Chapter III: Part 3

And for the downfall
Schemes Alberich!
Now I see
The sense hidden
In the strange, wild words of the Wala:
"When the gloomy foe of love
Gets a son in his wrath,
The high gods' doom
Shall be at hand!"
Not long ago
A rumour I heard
That the dwarf had won a woman,
By gold gaining her grace.
A woman bears
Hate's bitter fruit;
The child of spite
Grows in her womb;
This marvel befell
The man who loved not;
But I, the loving wooer,
Have never begotten the free.

[_Rising in bitter wrath._

Accept thou my blessing,
Nibelung son!
I leave to thee
What I loathe with deep loathing:
The hollow pomp of the gods.
Consume it with envious greed!

BRÜNNHILDE [_Alarmed._

O say! tell me
What task is thy child's?

WOTAN [_Bitterly._

Fight, faithful to Fricka;
Wedlock and vows defend!
What she desires
Is also my choice,
For what does my own will profit,
Since it cannot fashion a free one?
For Fricka's slaves
Do battle henceforth!

BRÜNNHILDE

Ah repent,
And take back thy word!
Thou lovest,
And fain, I know,
Wouldst have me shelter the Wälsung.

WOTAN

Siegmund thou shalt vanquish,
And fight so that Hunding prevails.
Ward thyself well
And doughtily do,
Bring all thy boldness
To bear on the field;
A strong sword
Swings Siegmund;
Undismayed he will fight!

BRÜNNHILDE

He whom thou still
Hast taught me to love,
He whose courage high
To thy heart was so precious--
I will shield him in spite of
Thy wavering word!

WOTAN

Ha, daring one!
Floutest thou me?
Who art thou--who but the choiceless,
Blind slave of my will?
I have sunk so low
By showing my mind,
That the creature made by me
Holds me in scorn.
Dost thou, child, know my wrath?
If ever its awful
Lightning struck thee
Then quail wouldst thou indeed!
Within my bosom
Burns enough rage
To lay waste
In dread ruin a world
That once wore nothing but smiles.
Woe to him whom it strikes!
Dear the price he would pay!
So be advised,
Call it not forth
But carry out my commands.
Cut down Siegmund!
That is the Valkyrie's task.

[_He storms away and disappears among the rocks to
the left._

BRÜNNHILDE [_Stands for a long time dazed and alarmed._

Warfather
Oft have I seen
Enraged, but never once like this!

[_She stoops down sadly, takes up her armour and
puts it on again._

How heavy
My armour feels!
And it felt so light
When gladly I fought!
I fight afraid.
Evil is my cause!

[_She gazes thoughtfully before her._

Woe! My Wälsung!
With sorrow sore
Must the faithful one falsely forsake thee!

[She turns slowly towards the back.

* * * * *

[_On reaching the rocky pass, Brünnhilde, looking
down into the gorge, perceives Siegmund and
Sieglinde. She watches them for a moment, then
turns into the cave where her horse is, so that she
is completely hidden from the audience. Siegmund
and Sieglinde appear on the pass, Sieglinde
hurrying in front. Siegmund tries to stop her._

SIEGMUND

Wait here and rest;
Tarry a while!

SIEGLINDE

Farther! Farther!

SIEGMUND [_Embraces her with tender force, straining her to him._

No farther now!
O linger, woman most sweet!
From bliss when most blissful
Breaking away,
In headlong haste
Far thou hast fled,
So fleet that I lagged behind:
Through wood and field,
Over cliff and scaur,
Voiceless, silent,
Speeding along,
Thy foot stopped for no call.

[_Sieglinde stares wildly before her._

Tarry a while!
Say but a word,
Ending this speechless dread!
See, thy brother
Holds thee, his bride:
Siegmund's comrade art thou!

SIEGLINDE

[_Gazes into his eyes with growing rapture, throws
her arms passionately round his neck and remains so
for some time. She then starts up in wild terror._

Away! Away!
Fly the profaned one!
Unholy
The clasp of her arm;
In shame, dishonoured,
This body died.
Fling it from thee,
Flee from the corpse!
The winds scatter her dust--
The foul one who loved one so fair!
When in his loving embrace
She rested in rapture pure,
And all the love of the man
Was hers who loved him alone--
When on holiest height,
When bliss was at sweetest,
And sense and soul
Were steeped in delight,
Hatred and loathing
Of hideous dishonour
Shook the disgraced one,
Filled her with fear--
The thought she once had obeyed.
Bridegroom unloving, unloved.
Leave the accurst one,
Far let her fly!
An outcast she is,
Bereft of grace!
Ah, I must leave
The purest of heroes;
I cannot be thine,
To sully thy glory:
Scorn to bring on the brother,
Shame to the rescuing friend!

SIEGMUND

For the shame and dishonour,
Pay the transgressor's blood!
No farther, then, flying,
Here let us wait him;
Here--here I shall slay him:
When Nothung's point
Shall pierce his heart,
All thy wrongs will be avenged!

SIEGLINDE [_Starts up and listens._

Hark! The bugles!
Dost thou not hear?
All around,
Angry and shrill,
From wood and vale
Clamour their calls.
Hunding has wakened
From slumber deep;
Kinsmen and hounds
He summons together;
How the dogs howl,
Urged on hotly,
Loud-baying to heaven
Of the vows and the wedlock profaned!

[_Gazes before her as if gone crazed._

Where art thou, Siegmund?
Art thou still here,
Fervently loved one,
Beautiful brother?
Let thine eyes like stars
Shine again on me softly;
Turn not away
From the outcast woman's kiss!

