOUR

LONDON WILLIAM·HEINEMANN NEW·YORKDOUBLEDAY·PAGE·&·C

First Printed 1911. New Impressions 1914, 1918.

All rights reserved,

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

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| -

“I flee for the first time :And am pursued: Warfather follows close :• • • • He nears, he nears, in fury! :Save this woman! :Sisters, your help!”

“There as a dread :Dragon he sojourns, :And in a cave Keeps watch over Alberich’s ring”

The ride of the Valkyries

“Appear, flickering fire, Encircle the rock with thy flame! Loge! Loge! Appear!”

As he moves slowly away, Wotan turns and looks sorrowfully back at Brünnhilde

The sleep of Brünnhilde

-

The Rhinegold

-

ppoem| {larger}CHARACTERS GODS: Wotan, Donner, Froh, Loge NIBELUNGS: Alberich, Mime GIANTS: Fasolt, Fafner GODDESSES: Fricka, Freia, Erda RHINE-MAIDENS: Woglinde, Wellgunde, Flosshilde

{larger}SCENES OF ACTION III. III. III. IV. -

The Valkyrie

-

ppoem| {larger}CHARACTERS Wootan

Hundeng

Fricka

Siegmund

>>Sieglinde

Brünnhilde, Eight Other Valkyries: Gerhilde, Ortlinde, Waltraute, Schwertleite, Helmwige, Siegrune,

Grimgerde, Rossweisse

{larger}SCENES OF ACTION Act I. Act II. Act III. >>(Brünnhilde’s Rock)-

The Rhinegold

The Rhinegold

-

ppoem| {larger}CHARACTERS GODS: Wotan, Donner, Froh, Loge NIBELUNGS: Alberich, Mime GIANTS: Fasolt, Fafner GODDESSES: Fricka, Freia, Erda RHINE-MAIDENS: Woglinde, Wellgunde, Flosshilde

{larger}SCENES OF ACTION III. III. III. IV. -

The Rhinegold: Act I

FIRST SCENE

At the bottom of the Rhine

Woglinde | :Weia! Waga! :Roll, O ye billows, :Rock ye our cradle! :Wagala weia! Wailala, weiala, weia!

Wellgunde

From above.

| :Woglinde, watchest alone?

Woglinde | :If Wellgunde came we were two.

Wellgunde | :How keepest thou watch?

Dives down to the rock.

Woglinde | :Wary of thee.

Swimming off; eludes her. | [They playfully tease and chase one another. |

Flossbilde :

From above.

| :Heiaha weia! :Ho! ye wild sisters!

Weligunde | :Flosshilde, swim! :Woglinde flies: Help me to hinder her flying.

Flosshilde

Dives down between the two at plat

| :The sleeping gold :Badly ye guard; :Watch with more zeal :The slumberer’s bed, Or dear you’ll pay for your sport!

| [They swim asunder with merry cries, Floshilde tries to catch firt the one, then the other. They elude her, and then combine to chase her, darting like fih from rock to rock with jets and laughter, Meanwhile Alberich climbs out of a dark ravine on to a rack. He pauses, fill surrounded by darknes, and watches the frolic of the Rhine-Maidens with increaing pleasure. |

Alberich | :Hey, hey! ye nixies! :Ye are a lovely, :Lovable folk! :From Nibelheim’s night :Fain would I come, Would ye be kind to me.

| [The maidens, as soon as they hear Alberich's voice, top playing. |

Woglinde | :Hei! Who is there?

Wellgunde | :A voice! It grows dark!

Flosshilde | :Who listens below?

[They dive down and see the Nibelung.

Woglinde and Wellgunde | :Fie! the loathsome one!

The frolic of the Rhine-Maidens >>See

Flosshilde

Swimming up quickly.

| :Look to the gold! :Father warned us :Of such a foe.

| [Both the others follow her, and all three gather quickly round the central rock. |

Alberich | :You above there!

The Three Rhine-Maidens | :What wouldst thou below there?

Alberich | :Do I spoil sport :By standing and gazing here? :Dived ye but deeper, :Fain the Niblung Would join in your frolic and play.

Wellgunde | :He wishes to join us?

