Opera Stories From Wagner by Florence Akin

8/12/2019 Opera Stories From Wagner by Florence Akin

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The Project Gutenberg eBook of Opera Stories from Wagner,

by Florence Akin

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Opera Stories From Wagner

By

Florence Akin

%&%'

(ote

The verses printed in this book are quoted from Dr. Oliver Huckel's translations of The Rhine-Gold , The Walkre , Siegfried , and Gtterdmmerung, by the kind permission ofthe publishers, Messrs. Thomas Y. ro!ell " ompany. #n occasional sentence inseveral of the stories is borro!ed from the same source.

)ontents

The *hine!Gol#

The Happy $hine%Dau&hters #lberich The areless $hine%Dau&hters The Theft The ad $hine%Dau&hters # astle On The $hine The Mornin& The (ayment )oki Youth Or #&e*

+ibelheim The est mith -n +ibelheim


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# (led&e Of )ove The Doom Of 1alhalla )ove

.ore About The Stories

To The Girls An# Boys

-n these stories you !ill find some !onderful &iants.

You !ill find beautiful maidens !ho lived in a river.

You !ill find a lar&e family of little black d!arfs !ho lived under the river, and you!ill find a splendid hero.

The little children of /ermany used to curl up in their mothers' arms, !hen bedtimecame, and listen to the stories of these stran&e people.

hen these little children &re! up, they told the same stories to their children.

o it !ent for many, many years.

The stories have been put to&ether by a man named $ichard a&ner. He put themto&ether in such a !ay that they make one lon& and !onderful story.

#fter he had told these stories in !ords, he told them a&ain in a more beautiful !ay. Hetold them in music.

ometime you !ill hear this music, and you !ill think of beautiful !ater%maidens,sin&in& and dancin& in the sunshine.

You !ill think of &reat &iants !alkin& over mountains.

You !ill think of the little black d!arfs under the river, and you !ill hear themhammerin&, hammerin& upon their anvils.

The *hine!Gol#


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The /appy *hine!$aughters

-n the $hine $iver there lived three beautiful maidens. They !ere called the $hine%dau&hters.

They had lon&, &olden hair, !hich floated upon the !aves as they s!am from rock torock.

hen their father !ent a!ay, he left in their care a &reat lump of pure &old.

This &old !as on the very top of the hi&hest rock in the river.

3very mornin& the beautiful $hine%dau&hters !ould dance and sin& about their &old.

They san& a happy son&4%%

5Hei&h%ho6 hither, ye !aters6aver and !aft me to sleep on your breast6Hei&h%ho6 hither, ye !aters6eave me s!eet dreams on your billo!y crest65

Alberich

One mornin&, !hen the sun !as shinin& very bri&htly, the $hine%dau&hters !erestartled by a stran&e sound in the depths of the !ater.

5)ook65 !hispered one. 5 hat is that sco!lin& at us from the rocks belo!*5

There, stealin& alon& the river%bed, they sa! a hideous little black d!arf.

5 ho are you, and !hat do you !ant*5 asked the $hine%dau&hters.

5- am #lberich,5 ans!ered the d!arf as he tried to climb up on the slippery rocks. 5-came from the kin&dom of the +ibelun&s, do!n under the earth.5

5 hat65 said the $hine%dau&hters. 5 urely you do not live do!n in the dark earth !here

there is no sunshine*5

5Yes,5 ans!ered #lberich. 5 ut - have come up to frolic in the sunshine !ith you57 andhe held out his u&ly, misshapen little hands to take the hands of the $hine%dau&hters.

They only lau&hed at him and darted a!ay to a hi&her rock.

#lberich hurried after them.

He blinked and sco!led in the sunshine, because his eyes !ere not used to the li&ht.

The maidens lau&hed and shouted in their play.


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They called to #lberich and teased him.

They !ent very close to him, pretendin& that they !ould take his hand, that he, too,mi&ht play in the sunshine. Then they !ould quickly dart a!ay, mockin& him, andlau&hin& at him more loudly than ever.

#lberich &re! fierce and an&ry.