[_She throws herself sobbing on his breast, and
presently starts up in terror again._

Hark! O hark!
That is Hunding's horn!
With his hounds full force,
In haste he comes.
No sword helps
When the dogs attack:--
Throw it down, Siegmund!
Siegmund, where art thou?
Ha, there! I see thee now!
Horrible sight!
Eager-fanged
Are the bloodhounds for flesh;
Ah, what to them
Is thy noble air!
By the feet they seize thee
With terrible teeth;
Alas!
Thou fallest with splintered sword:--
The ash-tree sinks--
The trunk is rent!
Brother! My brother!
Siegmund--ha!

[_She falls fainting into his arms._

SIEGMUND

Sister! Belovèd!

[_He listens to her breathing, and, when convinced
that she still lives, lets her slide down so that,
as he himself sinks into a sitting posture, her
head rests upon his knees. In this position both
remain till the end of the following scene. A long
silence, during which Siegmund bends over Sieglinde
with tender concern, and presses a long kiss on her
brow._

[_Brünnhilde, leading her horse, comes out of the
cave and walks slowly and solemnly towards the
front. She pauses and watches Siegmund from a
distance, then advances slowly again and stops when
she gets nearer. In one hand she carries her shield
and spear, the other rest on her horse's neck, and
thus she gravely stands looking at Siegmund._

BRÜNNHILDE

Siegmund!
Look on me
Whom thou
Must follow soon!

SIEGMUND [_Looking up at her._

Who art thou, say,
That dost stand so fair and so stern?

BRÜNNHILDE

Death-doomed are they
Who look upon me;
Who sees me
Bids farewell to the light of life.
On the battle-field only
Heroes view me;
He whom I greet
Is chosen and must go.

SIEGMUND

[_Looks into her eyes with a long steadfast and
searching gaze, then bows his head in thought and
finally turns resolutely to her again._

When thou dost lead,
Whither follows the hero?

BRÜNNHILDE

I lead thee
To Wotan;
The lot he has cast:
To Walhall must thou come.

SIEGMUND

In Walhall's hall
Wotan alone shall I find?

BRÜNNHILDE

A glorious host
Of heroes slain
Will greet thee there
With love holy and high.

SIEGMUND

Say if in Walhall
Sojourns my father, Wälse.

BRÜNNHILDE

His father there
Will the Wälsung find.

SIEGMUND [_Tenderly._

Will any woman
Welcome me there?

BRÜNNHILDE

Wishmaidens
Serve there serene:
Wotan's daughter
Wine will bring for thy cup.

SIEGMUND

High art thou
And holy of aspect,
O Wotan's child:
But one thing tell me, divine one!
The sister and bride,
Shall she follow the brother?
Will Siegmund find Sieglinde there?

BRÜNNHILDE

Air of earth
Still she must breathe here;
Siegmund will find no Sieglinde there!

SIEGMUND

[_Bends tenderly over Sieglinde, kisses her softly
on the brow, and turns again quietly to Brünnhilde._

Then greet for me Walhall,
Greet for me Wotan,
Greet for me Wälse
And all the heroes,
Wishmaidens lovely
Greet thou also,
And tell them I will not come!

BRÜNNHILDE

Nay, having looked
On the Valkyrie's face,
Thou must follow her forth!

SIEGMUND

Where Sieglinde dwells
In weal or woe,
There will Siegmund dwell also;
My face grew not pale
When I beheld thee:
Thou canst not force me to go!

BRÜNNHILDE

Force thee can none
While thou dost live;
Fool, what will force thee is death
Warning of death
Is what I bring.

SIEGMUND

What hero to-day
Shall hew me down?

BRÜNNHILDE

Hunding's hand in the fight.

SIEGMUND

Use threats more baleful
Than blows from Hunding!
Lurkest thou here
Longing for strife,
Fix on him for thy prey.
I think it is he who will fall!

BRÜNNHILDE

Nay, Wälsung,
Doubt not my word;
Thine is the death decreed.

SIEGMUND

Knowest this sword?
Who gave the sword
Gave triumph sure:
With this sword I laugh at thy threats.

BRÜNNHILDE [_In a loud voice._

He whose it was
Now dooms thee to death,
For the magic spell he withdraws!

SIEGMUND [_Vehemently._

Hush! Alarm not
The slumberer here!

[_In an outburst of grief he bends tenderly over
Sieglinde._

Woe! Woe!
Woman most sweet!
Most sad and ill-starred of all true ones!
Against thee rages
The whole world in arms,
And I who was all thy defence,
For whom thou the world hast defied--
To think I cannot
Shield thee, but, beaten
In battle, thy trust must betray!
O shame on him
Who bestowed the sword,
And triumph now turns to scorn!
If I must fall thus,
I fare to no Walhall--
Hella hold me for aye!

[_He bends low over Sieglinde._

BRÜNNHILDE [_Moved._

So little prizest thou
Life everlasting?

[_Slowly and with hesitation._

All thy care
Is thy helpless wife
Who, sad and weary,
Heavily hangs in thy arms?
Precious only is she?

SIEGMUND [_Looking up at her bitterly._

Though young and fair
Thou shinest to me,
In my heart I know thee
Cruel and cold!
Canst thou do nothing
But mock me, begone,
Malicious, merciless maid!
Or if thou must gloat
Upon my distress,
Then gloat and feast thyself full!
With my woe
Solace thy envious soul:--
But of Walhall's loveless raptures
Nothing more let me hear!

BRÜNNHILDE

I see the distress
That is tearing thy heart;
The doomed hero's holy
Sorrow I feel.
Siegmund, thy wife be my charge,
Protected safely by me.

SIEGMUND

No other than I
While my wife is living shall guard her.
If death be my lot
I will slay the slumberer first!