Woglinde | :Is he in jest?

Alberich | :Ye gleam above me :So glad and fair! :If one would only Glide down, how close in my arms Fondly clasped she would be!

Flosshilde | :I laugh at my fears: :The foe is in love.

Wellgunde | :The amorous imp!

Woglinde | :Let us approach him.

| [She inks down to the top of the rock, whose base Alberich has reached. |

Alberich | :Lo! one of them comes!

Woglinde | :Climb up to me here!

Alberich

Climbs with gnome-like agility, though with re­peated checks, to the summit of the rock. Irritably.

| :Horrid rock, :So slippery, slimy! :I slide and slip! :My hands and feet vainly :Attempt to hold on :To the slithery surface! :Vapour damp :Fills up my nostrils— :Accursed sneezing!

[He has got near Woglinde.

Woglinde

Laughing.

| :Sneezing tells :That my suitor comes!

Alberich | :Be thou my love! :Adorable child!

He tries to embrace her.

Woglinde

Escaping from him.

| :Here thou must woo, :If woo me thou wilt!

[She swims up to another rock.

Alberich

Scratching his head.

| :Alas! not yet caught? :Come but closer! :Hard I found What so lightly thou didst.

Woglinde

Swims to a third rock lower down.

| :Deeper descend: :Thou’lt certainly seize me!

Alberich | :Down there it is better!

Clambers down quickly.

Woglinde | :But better still higher!

Darts upwards to a higher rock at the ide.

Woglinde and Flosshilde

Laughing.

| :Ha! ha! ha! ha! ha! ha!

Alberich | :How capture this coy, :Elusive fish ? :Wait for me, false one! | [He tries to climb after her in hate.

Wellgunde | :Heia! my friend there! :Dost thou not hear ?

Has sunk down to a lower rock on the other ide.

Alberich

Turning round.

| :What? Didst thou call?

Wellgunde | :Be counselled by me: :Forsake Woglinde, :Climb up to me now!

Alberich

Climbs hatily over the river- bottom towards Wellgunde.

| :Thou art more comely :Far than that coy one; :Her sheen is duller, :Her skin too smooth. :But thou must deeper :Dive to delight me!

Wellgunde | :Well, now am I near?

Sinking down till foe is a little nearer him.

Alberich | :Not near enough. :Thine arms around me :Tenderly throw, :That I may fondle :Thy neck with my fingers, :And closely may cling To thy bosom with love and with longing.

Wellgunde | :Art thou in love? :For love art thou pining? :Approach and show me :Thy face and thy form. :Fie! thou horrible :Hunchback, for shame!

Swarthy, horny-skinned :Rogue of a dwarf! :Find thou a sweetheart :Fonder than I!

Alberich

Tries to detain her by force.

| :I may not be fair, :But fast I can hold!

Wellgunde | :Hold firm, or I will escape!

Swimming up quickly to the middle rock.

Woglinde and Flosshilde

Laughing.

| :Ha! ha! ha! ha! ha! ha!

Alberich

Angrily calling after Wellgunde.

| :Fickle maid! Bony, cold-blooded fish! :Fair if I seem not, :Pretty and playful, :Smooth and sleek— Hei! if I am so loathsome Give thy love to the eels!

Flosshilde | :What ails thee, dwarf? :Daunted so soon? :Though two have been wooed, :Still a third waits thee, :Solace sweet Fain at a word to grant!

Alberich | :Soothing song :Sounds in my ear! :’Twas well I found :Three and not one! The chance is I charm one of many, Whilst, single, no one would choose me! :Hither come gliding, :And I will believe!

Flosshilde

Dives down to Alberich.

| :How senseless are ye, :Silly sisters, Not to see he is fair!

Alberich

Hatening towards her.

| :I well may deem them :Dull and ill-favoured, Seeing how lovely thou art!

Flosshilde | :Sing on! Thy song, :So soft and sweet, Entrancing sounds in my ear!

Alberich

Caresing her with confidence.

| :My heart burns :And flutters and fails, Flattered by praises so sweet!

Flosshilde

Gently resiting him.

| :Thy grace and beauty :Make glad my eye; :And thy smile refreshes :My soul like balm !

