The Rhinegold & The Valkyrie. The Ring of the Niblung, part 1

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

[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.

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

ROSSWEISSE'S 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 [All hasten to the look-out.*

 
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.

THE VALKYRIES

 
Hojotoho! Hojotoho!
Heiaha!
 

WALTRAUTE [Looking into the wood.

 

 
To earth has sunk
Grane the strong one!
 

GRIMGERDE

 
From the saddle swift
She snatches the maid.
 

THE OTHER VALKYRIES [Running into the wood.

 
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 [Turns and looks out anxiously, then comes back.

 
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!
 

BRÜNNHILDE

* "I flee for the first time

And am pursued:

Warfather follows close.

.....................

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.
 

"There as a dread

Dragon he sojourns,

And in a cave

Keeps watch over Alberich's ring."

WALTRAUTE [On the look-out.

 
Raging, Wotan
Rides to the rock!
 

THE VALKYRIES

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

BRÜNNHILDE [Urgently.

 
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.
 

The ride of the Valkyries

[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 Wälsung?
 

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 Wälsung 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!
 

WOTAN.

"Appear, flickering fire,

Encircle the rock with thy flame!

Loge! Loge! Appear!"

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!
 

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

[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 spear 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.

The sleep of Brünnhilde