BRÜNNHILDE [_With increasing emotion._

Wälsung! Madman!
Listen to me!
Entrust her to me
For the pledge's sake
That she carries of thee and thy love!

SIEGMUND [_Drawing his sword._

This sword
That a true man received from a false--
This sword
That fails me when facing the foe;
Worthless when turned on the foe,
Will serve me when turned on the friend.

[_He points the sword at Sieglinde._

Two lives now
Laugh to thee here:
Take them, Nothung,
Envious steel!
Take them with one fell stroke!

BRÜNNHILDE [_With a passionate outburst of sympathy._

Forbear, Walsung!
Listen to me!
Sieglinde spare thou,
And Siegmund too shall be spared!
'Tis thus decreed,
Recast the lot is!
Thou, Siegmund,
Shalt be blest and prevail!

[_Horns are heard in the distance._

Hark to the horn!
Prepare for the fray;
Trust to the sword
And strike without fear:
Thy sword shall prove strong
Thee the Valkyrie faithfully shields!
Farewell, Siegmund,
Hero most blest!
On the field again I shall find thee.

[_She rushes away and disappears with her horse down a gorge on the right. Siegmund gazes after her joyful and exultant. The stage has gradually grown dark. Heavy storm-clouds have gathered in the background, and hide the cliffs, gorge, and rocky pass completely from view._

SIEGMUND [_Bending over Sieglinde, listens to her breathing._

Charmèd slumber
Softly soothes
The dear one's pain and grief.
When the Valkyrie came, perchance
She brought her this blissful repose;
Else would the grimly fought fight
Have terrified one in such woe.
Lifeless seems she,
And yet she lives;
The sad one by smiling
Dreams is caressed.
In slumber lie soft
Till the fight is won
And peace shall end thy pain!

[_He lays her gently on the rocky seat and kisses her brow in farewell. Then, hearing Hunding's horn sound, he starts up with resolution._

Thou who dost call,
Arm for the fray;
Thy dues in full
Thou shalt have:

[_He draws his sword._

Nothung pays him his debt.

[_He hastens to the back and, on reaching the pass,
immediately disappears in a dark thunder-cloud,
from which, the next instant, a flash of lightning
breaks._

SIEGLINDE [_Begins to move uneasily in her dreams._

Would but my father come back!
With the boy he still roams in the wood.
Mother! Mother!
I am afraid--
The strangers seem
So harsh and unfriendly!
Fumes that stifle--
Dense and black smoke--
Fierce are the flames,
And closer they flare--
On fire the house!
O help us, brother!
Siegmund! Siegmund!

[_She starts up. Violent thunder and lightning._

Siegmund! Ha!

[_She stares about her in growing terror. Almost
the whole of the stage is veiled by black
thunder-clouds. Hunding's horn is heard close at
hand._

HUNDING'S VOICE [_From the mountain pass in the background._

Wehwalt! Wehwalt!
Stand there and fight,
Or with the hounds I will hold thee!

SIEGMUND'S VOICE [_From farther back in the gorge._

Where hidest thou,
That I have missed thee thus?
Halt, that I may find thee!

SIEGLINDE [_Listening in terrible fear._

Hunding--Siegmund--
Could I but see them!

HUNDING

Come hither, impious wooer!
Here by Fricka be slain!

SIEGMUND [_Also from the pass now._

Thou thinkest me weaponless,
Coward, still.
Threat not with women!
Thyself now fight me,
Lest Fricka fail thee at need!
For see, from the tree
That grows by thy hearth
I drew undaunted the sword;
Come and try the taste of its steel!

SIEGLINDE [_With all her strength._

Hold your hands, ye men there!
Strike me dead first!

[_She rushes towards the pass, but is suddenly
dazzled by a light which flashes forth from above
the combatants to the right, and staggers aside as
if blinded._

BRÜNNHILDE'S VOICE

Strike him, Siegmund!
Trust to the sword!

[_Brünnhilde appears in the glare of light,
floating above Siegmund, and protecting him with
her shield. Just as Siegmund is aiming a deadly
blow at Hunding a glowing red light breaks through
the clouds from the left, in which Wotan appears,
standing over Hunding and holding his spear across
in front of Siegmund._

WOTAN'S VOICE

Back! Back from the spear!
In splinters the sword!

[_Brünnhilde with her shield recoils in terror
before Wotan; Siegmund's sword breaks in splinters
on the outstretched spear. Hunding plunges his
sword into the disarmed man's breast. Siegmund
falls down dead, and Sieglinde, who has heard his
death-sigh, sinks to the ground as if lifeless.
With Siegmund's fall the lights on both sides
disappear. Dense clouds shroud all but the
foreground in darkness. Through these Brünnhilde is
dimly seen turning in wild haste to Sieglinde._

BRÜNNHILDE

To horse, that I may save thee!

[_She lifts Sieglinde up quickly on to her horse,
which is standing near the side ravine, and
immediately disappears. Thereupon the clouds divide
in the middle, so that Hunding, who has just drawn
his sword out of Siegmund's breast, is distinctly
seen. Wotan, surrounded by clouds, stands on a rock
behind, leaning on his spear and gazing sorrowfully
on Siegmund's body._

WOTAN [_To Hunding._

Begone, slave!
Kneel before Fricka;
Tell her that Wotan's spear
Has slain what mocked her might.
Go! Go!

[_Before the contemptuous wave of his hand Hunding
falls dead to the ground. Suddenly breaking out in
terrible anger._

But Brünnhilde!
Woe to the guilty one!
Woe to her
As soon as my horse
Shall overtake her in flight!

