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

SIEGMUND [Bending over Sieglinde, listens to her breathing.

Charmèd slumberSoftly soothesThe dear one's pain and grief.When the Valkyrie came, perchanceShe brought her this blissful repose;Else would the grimly fought fightHave terrified one in such woe.Lifeless seems she,And yet she lives;The sad one by smilingDreams is caressed.In slumber lie softTill the fight is wonAnd 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 fullThou 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 seemSo 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 treeThat grows by thy hearthI 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 spearHas 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 herAs soon as my horseShall 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 fastBy Ortlinde's mare;Gladly my greyWill 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 chestnutFar from the grey then;Ortlinde's mareCarries Wittig, the Irming!

GERHILDE [Descending a little towards the others.

And Sintolt and WittigAlways 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' feudMakes 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 intoThe wood to rest!

ORTLINDE [Also calling into the wood.

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

HELMWIGE [The others laughing.

The grey has paidFor 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 assembledWhy 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 WälsungBrünnhilde tarries.

WALTRAUTE

Until she joins usHere we must wait;Warfather's greetingGrim were indeedIf 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 woodwardHer staggering horse.

GRIMGERDE

From swift ridingHow Grane pants!

ROSSWEISSE

No Valkyrie's flightEver 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 greetingFor her sisters?

WALTRAUTE [Calling down very loudly.

Heiaha! Brünnhilde!Dost thou not hear?

ORTLINDE

From her horseLet 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 sunkGrane the strong one!

GRIMGERDE

From the saddle swiftShe 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 looksout anxiously,then comes back.

BRÜNNHILDE [Breathless.

Shield me and helpIn dire distress!

THE VALKYRIES

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

BRÜNNHILDE

I flee for the first timeAnd 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, spyFrom the rocky peak!Look north and tell meIf Warfather nears!

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

Quick! Is he in sight?

ORTLINDE

A storm from the northIs nearing.

WALTRAUTE

Darkly the cloudsCongregate there.

THE VALKYRIES

Warfather, ridingHis 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 furyAgainst the Wälsungs has turned.He told meThat to-day I must failThe brother in strife;But with my shieldI guarded him safe,Daring the God,Who slew him himself with his spear.Siegmund fell;But I fled,Bearing his bride.To protect herAnd from the strokeOf 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, disobeyedBy BrünnhildeWarfather's holy command!

WALTRAUTE [On the look-out.

Darkness comesFrom the north like the night.

ORTLINDE [On the look-out.

Hither steering,Rages the storm.

ROSSWEISSE, GRIMGERDE, AND SCHWERTLEITE

Wildly neighsWarfather's horse!

HELMWIGE, GERHILDE, AND SIEGRUNE

Panting, snorting it comes!

BRÜNNHILDE

Woe to the womanIf here she is found,For Wotan has vowedThe Wälsungs shall perish!The horse that is swiftestWhich of you lends,That forth the woman may fly?

SIEGRUNE

Wouldst have us tooMadly rebel?

BRÜNNHILDE

Rossweisse, sister,Wilt lend me thy racer!

ROSSWEISSE

The fleet one from WotanNever 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 nowBecause 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 fieldWho bade thee thus bear me?For there perchanceBy the selfsame weaponThat struck down SiegmundI too had died,Made one with himIn the hour of death.Far from Siegmund—Siegmund, from thee!O cover me, Death,From the sorrow!Wouldst thou not have meCurse thee for flying?Thou must hearken, maid, to my prayer:Pierce thou my heart with thy sword!

BRÜNNHILDE [Impressively.

Live for the sakeOf thy love, O woman!Rescue the pledgeThou 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 notShield 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 hereThe 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 stretchesFar in the east;The Nibelung's hoardBy Fafner thither was borne.

SCHWERTLEITE

There as a dreadDragon he sojourns,And in a caveKeeps watch over Alberich's ring.

GRIMGERDE

'Tis uncanny thereFor a woman's home.