[She draws him tenderly towards her.

Dearest of men!

Alberich | :Sweetest of maids!

Flosshilde | :Wert thou but mine!

Alberich | :Wert mine for ever!

Flosshilde

Ardently.

| :To be pierced by thy glance, :To be pricked by thy beard, To see and to feel them for aye! :Might thy hair hard as bristles :Flow ever more Enraptured Flosshilde wreathing! :And thy form like a frog’s, :And the croak of thy voice— :O could I, dumb with amaze, :Marvel forever on these!

Woglinde and Wellgunde | :Ha! ha! ha! ha! ha! ha!

Dive down close to them and laugh.

Alberich

Starting in alarm.

| :Wretches, dare ye thus scoff?

Flosshilde | :A suitable end to the song.

Suddenly darting away from him. | [She swims up quickly with her siters. |

Woglinde and Wellgunde

Laughing.

| :Ha! ha! ha! ha! ha! ha!

Alberich

In a waning voice.

| :Woe’s me! Ah, woe’s me! :Alas! Alas! :The third one, so dear, :Does she too betray? O sly and shameful Worthless and dissolute wantons! :Live ye on lies Alone, O ye false nixie brood?

The Three Rhine-Maidens | :Wallala! Wallala! Lalalelai leialalei! Heia! Heia! ha! ha! :Shame on thee goblin, :Scolding down yonder! Cease, and do as we bid thee! :Faint-hearted wooer, :Why couldst not hold The maid, when won, more fast? :True are we. :And troth we keep With lovers when once caught. :Grasp then and hold; :Away with all fear!! In the waves we scarce can escape. :Wallala!

The Rhine-Maidens teasing Alberich

Lalaleia! Leialalei! Heia! Heia! Ha hei!

| [They swim apart hither and thither, now lower, now higher, to provoke Alberich to give chase. |

Alberich | :Fiercely within me :Passionate fires :Consume and flame! :Love and fury, :Wild, resistless, :Lash me to frenzy! So laugh and lie your fill :One of you I desire, :And one must yield to my yearning!

| [He tarts chaing them with desperate energy. He climbs with terrible agility, and, springing from rock to rock, tries to catch one maiden after another. They keep eluding him with mocking laughter. He tumbles and falls into the abys, and clambers up quickly again and resumes the chase. They ink down a little towards him; he almot reaches them, but falls back again, and once more tries to catch them. At lat he pauses out of breath, and, foaming with rage, tretches his clenched fit up towards the maidens. |

Alberich | :If but this fist had one!

| [He remains speechles with rage gazing up­wards, when he is suddenly attracted and arreted by the following spectacle. Through the water a light of continually increaing brilliance breaks from above, and at a point near the top of the middle rock, kindles to a radiant and dazzling golden gleam. A magical light treams from this through the waves. |

Woglinde | :Look, sisters! :The wakener laughs to the deep.

Wellgunde | :Through the billows green :The blissful slumberer greets.

Flosshilde | :He kisses the eyelid, :Making it open; :Bathed in splendour, :Behold it smiles, :Sending, like a star, Gleaming light through the waves.

The Three Rhine-Maidens

Swimming gracefully round the cliff together.

| :Heia jaheia! :Heia jaheia! Wallala la la la leia jahei! :Rhinegold! :Rhinegold! :Radiant delight, How glorious and glad thy smile, :Over the water Shooting effulgence afar! :Heia jaheia! :Heia jaheia! :Waken, friend! :Wake in joy! :That we may please thee, :Merry we’ll play, :Waters afire, :Billows aflame, :As, blissfully bathing, :Dancing and singing, We dive and encircle thy bed! :Rhinegold! :Rhinegold! :Heia jaheia!

Heia jaheia! Wallala la la la heia jahei!

| [With increaing mirthful abandonment the maidens swim round the rock. The water is filled with a glimmering golden light. |

Alberich

Whose eyes,

| :What is it, sleek ones, That yonder gleams and shines

trongly attracted by the radiance, lare fixedly at the gold.

The Three Rhine-Maidens | Where dost thou hail from, O churl, Of the Rhinegold not to have heard?

Wellgunde | :Knows not the elf :Of the famed eye golden That wakes and sleeps in turn?