[_He vanishes with thunder and lightning. The
curtain falls quickly._

THE THIRD ACT

On the top of a rocky mountain

_On the right the stage is bounded by a pine-wood. On the left is the entrance to a cave, above which the rock rises to its highest point. At the back the view is quite open. Rocks of varying heights form the edge of the precipice. Clouds fly at intervals past the mountain peak as if driven by storm. Gerhilde, Ortlinde, Waltraute, and Schwertleite have taken up their position on the rocky peak above the cave. They are in full armour._

GERHILDE

[_On the highest point, calling towards the
background, where a dense cloud is passing._

Hojotoho! Hojotoho!
Heiaha! Heiaha!
Helmwige! Here!
Guide hither thy horse!

HELMWIGE'S VOICE [_At the back._

Hojotoho! Hojotoho!
Hojotoho! Hojotoho!
Heiaha!

[_A flash of lightning comes from the cloud,
showing a Valkyrie on horseback, on whose saddle
hangs a slain warrior. The apparition, approaching
the cliff, passes from left to right._

GERHILDE, WALTRAUTE AND SCHWERTLEITE [_Calling to her as she draws near._

Heiaha! Heiaha!

[_The cloud with the apparition vanishes to the
right behind the wood._

ORTLINDE [_Calling into the wood._

Thy stallion make fast
By Ortlinde's mare;
Gladly my grey
Will graze by thy chestnut!

WALTRAUTE [_Calling towards the wood._

Who hangs at thy saddle?

HELMWIGE [_Coming out of the wood._

Sintolt the Hegeling!

SCHWERTLEITE

Fasten thy chestnut
Far from the grey then;
Ortlinde's mare
Carries Wittig, the Irming!

GERHILDE [_Descending a little towards the others._

And Sintolt and Wittig
Always were foemen!

ORTLINDE [_Springs up and runs to the wood._

Heiaha! Heiaha!
The horse is kicking my mare!

GERHILDE [_Laughing aloud with HELMWIGE and SCHWERTLEITE._

The heroes' feud
Makes foes of the horses!

HELMWIGE [_Calling back into the wood._

Quiet, Brownie!
Pick not a quarrel.

WALTRAUTE

[_On the highest point, where listening towards
the right she has taken Gerhilde's place as
watcher, calling towards the right-hand side of the
background._

Hoioho! Hoioho!
Siegrune, come!
What keeps thee so long?

SIEGRUNE'S VOICE [_From the back on the right._

Work to do.
Are the others all there?

THE VALKYRIES

[_In answer, their gestures, as well as a bright
light behind the wood, showing that Siegrune has
just arrived there._

Hojotoho! Hojotoho!
Heiaha! Heiaha!

GRIMGERDE's AND ROSSWEISSE'S VOICES [_From the back on the left._

Hojotoho! Hojotoho!
Heiaha!

WALTRAUTE [_Towards the left._

Grimgerd' and Rossweisse!

GERHILDE

Together they ride.

[_In a cloud which passes across the stage from the
left, and from which lightning flashes, Rossweisse
and Grimgerde appear, also on horseback, each
carrying a slain warrior on her saddle._

HELMWIGE, GERLINDE AND SIEGRUNE

We greet you, valiant ones!
Rossweiss' and Grimgerde!

[_Have come out of the wood and wave their hands
from the edge of the precipice to Rossweisse and
Grimgerde, who disappear behind the wood._

ROSSWEISS' AND GRIMGERDE'S VOICES

Hojotoho! Hojotoho!
Heiaha!

ALL THE OTHER VALKYRIES

Hojotoho! Hojotoho!
Heiaha! Heiaha!

GERHILDE [_Calling into the wood._

Your horses lead into
The wood to rest!

ORTLINDE [_Also calling into the wood._

Lead the mares far off
One from the other,
Until our heroes'
Anger is laid!

HELMWIGE [_The others laughing._

The grey has paid
For the heroes' anger.

ROSSWEISSE AND GRIMGERDE [_Coming out of the wood._

Hojotoho! Hojotoho!

THE VALKYRIES

Be welcomed! Be welcomed!

SCHWERTLEITE

Went ye twain on one quest?

GRIMGERDE

No, singly we rode,
And met but to-day.

ROSSWEISSE

If we all are assembled
Why linger longer?
To Walhall let us away,
Bringing to Wotan the slain.

HELMWIGE

We are but eight;
Wanting is one.

GERHILDE

By the brown-eyed Wälsung
Brünnhilde tarries.

WALTRAUTE

Until she joins us
Here we must wait;
Warfather's greeting
Grim were indeed
If we returned without her!

SIEGRUNE [_On the look-out, calling towards the back._

Hojotoho! Hojotoho!
This way! This way!

[_To the others._

In hottest haste riding,
Hither she comes.

THE VALKYRIES

Hojotoho! Hojotoho!
Heiaha!
Brünnhilde, hei!

[_They watch her with growing astonishment._

WALTRAUTE

See, she leads woodward
Her staggering horse.

GRIMGERDE

From swift riding
How Grane pants!

ROSSWEISSE

No Valkyrie's flight
Ever so fast was.

ORTLINDE

What lies on her saddle?

HELMWIGE

That is no man!

SIEGRUNE

'Tis a woman, see!

GERHILDE

Where found she the maid?

SCHWERTLEITE

Has she no greeting
For her sisters?

WALTRAUTE [_Calling down very loudly._

Heiaha! Brünnhilde!
Dost thou not hear?

ORTLINDE

From her horse
Let us help our sister.

[_Helmwige and Gerhilde run to the wood, followed
by Siegrune and Rossweisse._

Hojotoho! Hojotoho!
Heiaha!

WALTRAUTE

To earth has sunk
Grane the strong one!