He clenched his fists and cried4%%

5 oe be to you if - should catch you no!.5

The )areless *hine!$aughters

#lberich !as the most hideous of all the black, u&ly little +ibelun&s.

The +ibelun&s had cross, sco!lin& faces, because they !ere al!ays scoldin& eachother.

They quarreled from mornin& till ni&ht, so, of course, their faces &re! to lookquarrelsome and u&ly.

#s #lberich hurried after the $hine%dau&hters, he suddenly cau&ht si&ht of the &old&litterin& in the mornin& sun.

He stood still. Then he strai&htened up as tall as his crooked, misshapen little back!ould let him. He opened his eyes !ide.

5Oh6 isters6 ee ho! #lberich is starin& at our &old65 !hispered one of the $hine%dau&hters. 5(erhaps this is the foe of !hich our father !arned us. Ho! careless !e have

been65

5+onsense,5 ans!ered one. 5 ho !ould fear this little black fello!* He !ill do us noharm. )et him &a8e upon the &old. ome, let us sin&65

The maidens 9oined hands and circled about the &old, sin&in&4%%

5Hail to thee6 Hail to thee6Treasure most bri&ht6$hine%&old6 $hine%&old6eautiful si&ht6

5Hail to thee6 Hail to thee6Out of the ni&ht6$hine%&old6 $hine%&old6akened so bri&ht65

The Theft


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till #lberich stood and stared at the &old.

5 hat is it*5 he &asped. 5 hat is it*5

The $hine%dau&hters shouted back to him4%%

5Hei&h%ho6 and hei&h%ho6Dear little imp of !oe,)au&h !ith us, lau&h !ith us6Hei&h%ho and hei&h%ho65

ut #lberich did not lau&h !ith them.

He !ould not take his eyes off the &old.

5That,5 said the maidens, 5is our $hine%&old.5

5# very pretty playthin& it is,5 said #lberich.

5Yes,5 replied the careless sisters, 5it is ma&ic &old. ho moulds this &old into a rin&shall have all po!er upon the earth, save love.5

#lberich muttered to himself4 5 hat do - care for love if - have all the &old - !ant*5

Then he spran& upon the slippery rock and snatched the &old. ith one !ild leap he plun&ed into the depths belo!.

Do!n, do!n he !ent to his deep, dark kin&dom, clutchin& fast the precious &old andmutterin&4%%

5+o! all the earth is mine. -t is mine, all mine. +o! - shall rule the !orld.5

(oor foolish #lberich6 He did not kno! that the best thin&s in this !orld are the thin&s!hich &old cannot buy.

The po!er of love is &reater than the po!er of &old.

The maidens shrieked and screamed4 5Our &old6 Our &old6 Our precious &old65

Too late6 0ar, far belo!, they heard a lau&h, the rou&h, rude lau&h of #lberich, thed!arf.

The Sa# *hine!$aughters

#fter that, !hen the $hine%dau&hters came to the rock !here the &old had been, theycould not sin& their happy son&.


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Their faces !ere very sad no!, and they said4 5Oh, !hy did #lberich steal our beautiful&old* -t cannot make him happy, for no one can ever be truly happy !ho does not kno!love.5

They often sat upon the rocks in the dusk of the evenin& and cried as if their hearts

!ould break because they had lost their &old.

5The black !aves sur&e in sorro! throu&h the depths, #nd all the $hine is !ailin& in its!oe.5

A )astle On The *hine

On a mountain%side, above the banks of the $hine, lived a family of splendid &iants.

The &reatest of the &iants !as otan. He !as the kin&.

They had al!ays lived out of doors, because the kin& had never been able to find a &iant!ho !as lar&e enou&h to build such a &rand castle as he !anted for his family.

ut one day there came to the mountainside the lar&est &iant otan had ever seen.

His name !as 0afner.

He !as many times lar&er than otan.

otan told 0afner ho! much he !anted a !onderful castle.0afner said4 5- !ill build such a castle for you if you !ill &ive me your sister, 0reya.5

0afner !anted to take the beautiful 0reya to his o!n country.

otan did not stop to think !hat an a!ful thin& it !ould be to lose 0reya.