Woglinde | :Of the star resplendent :Down in the depths Whose light illumines the waves?

The Three Rhine-Maidens

Together.

| :See how gaily :We glide in the glory! :Wouldst thou also :Be bathed in brightness, Come, float and frolic with us! Wallala la la leia lalei! Wallala la la leia jahei!

Alberich | :Has the gold no value :Apart from your games? :It were not worth getting!

Woglinde | :He would not scoff, :Scorning the gold, Did he but know all its wonders!

Wellgunde | :That man surely :The earth would inherit

Who from the Rhinegold :Fashioned the ring Which measureless power imparts.

Flosshilde | :Our father told us, :And strictly bade us :Guard with prudence :The precious hoard That no thief from the water might steal it. Be still, then, chattering fools.

Wellgunde | :O prudent sister, :Why chide and reproach? :Hast thou not heard :That one alone Can hope to fashion the gold?

Woglinde | :Only the man :Who love defies, :Only the man :From love who flies Can learn and master the magic That makes a ring of the gold.

Wellgunde | :Secure then are we :And free from care: For love is part of living; No one would live without loving.

Woglinde | :And least of all he, :The languishing elf, :With pangs of love :Pining away.

Flosshilde | :I fear him not :Who should surely know, :By his savage lust :Almost inflamed.

<>“Mock away! Mock! <>The Niblung makes for your toy!” >>See

Wellgunde | :A brimstone brand :In the surging waves, :In lovesick frenzy :Hissing loud.

The Three Rhine-Maidens

Together.

| Wallala! Wallaleia la la! :Join in our laughter, :Lovable elf! :In the golden glory :How gallant thy sheen! O come, lovely one, laugh as we laugh! :Heia jaheia! :Heia jaheia! Wallala la la la leia jahei!

| [They swim, laughing, backwards and for­wards in the light. |

Alberich

His eyes fixed on the gold, has litened attentively to the siters’ rapid chatter.

| :Could I truly The whole earth inherit through thee? :If love be beyond me My cunning could compass delight?

[In a terribly loud voice.

Mock away! Mock! The Niblung makes for your toy!

| [Raging he springs on to the middle rock, and clambers to the top. The maidens scatter, screaming, and swim upwards on different ides. |

The Three Rhine-Maidens | Heia! Heia! heia jahei! :Save yourselves! :The elf is distraught! :Swirling waters splash :At every leap: The creature’s crazy with love! Ha! ha! ha! ha! ha! ha!

Alberich

Reaching the top with a lat spring.

| :Still undismayed? :Go, wanton in darkness, :Water-born brood!

[He tretches his hand out towards the gold.

My hand quenches your light; I tear the gold from the rock; Forged be the ring for revenge! :Bear witness, ye floods— I forswear love and curse it!

| [He tears the gold from the rock with terrific force, and immediately plunges with it into the depths, where he quickly disappears. Sudden darknes envelops the scene. The maidens dive down after the robber. |

The Three Rhine-Maidens | :Seize the despoiler! :Rescue the gold! :Help us! Help us! :Woe! Woe!

| [The water inks with them. From the lowet depth Alberich's hrill, mocking laughter rings up. The rocks are hidden by im­penetrable darknes. The whole tage from top to bottom is filled with black waves, which for some time appear to ink even lower. |

“Seize the despoiler Rescue the gold! Help us! Help us Woe! Woe!” >>See

The Rhinegold: Act II

SECOND SCENE

Fricke | :Wotan! My lord! Awaken!

Awakes; her gaze falls on the catle, which has become plainly viible; alarmed.

Wotan

Continuing to dream.

| The happy hall of delight Is guarded by gate and door: :Manhood’s honour, :Power for aye, Rise to my lasting renown!

Fricka

Shakes him.

| :Up from deceitful :Bliss of a dream! My husband, wake and consider!

Wotan

Awakes and raises himself slightly. His glance is immediately arreted by the view of the catle.

| The walls everlasting are built! :On yonder summit :The Gods’ abode :Proudly rears :Its radiant strength! As I nursed it in dream And desired it to be, :Strong it stands, :Fair to behold, Brave and beautiful pile!