GRIMGERDE

From the saddle swift
She snatches the maid.

THE OTHER VALKYRIES

Sister! Sister!
What has occurred?

[_The Valkyries all return to the stage; Brünnhilde
accompanies them, leading and supporting Sieglinde._

Turns and looks
out anxiously,
then comes back.

BRÜNNHILDE [_Breathless._

Shield me and help
In dire distress!

THE VALKYRIES

Whence rodest thou hither,
Hasting so hard?
Thus ride they only who flee.

BRÜNNHILDE

I flee for the first time
And am pursued:
Warfather follows close.

THE VALKYRIES [_Terribly alarmed._

Hast thou gone crazy?
Speak to us! What?
Pursued by Warfather?
Flying from him?

BRÜNNHILDE

O sisters, spy
From the rocky peak!
Look north and tell me
If Warfather nears!

[_Ortlinde and Waltraute spring up the peak to the
look-out._

Quick! Is he in sight?

ORTLINDE

A storm from the north
Is nearing.

WALTRAUTE

Darkly the clouds
Congregate there.

THE VALKYRIES

Warfather, riding
His sacred steed, comes!

BRÜNNHILDE

The wrathful hunter,
He rides from the north;
He nears, he nears, in fury!
Save this woman!
Sisters your help!

THE VALKYRIES

What threatens the woman?

BRÜNNHILDE

Hark to me quickly!
Sieglinde this is,
Siegmund's sister and bride.
Wotan his fury
Against the Wälsungs has turned.
He told me
That to-day I must fail
The brother in strife;
But with my shield
I guarded him safe,
Daring the God,
Who slew him himself with his spear.
Siegmund fell;
But I fled,
Bearing his bride.
To protect her
And from the stroke
Of his wrath to hide,
I hastened, O my sisters, to you!

THE VALKYRIES [_Full of fear._

O foolish sister,
How mad thy deed!
Woe's me! Woe's me!
Brünnhilde, lost one!
Mocked, disobeyed
By Brünnhilde
Warfather's holy command!

WALTRAUTE [_On the look-out._

Darkness comes
From the north like the night.

ORTLINDE [_On the look-out._

Hither steering,
Rages the storm.

ROSSWEISSE, GRIMGERDE, and SCHWERTLEITE

Wildly neighs
Warfather's horse!

HELMWIGE, GERHILDE, and SIEGRUNE

Panting, snorting it comes!

BRÜNNHILDE

Woe to the woman
If here she is found,
For Wotan has vowed
The Wälsungs shall perish!
The horse that is swiftest
Which of you lends,
That forth the woman may fly?

SIEGRUNE

Wouldst have us too
Madly rebel?

BRÜNNHILDE

Rossweisse, sister,
Wilt lend me thy racer!

ROSSWEISSE

The fleet one from Wotan
Never yet fled.

BRÜNNHILDE

Helmwige, hear me!

HELMWIGE

I flout not our father.

BRÜNNHILDE

Waltraute! Gerhilde!
Give me your horse!
Schwertleite! Siegrune!
See my distress!
Stand by me now
Because of our love:
Rescue this woman in woe!

SIEGLINDE

[_Who until now has been staring gloomily and
coldly before her, starts up with a repellent
gesture as Brünnhilde encircles her with a warm,
protective embrace._

Concern thyself not about me;
Death is all that I crave.
From off the field
Who bade thee thus bear me?
For there perchance
By the selfsame weapon
That struck down Siegmund
I too had died,
Made one with him
In the hour of death.
Far from Siegmund--
Siegmund, from thee!
O cover me, Death,
From the sorrow!
Wouldst thou not have me
Curse thee for flying?
Thou must hearken, maid, to my prayer:
Pierce thou my heart with thy sword!

BRÜNNHILDE [_Impressively._

Live for the sake
Of thy love, O woman!
Rescue the pledge
Thou has gotten from him:
The Wälsung's child thou shalt bear!

SIEGLINDE

[_Gives a violent start; suddenly her face beams
with sublime joy._

Save me, ye bold ones!
Rescue my child!
Shelter me, maidens,
And strong be your shield!

[_An ever-darkening thunderstorm nears from the
back._

WALTRAUTE [_On the look-out._

The storm has drawn nigh.

ORTLINDE

Fly, all who fear it!

THE VALKYRIES

Hence with the woman;
Here she is lost:
The Valkyries dare not
Shield her from doom!

SIEGLINDE [_On her knees before Brünnhilde._

Save me, O maid!
Rescue the mother!

BRÜNNHILDE [_Raising Sieglinde with sudden resolve._

Away then, and swiftly!
Alone thou shalt fly.
I--stay in thy stead,
Victim of Wotan's anger.
I will hold here
The God in his wrath,
Till I know thee past reach of his rage.

SIEGLINDE

Say, whither shall my flight be?

BRÜNNHILDE

Which of you, sisters,
Eastward has journeyed?

SIEGRUNE

A forest stretches
Far in the east;
The Nibelung's hoard
By Fafner thither was borne.

SCHWERTLEITE

There as a dread
Dragon he sojourns,
And in a cave
Keeps watch over Alberich's ring.

GRIMGERDE

'Tis uncanny there
For a woman's home.

BRÜNNHILDE

And yet from Wotan's wrath
Shelter sure were the wood;
For he both fears
And keeps far from the place.

WALTRAUTE [_On the look-out._

Raging, Wotan
Rides to the rock!

THE VALKYRIES

Brünnhilde, hark!
Like a storm-wind he comes!

BRÜNNHILDE

Flee then swiftly,
Thy face to the east!
Boldly enduring,
Defy every ill--
Hunger and thirst,
Briar and stone;
Laugh, whether gnawed
By anguish or want!
For one thing know
And hold to always--
The world's most glorious hero
Hideth, O woman, thy sheltering womb!