His thou&hts !ere of nothin& but the !onderful castle.

5 uild it, 0afner,5 said otan.

That ni&ht otan and his family lay do!n upon their mountain to sleep.

otan dreamed of a !onderful stone castle !ith &litterin& to!ers.

He dreamed he sa! the castle &leamin& in the mornin& sun.

The .orning

-t !as mornin& in the beautiful country !here the $hine $iver flo!s.

The &iants upon the hillside !ere 9ust a!akenin& from their ni&ht's sleep.


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Durin& the ni&ht 0afner had built the !onderful castle.

otan's !ife !as the first to see it.

5#!ake, otan6 #!ake65 she cried.

#s otan opened his eyes he sa! the castle upon the summit of the mountain.

hat a &reat shinin& castle it !as6

-n deli&ht otan cried4 5'T is finished6 #nd my &lorious dream is true65

#ll ni&ht lon& 0afner had toiled hard.

He finished 9ust as the mornin& da!ned.

He !as !aitin& no! for otan to a!aken and to &ive to him the beautiful 0reya.

He !ould take her and hurry to his o!n country.

The Payment

5 hile you slept - built the castle,5 said 0afner. 5+o! - am ready for the payment.5

5 hat payment do you !ant*5 asked otan.

5 hat payment do - !ant*5 shouted 0afner. 5 urely you have not for&otten your promise* The price !as 0reya, and - shall take her home !ith me.5

5Oh, that !as only in 9est,5 said otan. 5- could not think of lettin& 0reya &o. ut -shall pay you !ell for the castle. - shall &ive you somethin& else that !ill be 9ust as &oodfor you.5

0afner &re! very an&ry and screamed4%%

5 ease your foolish talk. - built your beautiful stone palace. - drud&ed and toiled and

heaped the massive rocks. 3ach stone lies firm and solid in its place, and - !ill have my pay65

5 ut, surely,5 said otan, 5you did not think - meant to &ive you 0reya* 'T is she !hofeeds us &olden apples. +o one but 0reya kno!s ho! to make them &ro!. -f it !ere notfor her fresh fruits my family !ould &ro! old. They !ould !ither like the autumnflo!ers.5

5Yes,5 ra&ed 0afner7 5- kno! it is fair 0reya's &olden apples that keep you youn&. utno! 0reya belon&s to me. +othin& else !ill - have.5

:ust then otan sa! his brother, )oki, comin& over the mountain.


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5 ait, 0afner6 ait until - can talk !ith my brother about this65

0oki

5)oki, !hy are you so late*5 complained otan, !hen )oki came.

)oki !as much e;cited.

5The $hine%dau&hters are in &reat trouble, otan. #s - !as comin& by the river - heardthem !eepin& and !ailin&. lack #lberich has stolen their &old, and - promised themthat - !ould tell you about it. (erhaps you could help them.5

5- have no time for the $hine%dau&hters no!,5 said otan. 5- have trouble of my o!n.Tell me ho! - can save poor 0reya65

0or many years 0afner had heard of this lump of &old. o he listened to all that )okitold. Then he asked4 5 hy does #lberich !ant the &old*5

5 ecause,5 replied )oki, 5the &old can be made into a ma&ic rin&7 if the one !ho !ouldmake the rin& !ill forever &ive up all love, the ma&ic rin& !ill make its o!ner master ofthe !hole !ide !orld. #lberich declared that love !as nothin& to him if he could haveall the &old he !anted.5

To himself 0afner thou&ht4 5(erhaps it !ould be better for me to have the &old than tohave 0reya and her &olden apples.5 Then aloud he said4 5)et me tell you !hat - am!illin& to do, otan. -f you !ill &et that &old for me, - !ill accept it in place of 0reya.5

5You rascal65 roared otan. 5Ho! can - &ive you &old that is not mine*5

51ery !ell,5 said 0afner. 5- did not come here to quarrel. #lready - have !aited toolon&. - shall take my pay. ome, 0reya, you must &o !ith me.5

(oor, fri&htened 0reya !ept and cried aloud as 0afner picked her up and carried her offover the mountain.