Fricka | :While thou rejoicest, :Joyless am I. :Thou hast thy hall; :My heart fears for Freia, Heedless one, hast thou forgotten The price that was to be paid? :The work is finished, :And forfeit the pledge: Hast thou then no care for the cost?

Wotan | My bargain well I remember With them who built the abode, :’Twas a pact tamed them, :The obstinate race, :So that this hallowed :Hall they have built me, It stands—the strong ones’ doing:— Fret not thou, counting the cost.

Fricka | O laughing, insolent lightness! Mirth how cruel and callous! Had I but known of thy pact, The trick had never been played; :But far from your counsels :Ye men kept the women, That, deaf to us and in peace Alone ye might deal with the giants, :So without shame :Ye promised them Freia, Freia, my beautiful sister, Proud of playing the thief, :What remains holy :Or precious to men Once grown greedy of might?

Wotan

Calmly.

| :From such greed :Was Fricka then free Herself when the castle she craved?

Fricka | I was forced to ponder some means To keep my husband faithful, True to me when his fancy Tempted him far from his home. :Halls high and stately, :Decked to delight thee, :Were to constrain thee :To peaceful repose, But thou hadst the work designed Intent on war alone; :It was to add :More to thy might still, :To stir up to tumult still fiercer That built were the towering walls

Wotan

Smiling.

| :Wouldst thou, O Wife! :In the castle confine me, To me, the god, must be granted, :Faithful at home, :The right to wage war And conquer the world from without. :Ranging and changing :All men love: That sport at least thou must leave me.

Fricka | :Cold, hard-hearted, :Merciless man! :For the idle baubles, :Empire and sway, Thou stakest in insolent scorn Love and a woman’s worth!

Wotan | When I went wooing, to win thee :I staked ungrudging Gladly one of my eyes: What folly now then to scold!

Women I honour :Beyond thy desire! :I will not abandon :Frei, the fair : Such never was my intent.

Fricka

Anxiously look- ing towards a point not on the tage.

| :Then succour her now: :Defenceless, in fear, Hither she hastens for help!

Freia

Enters as if flying from some one.

| :Help me, sister! :Shield me, O brother! :From yonder mountain :Menaces Fasolt: He comes to bear me off captive.

Wotan | :Let him come! :Sawest thou Loge?

Fricka | :To this tricky deceiver :O why wilt thou trust? He always snares thee anew, Though from his snares thou hast suffered.

Wotan | I ask for no aid Where simple truth suffices; :But to turn the spite :Of foes to profit, Craft and cunning alone Can teach, as by Loge employed. He whose advice I obeyed Has promised ransom for Freia: On him my faith I have fixed.

Fricka | And art left in the lurch. :The giants come. :Lo I hither they stride: Where lingers now thine ally ?

Freia | :Where tarry ye, my brothers, :When help ye should bring me, Weak and bartered away by my kin? :O help me, Donner! :Hither! Hither! Rescue Freia, my Froh!

Fricka | Now the knaves who plotted and tricked thee Abandon thee in thy need.

| Fasolt and Fafner, both of gigantic tature, enter, armed with tout clubs. |

Fasolt | :Soft sleep :Sealed thine eyes :While we, both sleepless, Built the castle walls: :Working hard :Wearied not, :Heaping, heaving :Heavy stones. :Tower steep, :Door and gate :Keep and guard Thy goodly castle halls.

[Pointing to the catle.

There stands :What we builded, :Shining fair :Beneath the sun. :Enter in And pay the price!

Wotan | Name, Workers, your wage. What payment will appease you?

Fasolt | :We made the terms :That seemed to us meet.

Hast thou forgot so soon? :Freia, the fair one, :Holda, the free one— :The bargain is We bear her away.

Wotan

Quickly.

| :Ye must be mad :To moot such a thing! Ask some other wage; Freia I will not grant.

Fasolt

Stands for a space speechles with angry surprise.

| :What is this? Ha! :Wouldest deceive?2 :Go back on thy bond? :What thy spear wards :Are they but sport, All the runes of solemn bargain?

Fafner | :O trusty brother! Fool, dost now see the trick?