[_She takes the pieces of Siegmund's sword from
under her breast-plate and gives them to Sieglinde._

The splintered sword's pieces
Guard securely;
From the field where slain was
His father I brought them.
And now I name
Him who one day
The sword new-welded shall swing--
"Siegfried" rejoice and prevail!

SIEGLINDE [_Greatly moved._

Sublimest wonder!
Glorious maid!
From thee high solace
I have received!
For him whom we loved
I save the beloved one.
May my thanks one day
Sweet reward bring!
Fare thou well!
Be blest by Sieglind' in woe!

[_She hastens away to the right in front. The
rocky peak is surrounded by black thunder-clouds.
A fearful storm rages from the back. A fiery glow
increases in strength to the right._

WOTAN'S VOICE

Stay, Brünnhilde!

ORTLINDE AND WALTRAUTE [_Coming down from the look-out._

The rock is reached
By horse and rider!

[_Brünnhilde, after following Sieglinde with her
eyes for a while, goes towards the background,
looks into the wood, and comes forward again
fearfully._

THE VALKYRIES

Woe, Woe! Brünnhilde!
Vengeance he brings!

Ah, sisters, help!
My courage fails!
His wrath will crush me
Unless ye ward off its weight.

THE VALKYRIES

[_Fly towards the rocky point in fear, drawing
Brünnhilde with them._

This way, then, lost one!
Hide from his sight!
Cling closely to us,
And heed not his call!

[_They hide Brünnhilde in their midst and look
anxiously towards the wood, which is now lit up by
a bright fiery glow, while in the background it has
grown quite dark._

Woe! Woe!
Raging, Wotan
Swings from his horse!
Hither hastes
His foot for revenge!

WOTAN

[_Comes from the wood in a terrible state of wrath
and excitement and goes towards the Valkyries on
the height, looking angrily for Brünnhilde._

Where is Brünnhilde?
Where is the guilty one?
Would ye defy me
And hide the rebel?

THE VALKYRIES

Fearful and loud thy rage is!
By what misdeed have thy daughters
Vexed and provoked thee
To terrible wrath?

WOTAN

Fools, would ye flout me?
Have a care, rash ones!
I know: Brünnhilde
Fain ye would hide.
Leave her, the lost one
Cast off for ever,
Even as she
Cast off her worth!

THE VALKYRIES

To us fled the pursued one,
In her need praying for help,
Dismayed and fearful,
Dreading thy wrath.
For our trembling sister
Humbly we beg
That thy first wild rage be calmed.

WOTAN

Weak-hearted
And womanish brood!
Is this your valour,
Given by me?
For this have I reared you
Bold for the fight,
Made you relentless
And hard of heart
That ye wild ones might weep and whine
When my wrath on a faithless one falls?
Learn, wretched whimperers,
What was the crime
Of her for whom
Ye are shedding those tears.
No one but she
Knew what most deeply I brooded;
No one but she
Pierced to the source of my being;
Through her deeds
All, I wished to be, came to birth.
This sacred bond
So completely she broke
That she defied me,
Opposing my will,
Her master's command
Openly mocked,
And against me pointed the spear
That she held from me alone.
Hearest, Brünnhilde?
Thou who didst hold
Thy helm and spear,
Grace and delight,
Life and name as my gift!
Hearing my voice thus accusing,
Dost hide from me in terror,
A coward who shirks her doom?

BRÜNNHILDE

[_Steps out from the band of Valkyries, and humbly
but with a firm step descends from the rocky peak
until within a short distance from Wotan._

Here I am, Father,
Awaiting thy sentence!

WOTAN

I--sentence thee not;
Thou hast shaped thy doom for thyself.
Through my will only
Wert thou at all,
Yet against my will thou hast worked;
Thy part it was
To fulfil my commands,
Yet against me thou hast commanded;
Wish-maid
Thou wert to me,
Yet thy wish has dared to cross mine;
Shield-maid
Thou wert to me,
Yet against me raised was thy shield;
Lot-chooser
Thou wert to me:
Against me the lot thou hast chosen;
Hero-rouser
Thou wert to me:
Thou hast roused up heroes against me.
What once thou wert
Wotan has told thee:
What thou art now,
Demand of thyself!
Wish-maid thou art no more;
Valkyrie thou art no longer:--
What now thou art
For aye thou shalt be!

BRÜNNHILDE [_Greatly terrified._

Thou dost cast me off?
Ah, can it be so?

WOTAN

No more shall I send thee from Walhall
To seek upon fierce
Fields for the slain;
With heroes no more
Shalt thou fill my hall:
When the high Gods sit at banquet,
No more shalt thou pour
The wine in my horn;
No more shall I kiss
The mouth of my child.
Among heaven's hosts
Numbered no longer,
Outcast art thou
From the kinship of Gods;
Our bond is broken in twain,
And from my sight henceforth thou now
art banned.

THE VALKYRIES

[_Leave their places in the excitement, and come a
little farther down the rocks._

Woe's me! Woe!
Sister! O sister!

BRÜNNHILDE

All that thou gavest
Thou dost recall?

WOTAN

Conquering thee, one shall take all!
For here on the rock
Bound thou shalt be,
Defenceless in sleep,
Charmed and enchained;
The man who chances this way
And awakes her, shall master the maid.

THE VALKYRIES

[_Come down from the height in great excitement,
and in terrified groups surround Brünnhilde, who
lies half kneeling before Wotan._

O stay, Father!
The sentence recall.
Shall the maiden droop
And be withered by man?
O dread one, avert thou
The crying disgrace:
For as sisters share we her shame.