BRÜNNHILDE

And yet from Wotan's wrathShelter sure were the wood;For he both fearsAnd 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, WotanRides 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 gnawedBy anguish or want!For one thing knowAnd hold to always—The world's most glorious heroHideth, 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 piecesGuard securely;From the field where slain wasHis father I brought them.And now I nameHim who one dayThe sword new-welded shall swing—"Siegfried" rejoice and prevail!

SIEGLINDE [Greatly moved.

Sublimest wonder!Glorious maid!From thee high solaceI have received!For him whom we lovedI save the beloved one.May my thanks one daySweet 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 reachedBy 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 meUnless 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, WotanSwings from his horse!Hither hastesHis 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 meAnd hide the rebel?

THE VALKYRIES

Fearful and loud thy rage is!By what misdeed have thy daughtersVexed and provoked theeTo terrible wrath?

WOTAN

Fools, would ye flout me?Have a care, rash ones!I know: BrünnhildeFain ye would hide.Leave her, the lost oneCast off for ever,Even as sheCast 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 sisterHumbly we begThat thy first wild rage be calmed.

WOTAN

Weak-heartedAnd womanish brood!Is this your valour,Given by me?For this have I reared youBold for the fight,Made you relentlessAnd hard of heartThat ye wild ones might weep and whineWhen my wrath on a faithless one falls?Learn, wretched whimperers,What was the crimeOf her for whomYe are shedding those tears.No one but sheKnew what most deeply I brooded;No one but shePierced to the source of my being;Through her deedsAll, I wished to be, came to birth.This sacred bondSo completely she brokeThat she defied me,Opposing my will,Her master's commandOpenly mocked,And against me pointed the spearThat she held from me alone.Hearest, Brünnhilde?Thou who didst holdThy 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 onlyWert thou at all,Yet against my will thou hast worked;Thy part it wasTo fulfil my commands,Yet against me thou hast commanded;Wish-maidThou wert to me,Yet thy wish has dared to cross mine;Shield-maidThou wert to me,Yet against me raised was thy shield;Lot-chooserThou wert to me:Against me the lot thou hast chosen;Hero-rouserThou wert to me:Thou hast roused up heroes against me.What once thou wertWotan has told thee:What thou art now,Demand of thyself!Wish-maid thou art no more;Valkyrie thou art no longer:—What now thou artFor 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 WalhallTo seek upon fierceFields for the slain;With heroes no moreShalt thou fill my hall:When the high Gods sit at banquet,No more shalt thou pourThe wine in my horn;No more shall I kissThe mouth of my child.Among heaven's hostsNumbered no longer,Outcast art thouFrom the kinship of Gods;Our bond is broken in twain,And from my sight henceforth thou nowart 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 gavestThou dost recall?

WOTAN

Conquering thee, one shall take all!For here on the rockBound thou shalt be,Defenceless in sleep,Charmed and enchained;The man who chances this wayAnd 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 droopAnd be withered by man?O dread one, avert thouThe crying disgrace:For as sisters share we her shame.

WOTAN

Have ye not heardWotan's decree?From out your bandShall your traitorous sister be banished,No more to rideThrough the clouds her swift steed to thebattle;Her maidenhood's flowerWill fade away;Her grace and her favourHer husband's will be;Her husband will rule herAnd 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 forsakeAnd flee from her far!Let one but ventureNear 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 offenceSo shameful and foulThat to such shame the offender should bedoomed?Was what I didSo base and so vileThat I must suffer abasement so low?Was the dishonourTruly so deepThat 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 darkThis deed of mineThat in thy implacable angerIt 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 fulfilledWotan's command.

WOTAN

By my commandDidst thou fight for the Wälsung?

BRÜNNHILDE

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

WOTAN

But I took backThe order, changed the decree!

BRÜNNHILDE

When Fricka had weanedThy will from its purpose;In yielding what she desiredThou wert a foe to thyself.

WOTAN [Softly and bitterly.

I thought thou didst understand me,And punished thy conscious revolt;But coward and foolI seemed to thee!If I had not treason to punishThou 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 discordDrawn two ways,This one thing thou hadst forgotten.The other onlyCouldst thou discern—What so bitterlyWounded thy heart:That Siegmund might not be shielded.

WOTAN