Fasolt | :Son of light, :Light, unstable, Hearken! I Have a care! In treaties keep thou troth! :What thou art :Thou art only by treaties, :For, built on bonds, There are bounds to thy might. :Though cunning thou, :More clever than we: :Though we once freemen, :Are pledged to peace, Cursèd be all thy wisdom;2 Peaceful promises perish!2 :Wilt thou not open, :Honest and frank

Freia, the fair one >>

Stand fast by a bargain once fixed. :A stupid giant :Tells thee this: O wise one, take it from him!

Wotan | How sly to judge us serious When plainly we were but jesting! :The beautiful Goddess :Light and bright— For churls what charm could she have?

Fasolt | :Jeerest thou? :Ha! how unjust! Ye who by beauty rule, Proud and radiant race! :How foolish, striving :For towers of stone, Woman’s love to pledge2 Price of walls and of halls! We dolts, despising ease, Sweating with toil-hardened hands, :Have worked, that a woman :With gentle delight In our midst might sojourn And ye call the pact a jest?

Fafner | Cease thy childish chatter; No gain look we to get. :Freia’s charms :Mean little; :But it means much, If from the Gods we remove her. :Golden apples Ripen within her garden; :She alone Grows the apples and tends them. :The goodly fruit

Gives to her kinsfolk, :Who eat thereof, :Youth everlasting. :Sick and pale, :Their beauty would perish, :Old and weak, :Wasting away, Were not Freia among them.

[Roughly.

From their midst, therefore, Freia must forth!

Wotan

Aide.

| :Loge lingers long!

Fasolt | :We wait for thy word!

Wotan | :Ask some other wage!

Fasolt | :No other: Freia alone!

Fafner | :Thou there, follow us!

| [Fafner and Fasolt pres towards Freia. Froh and Donner enter in hate. |

Freia | :Help! Help from the harsh ones!

Froh

Clasping Freia in his arms.

| :To me, Freia!

[To Fafner.

Back, overbold one! Froh shields the fair one!

Donner

Confronting the giants.

| :Fasolt and Fafner, :Have ye not felt With what weight my hammer falls?

Fafner | :What means thy threat?

Fasolt | :What wouldst thou here? No strife we desire; We want but our due reward.

Donner | :Oft I’ve doled out :Giants their due: Come, your reward is here Waiting, full measure and more!

He swings his hammer.

Wotan

Stretching out his spear between the combatants.

| :Hold, thou fierce one! :Nothing by force! :All bonds and treaties :My spear protects; Spare then thy hammer’s haft!

Freia | :Woe’s me! Woe’s me! :Wotan forsakes me!

Fricka | :Can such be thy thought, :Merciless man?

Wotan

Turns away and sees Loge coming.

| :There comes Loge! :Hot is thy haste :Smoothly to settle Thy sorry, badly-made bargain!

Loge

Has come up out of the valley in the background.

| :What is this bargain :That I am blamed for?2 :The one with the giants That thou thyself didst decide? :O’er hill and o’er hollow :Drives me my whim; :House and hearth :I do not crave. :Donner and Froh, They dream but of roof and room: :Wedding, must have A home in which to dwell, :A stately hall, :A fortress fast.

It was such Wotan wished. :Hall and house, :Castle, court, :The blissful abode Now stands complete and strong. :I proved the lordly :Pile myself; :In fear of flaws, :Scanning it close :Fasolt and Fafner :Faithful I found; Firm-bedded is each stone. :I was not slothful :Like many here: Who calls me sluggard, he lies!

Wotan | :Cunningly :Thou wouldst escape! :Warned be, and wisely Turn from attempts to deceive. :Of all the Gods :I alone stood by thee :As thy friend, In the gang that trusted thee not. Now speak, and to the point! For when the builders at first As wage Freia demanded, :I gave way only, :Trusting thy word When thou didst solemnly promise To ransom the noble pledge.

Loge | :Perplexed to puzzle, :Plans to ponder :For its redeeming2 That promise I gave;

But to discover :What cannot be, :What none can do, No man can possibly promise.

Fricka | :See the treacherous :Rogue thou didst trust!

Froh | :Named art Loge, :But liar I call thee!