WOTAN

Have ye not heard
Wotan's decree?
From out your band
Shall your traitorous sister be banished,
No more to ride
Through the clouds her swift steed to the
battle;
Her maidenhood's flower
Will fade away;
Her grace and her favour
Her husband's will be;
Her husband will rule her
And she will obey;
Beside the hearth she will spin,
To all mockers a mark for scorn.

[_Brünnhilde sinks with a cry to the ground.
The Valkyries, horror-stricken, recoil from her
violently._

Fear ye her fate?
Then fly from the lost one!
Swiftly forsake
And flee from her far!
Let one but venture
Near her to linger,
Seek to befriend her,
Defying my will--
The fool shall share the same doom:
I warn you, ye bold ones, well!
Up and away!
Hence, and return not!
Get ye gone at a gallop,
Trouble is rife else for you here!

THE VALKYRIES [_Separate with a wild cry and rush into the wood._

Woe! Woe!

[_Black clouds settle thickly on the cliff; a
rushing sound is heard in the wood. From the
clouds breaks a vivid flash of lightning, by which
the Valkyries are seen packed closely together,
and riding wildly away with loose bridles. The
storm soon subsides; the thunder-clouds gradually
disperse. In the following scene the weather
becomes fine again and twilight falls, followed at
the close by night._

[_Wotan and Brünnhilde, who lies stretched at his
feet, remain behind alone. A long solemn silence._

BRÜNNHILDE

[_Begins to raise her head a little, and,
commencing timidly, gains confidence as she
proceeds._

Was the offence
So shameful and foul
That to such shame the offender should be
doomed?
Was what I did
So base and so vile
That I must suffer abasement so low?
Was the dishonour
Truly so deep
That it must rob me of honour for aye?

[_She raises herself gradually to a kneeling
posture._

O speak, Father!
In my eye looking,
Calming thy rage,
Taming thy wrath,
Explain why so dark
This deed of mine
That in thy implacable anger
It costs thee thy favourite child!

WOTAN [_His attitude unchanged, gravely and gloomily._

Ask of thy deed,
And that will show thee thy guilt!

BRÜNNHILDE

I but fulfilled
Wotan's command.

WOTAN

By my command
Didst thou fight for the Walsung?

BRÜNNHILDE

Yea, lord of the lots,
So ran thy decree.

WOTAN

But I took back
The order, changed the decree!

BRÜNNHILDE

When Fricka had weaned
Thy will from its purpose;
In yielding what she desired
Thou wert a foe to thyself.

WOTAN [_Softly and bitterly._

I thought thou didst understand me,
And punished thy conscious revolt;
But coward and fool
I seemed to thee!
If I had not treason to punish
Thou wouldst be unworthy my wrath.

BRÜNNHILDE

I am not wise,
But I knew well this one thing--
That thy love was the Wälsung's;
I knew that, by discord
Drawn two ways,
This one thing thou hadst forgotten.
The other only
Couldst thou discern--
What so bitterly
Wounded thy heart:
That Siegmund might not be shielded.

WOTAN

And yet thou didst dare
To shield him, knowing 'twas so?

BRÜNNHILDE [_Beginning softly._

Because I the one thing
Had kept in my eye,
While by twofold desire
Divided wert thou,
Blindly thy back on him turning!
She who wards thy back
From the foe in the field,
She saw alone
What thou sawest not:--
Siegmund I beheld.
Bringing him doom
I approached;
I looked in his eyes,
Gave ear to his words.
I perceived the hero's
Bitter distress;
Loud the lament
Of the brave one resounded;
Uttermost love's
Most terrible pang,
Saddest of hearts
Defying all odds---
With my ear I heard,
My eye beheld
That which stirred the heart in my breast
With trouble holy and strange.
Shamed, astonished,
Shrinking I stood.
Then all my thought
Was how I could serve him;
Triumph and death
To share with Siegmund--
That seemed, that only,
The lot I could choose!
Faithful to him
Who taught my heart this love,
And set me
By the Wälsung's side as friend--
Most faithful to him--
Thy word I disobeyed.

WOTAN

So thou hast done
What I yearned so greatly to do--
What a twofold fate
Withheld from my desire!
So easy seemed to thee
Heart's delight in the winning,
When burning woe
In my heart flamed fierce,
When terrible anguish
Wrung my soul,
When, to save the world
That I loved, love's spring
In my tortured heart I imprisoned?
Against my own self
When I turned, to my torment,
From swooning pain
Arose in a frenzy,
When a wild longing
Burning like fire
The fearful design in me woke
In the ruins of my own world
My unending sorrow to bury,

[_Somewhat freely._

Thy heart was lapped
In blissful delight.
Trembling with rapture,
Drunken with joy,
Thy lips drank laughing
The draught of love,
While I drank of divine woe
Mixed with wormwood and gall.

[_Dryly and shortly._

By thy lightsome heart
Henceforth be guided:
From me thou hast turned away!
I must renounce thee;
Together no more
Shall we two whisper counsel;
Apart our paths lie,
Sundered for ever,
And so long as life lasts
I, the God, dare nevermore greet thee!

BRÜNNHILDE [_Simply._

Unfit was the foolish
Maid for thee,
Who, dazed by thy counsel,
Grasped not thy mind
When, to her, one counsel
Alone appeared plain--
To love what was loved by thee.
If I must forth
Where I shall not find thee,
If the fast-woven bond
Must be loosed,
And half thy being
Far from thee banished--
A half once thine and thine only,
O God, forget not that!--
Thy other self
Thou wilt not dishonour,
Dealing out shame
That will shame thee too;
Thine own honour were lowered,
Were I a target for scorn!