He called back to otan and )oki4 5- !ill keep 0reya until evenin&. Then - shall come

a&ain, and if you have that &litterin& $hine%&old for me, then you may have your sister.-f you do not &ive me the &old, then 0reya is mine and - !ill keep her al!ays.5

1outh Or Age2

#s soon as 0reya !as &one, the flo!ers be&an to droop their heads.

otan and his family be&an to &ro! old and &ray.

-t seemed to otan like some a!ful dream.


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uddenly )oki cried out4 5 e have not eaten 0reya's fruit to%day6 +o! she is &one, !eshall all !ither and die65

otan had stood &a8in& at the &round, tryin& hard to think !hat he could do to savehimself and his family.

5 ome, )oki,5 he said. 5 e must &o to the deep dark kin&dom of the +ibelun&s. - musthave the &old6 )et us &o by !ay of the brimstone &or&e. - cannot &o by !ay of the river.- do not !ant to hear the !ailin& of the $hine%dau&hters.5

otan called back to his an;ious family4 5Only !ait till evenin& and - promise - shall brin& your lost youth back to you.5

(ibelheim

50ar, far belo! the &round are &loomy depths,%%# mi&hty cavern, rocky, dark and vast.5

-t !as as dark as ni&ht do!n in the kin&dom of the +ibelun&s, e;cept for the li&ht !hichflared from the smokin& torches, or &lo!ed in the coals upon the anvils.

The family of d!arfs !ere skilled blacksmiths and metal%!orkers.

0rom every little niche and corner came the sound of clinkin& anvils. efore #lberichstole the &old, the +ibelun&s often san& as they !orked.

They sometimes made pretty ornaments for their !ives to !ear or toys for their littlechildren.

ut no! #lberich had made the rin& of &old !hich bound them to do his !ill.

He had no love in his heart, so he drove and scolded all the time.

He made them !ork, !ork, !ork, both day and ni&ht, and all that they made belon&edto him.

o #lberich !as daily becomin& mi&htier than ever.

The Best Smith 3n (ibelheim

Mimi, !ho !as #lberich's brother, !as the best smith in all this s!arm of black slaves.

#lberich forced Mimi to make for him a stran&e !ishin&%cap.

-t !as made of !oven steel.


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Ha6 the smoke of #lberich's kin&dom shall smud&e even your flo!ery mountain%sidesand your sparklin& rivers. 3verybody shall be my slave6 e!are of this black +ibelun&,- say, for he shall rule the !orld65

The Wishing!)ap

)oki !as very sly and cunnin&. hile #lberich boasted, he !as plannin& ho! he mi&httrick the d!arf and take his &old.

To #lberich he said4 5 urely, you !ill be the mi&htiest of men. ut suppose that !hileyou sleep, one of your slaves should creep upon you and steal your rin&*5

#lberich smiled. 5There is no dan&er of that,5 he said. 5- !ill sho! you a trick or t!o.Do you see this helmet* -t is a ma&ic helmet. ith it - can make myself so no one cansee me, or - can chan&e myself, quick as a flash, into anythin& - !ish to be. o, you see,- am perfectly safe.5

5- never heard of such !onders,5 ans!ered )oki. 5- really cannot believe it.5

5- shall prove it to you,5 said the d!arf, never dreamin& that the sly )oki !as onlylayin& a trap for him. 5 hat form !ill you have me take*5

5Turn into anythin& you !ish. Only let me see it done and then - shall believe.5

#lberich put on the helmet. 5Ho6 Monster Dra&on, come65 #nd quick as a flash heturned into a hu&e dra&on.

)oki pretended to be fri&htened. #s the fierce monster squirmed to!ard him, he made believe that he !as &oin& to rush from the cave.

The Trick

The dra&on vanished and there stood #lberich a&ain.

5+o! do you believe*5 he asked.

5-ndeed, - do,5 replied )oki. 5-t is !onderful. ut if you could shrink to some tiny thin&,it !ould be even much more clever, because you could creep into a crevice and spyupon your enemies. ut, of course, &ettin& small !ould be too hard a thin& to do.5

5Only tell me !hat you !ould have me be,5 said #lberich.