Donner | :Accursèd flame, I will quench thy fire!

Loge | :From their shame to shelter, :Foolish folk flout me.

[Donner threatens to trike Loge.

Wotan

Stepping between them.

| Forbear and let him alone! Ye wot not Loge’s wiles. :His advice, :Given slowly, gains Both in weight and in worth.

Fafner | :Do not dally; :Promptly pay!

Fasolt | :Long waits our reward.

Wotan

Turns ternly to Loge.

| :Speak up surly one! :Fail me not! How far hast thou ranged and roamed?

Loge | :Still with reproach :Is Loge paid! :Concerned but for thee, :Thorough and swift, :I searched and ransacked :To the ends of the earth

To find a ransom for Freia Fair to the giants and just. :In vain the search, :Convincing at last :That the world contains :Nothing so sweet That a man will take it instead Of woman’s love and delight.

[All seem surprised and taken aback.

Where life moves and has being, In water, earth and air :I questioned, :Asking of all things, :Where weak still is strength, :And germs only stirring, :What men thought dear2 :And stronger deemed2 Than woman’s love and delight. But where life moves and has being :My questions met :But with laughter and scorn. :In water, earth and air :Woman and love :Will none forego.

[Varied getures of amazement.

One man, one only, :I met who, renouncing love, :Prized ruddy gold Above any woman’s grace. The Rhine’s pure-gleaming children Told me of their sorrow. :The Nibelung, :Night-Alberich, :Wooed for the favour :Of the swimmers in vain, :And vengeance took,

“The Rhine’s pure-gleaniing children Told me of their sorrow ” >>See

Stealing the Rhinegold they guard. :He thinks it now :A thing beyond price, Greater than woman’s grace. :For their glittering toy :Thus torn from the deep The sorrowful maids lamented. :They pray, Wotan, :Pleading to thee, That thy wrath may fall on the robber :The gold too :They would have thee grant them :To guard in the water for ever. :Loge promised :The maidens to tell thee, And, keeping faith, he has told.

Wotan | :Dull thou must be :Or downright knavish! In parlous plight myself, What help have I for others?

Fasolt

Who has been listening atten­tively, to Fafner.

| The Niblung has much annoyed us; I greatly grudge him this Rhinegold; But such his craft and cunning, He has never been caught.

Fafner | :Other malice :Ponders the Niblung; Gains he might from gold :Listen, Loge! :Tell us the truth. What wondrous gift has the gold, That the dwarf desires it so?

Loge | :A plaything, :In the waves providing Children with laughter and sport,

It gives, when to golden :Ring it is rounded, Power and might unmatched; It wins its owner the world.

Wotan

Thoughtfully.

| :Rumours I have heard :Of the Rhinegold; :Runes of riches Hide in its ruddy glow; :Pelf and power Are by the ring bestowed.

Fricka

Softly to Loge.

| :Could this gaud, :This gleaming trinket :Forged from the gold, Be worn by a woman too?

Loge | :The wife who wore :That glittering charm :Never would lose :Her husband’s love2 That charm which dwarfs are welding, Working in thrall to the ring.

Fricka

Coaxingly to Wotan.

| :O could but my husband :Come by the ring!

Wotan

As if falling more and more under the influence of a spell.

| :Methinks it were wisdom, Won I the ring to my service. :But say, Loge, :How shall I learn To forge and fashion it true?

Loge | :A magic rune Can round the golden ring. :No one knows it, Yet plain the spell to him Who happy love forswears.

[Wotan turns away in annoyance.

That suits thee not; :Thou art too late too. Alberich did not delay; :Fearless he mastered :The potent spell,

[Harshly.

And wrought aright was the ring.

Donner

To Wotan

| :We should all be :Under the dwarf, Were not the ring from him wrested.

Wotan | :The ring I must capture!

Froh | :Lightly now, Without cursing love it were won.

Loge

Harshly.

| :Just so =: Without guile, as in children’s games!

Wotan | :Then tell us how.

Loge | ::By theft! :What a thief stole :Steal thou from the thief; How better could object be won? :But with baleful arms :Battles Alberich. :Wary, wise :Must be thy scheming, If the thief thou wouldst confound,