WOTAN

The lure of love
Thou hast followed fain:
Follow the man
Who shall wield its might!

BRÜNNHILDE

If I must go from Walhall,
No more in thy work be a sharer,
And if as my master
A man I must serve,
I braggart base
Abandon me not!
Not all unworthy
Be he who wins!

WOTAN

With Wotan no part hast thou--
He cannot fashion thy fate.

BRÜNNHILDE

By thee has been founded a race
Too glorious to bring forth a coward
One day must a matchless hero
From Walsung lineage spring.

WOTAN

Name not the Wälsungs to me!
Renouncing thee,
Them too I renounced;
Through envy they came to naught.

BRÜNNHILDE

She who turned from thee
Rescued the race;

[_With an air of secrecy._

Sieglinde bears
Fruit holy and high;
In pain and woe
Beyond woe known to woman
She will bring forth
What in fear she hides!

WOTAN

No shelter for her
Seek at my hand,
Nor for fruit that she may bear.

BRÜNNHILDE

The sword she has kept
That thou gavest Siegmund.

WOTAN [_Violently._

And that I splintered with my spear.
Strive not, O maid,
My spirit to trouble!
Await thou the lot
Cast and decreed;
I cannot choose it or change!
But now I must forth,
Fare from thee far;
Too long I stay by thy side.
I must turn from thee,
As thou didst from me;
I must not even
Know thy desire;
Thy doom alone
I must see fulfilled!

BRÜNNHILDE

And what is the doom
That I must suffer?

WOTAN

In slumber fast
Thou shalt be locked;
Wife thou shalt be to the man
Who finds and wakes thee from sleep!

BRÜNNHILDE [_Falls on her knees._

If fettering sleep
Fast must bind me,
An easy prey
To the basest coward,
This one thing that in deep anguish
I plead for thou must accord!
O shield thou the sleeper
With soul-daunting terrors,

[_Firmly._

That by a dauntless
Hero alone
Here on the rock
I may be found!

WOTAN

Too much thou askest--
Too big a boon!

BRÜNNHILDE [_Clasping his knees._

This one thing
Grant me, O grant me!
The child that is clasping
Thy knees crush dead;
Tread down thy dear one
And shatter the maid;
Let her body perish,
Pierced by thy spear,
But, cruel one, expose her not
To this crying shame!

[_With wild ecstasy._

O cause a fire
To burn at thy bidding,
With flame fiercely flaring
Girdle the rock,
And may its tongue lick,
And may its tooth eat
The coward who, daring, rashly
Approaches the terrible spot!

WOTAN

[_Overcome and deeply stirred, turns quickly
towards Brünnhilde, raises her from her knees and
looks into her eyes with emotion._

Farewell, thou valiant,
Glorious child!
Thou the most holy
Pride of my heart,
Farewell! Farewell! Farewell!

[_Passionately._

Must we be parted?
Shall I never more
Give thee love's greeting?
Must thou no longer
Gallop beside me,
Nor bring me mead at banquet?
If I must lose thee,
Whom I have loved so,
The laughing delight of my eyes,
For thee there shall burn
A bridal fire brighter
Than ever yet burned for a bride!
Fiercely the flames
Shall flare round thy bed,
Flames dreadful, devouring,
Daunting all cowards;
Let cravens flee
From Brünnhilde's rock!
One only shall set the bride free,
One freer than I, the God!

[_Moved and enraptured, Brünnhilde sinks on the
breast of Wotan, who holds her in a long embrace;
then she throws back her head again, and, still
embracing him, gazes into his eyes with emotion and
awe._

Those eyes so lovely and bright
That oft with smiles I caressed,
Thy valour
With a kiss rewarding
When, sweetly lisped
By thy childlike mouth,
The praise of heroes I heard:
Those eyes so radiant and fair
That oft in storm on me shone,
When hopeless yearning
My heart was wasting,
And when the joy
Of the world I longed for,
While fears thronged thick around me--
Once more to-day
Gladdening me,
Let them take this kiss
Of fond farewell!
On happier mortal
May they yet shine;
On me, hapless immortal,
Must they close, and for ever!

[_He takes her head in both hands._

'Tis thus that the God
From thee turns:
He kisses thy Godhead away!

[_He kisses her long on the eyes, and with
these closed she sinks back softly into his
arms, unconscious. He carries her gently to a
low mossy mound, and lays her there beneath the
broad-spreading pine-tree which overshadows it.
He gazes at her and closes her helmet; his eyes
then rest on the form of the sleeper, which he
completely covers with the great steel shield of
the Valkyries. Having done so, he moves slowly
away, turning to take one more sorrowful look. Then
he strides with solemn resolve to the middle of the
stage, and points his sword towards a large rock._

Loge, hear!
Hark to my word!
I who found thee at first
A fiery flame,
And from whom thou didst vanish
In wandering fire,
I, who once bound,
Bid thee break forth!
Appear, flickering fire,
Encircle the rock with thy flame!

[_He strikes the rock three times with his spea
r during the following._

Loge! Loge! Appear!

[_A gleam of fire issues from the stone and
gradually becomes a fiery glow; then flickering
flames break forth. Soon wild, shooting flames
surround Wotan, who, with his spear, directs the
sea of fire to encircle the rock. It spreads
towards the background, so that the mountain is
surrounded by flame._

Let none who fears
The spear of Wotan
Adventure across this fire!

[_He stretches out his spear as a ban, looks
sorrowfully back at Brünnhilde, then moves slowly
away, turning his head for a farewell gaze. Finally
he disappears through the fire. The curtain falls._

End of Project Gutenberg's The Rhinegold & The Valkyrie, by Richard Wagner