5+o! - shall catch him,5 thou&ht )oki. 5 ould you make yourself as little as a toad thatquickly slinks under the rock !hen there is dan&er near*5

5Ha6 +othin& easier,5 lau&hed #lberich.

#nd a&ain puttin& the helmet on his head he coa;ed4%%


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5 ome, little toad6 reep from your cranny65 #lberich !as &one, and there at otan'sfeet hopped the tiny toad.

52uick, otan65 cried )oki.

#nd in an instant otan put his heavy foot upon the toad.

)oki reached do!n and took the ma&ic !ishin&%cap.

#s soon as the cap !as off, the toad disappeared, and there lay #lberich, held fast byotan's &iant foot.

5)et me &o65 shrieked the d!arf. 5Take your foot off of me, this minute65

otan calmly ans!ered4 5You may &o !hen you have promised all - ask.5

5Then !hat do you !ant*5 &roaned #lberich.

5- !ant all your &litterin& &old,5 said otan.

The )urse

#lberich held the rin& close under his breast and muttered to himself4 5They may havethe &old6 hat do - care6 ith this rin& - can soon make my slaves di& more.5

Then aloud he said4 5You may take the &old. My slaves shall heap it at your feet.5He slyly slipped his hand to his lips and, kissin& the rin&, called his slaves !ith itsma&ic.

-n a moment the little black +ibelun&s came in s!arms from every shaft, bearin& the precious &old.

#lberich did not like to have them see him under otan's foot.

5Heap up the treasure65 he yelled. 5Don't stop to stare at me. - am still your master.

+o!, cra!l back into your shafts and drud&e. - am comin& in a minute, and it !ill not be !ell for you if - do not find you di&&in&65

Tremblin& !ith fear, they scurried to the darkest depths.

5+o!, there is your &old65 said #lberich. 5/ive back my helmet and let me &o65

ut )oki quickly tossed the helmet upon the shinin& heap.

5Take it, then,5 snarled the d!arf, thinkin& he could easily, !ith the po!er of the rin&,force Mimi to make another, 5but let me &o, - say65


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5:ust !ait a minute, #lberich,5 said otan. 5That rin& - sa! &litterin& on your fin&er,%%-must have that too.5

5The rin&65 #lberich screamed in horror. 5+o, you shall never have the rin&65

otan's face &re! stern.

5That rin& does not belon& to you. You stole its &old from the $hine%children,5 he said.

5Think t!ice, otan, before you take this rin& from me6 - !arn you no! a curse &oes!ith it.5

ut otan dre! the rin& from the d!arf's fin&er, then set him free.

50are!ell, #lberich6 0are!ell65

5Ha65 lau&hed #lberich in scorn. 5-t !ill never brin& you happiness. -ts o!ner shallal!ays feel its curse of care, sorro!, and unrest.5

Then, turnin&, he &roped his !ay do!n the cavern, far poorer than the day he !entstealin& alon& the slippery bed of the river. Then, he had no &old. +o!, he had no &oldand no friends.

The Gree#y Fafner

otan and )oki hurried back to the mountain%side !ith their treasure.#t the same time 0afner returned, brin&in& 0reya.

#lready 0afner had made up his mind that if he &ave 0reya back, he must have a very&reat deal of &old.

hen 0reya a&ain reached her o!n country, the sun &re! bri&hter, the air &re! s!eeter,and the &lo! of youth came back to the cheeks of otan and his family.

5Here, 0afner, is your &old65 &reat otan cried.

5- am sorry to &ive 0reya up,5 said 0afner. 5(ile up the &old bet!een her and me. Youmay keep her if there is &old enou&h to hide her completely from my si&ht. o lon& as -can see her, - cannot part !ith her.5

Then otan and his family heaped the &litterin& &old. They piled it as loosely as theycould, but !hen they had put on all the &old they had, the &reedy 0afner cried4%%

5More, more6 -t is not hi&h enou&h6 till - can see fair 0reya's shimmerin& hair. Thro!on that shinin& helmet65

5(ut it on, )oki,5 commanded otan. 5There, 0afner, is your pay. 0reya a&ain belon&sto me.5


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5+ot yet65 cried 0afner, as he peeped throu&h a space in the heap. 5- can see her eyesthrou&h here.5 Then, pointin& to the rin& on otan's fin&er4 5 rin& that rin& and put itin this space.5

5+ever65 cried otan.

Then )oki spoke. 5The rin& belon&s to the $hine%maidens, and otan is &oin& to returnit to them. #lready !e have &iven you more than you should e;pect, all that shinin&heap and the helmet besides.5

5- !ill not &ive you any more65 roared otan. 5+ot all the mi&hty !orld shall take thisrin& from my fin&er65

5Then - shall be &one,5 said 0afner. 5- !as afraid you !ould not &ive me enou&h &old.0reya is mine forevermore.5

otan's family be&an to plead for 0reya. 5 he is !orth more to us than all the &old inthis !orld6 ithout her !e must all !ither and die65

-t !as no use to resist. otan kne! that he dared not lose 0reya.

Takin& the rin& from his fin&er, he flun& it upon the shinin& heap.

A Sla4e To Gol#

0afner &athered up the hoard%%the hoard for !hich he had !orked%%the hoard for !hichhe had made so much trouble.

He carried it off to his o!n country. +o! that he had it, he had no thou&ht of usin& it.

He !anted it merely for &old's sake7 not for the sake of the &reat, &ood thin&s that mi&ht be done !ith it. The only thin& he !ished to do !as to keep others from &ettin& it.

He heaped it up in a cave in the forest. Then he put on the helmet and chan&ed himselfinto a fierce, u&ly dra&on.

0or the love of mere &old he !as !illin& to &ive up bein& a splendid &iant, !ho roamedfreely over the beautiful mountains, and to become a hideous, t!istin&, squirmin&monster.

The rest of his life he !ould lie at the door of the cave and &uard the treasure. Thetreasure should lie there useless to all the !orld.

0afner,%%a slave to &old6

The Beautiful 5alhalla

#s 0afner carried a!ay his treasure, a &reat storm &athered over the mountain crest.


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The sky &re! black. The thunder rolled. -ts echoes bounded on from cloud to cloud,from peak to peak, then rumbled do!n the valleys to the sea.

Then the clouds drifted a!ay. The settin& sun shot its lon& rays into the deep valley.

There, archin& over the river and reachin& from the flo!ery mountain%side to the verydoor of the &leamin& castle, stood a shinin& rainbo! brid&e.

5)o6 our castle6 Our beautiful 1alhalla65 cried the kin&. 5)et us cross over. -t shall beour d!ellin&%place forevermore.5

One by one they stepped upon the brid&e.

#s otan !alked slo!ly and sadly over, he heard the !ailin& of the $hine%maidens inthe river belo!4%%

5$hine%&old6 $hine%&old6e lon& for your li&ht65

5- shall never be happy a&ain,5 thou&ht otan. 5- have &iven my honor for 1alhalla.hat an a!ful price - have paid65

The Walk+re

A .atchless S6or#

Many years passed. The &iants lived on in their beautiful 1alhalla.

ut their kin& !as sad.

He could not for&et #lberich's curse. hat if #lberich should in some !ay &ain possession of the rin& a&ain6 He !ould destroy 1alhalla.

5Oh, !hy !as - not brave enou&h to &ive the rin& back to the $hine%children65 si&hedotan.

5-f only it mi&ht a&ain be a mere thin& of beauty to &ladden their hearts, but so lon& as itis in the !orld, ho! many more !ill it not rob of their happiness.

5 urely, some &reat hero must come !ho !ill be brave enou&h to slay the dra&on and&ive the rin& back to its ri&htful o!ners.5


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He had lost his !eapons, and no! he trud&ed throu&h the pathless !oods, seekin& some place !here he mi&ht find balm for his !ounds and shelter from the ra&in& storm.

He !as almost e;hausted !hen he cau&ht si&ht of a flickerin& candleli&ht in the !indo!of a forest hut.

ith the little stren&th that he had left, he dra&&ed himself to its door.

+o one ans!ered his call, and no lon&er carin& if it !ere the home of friend or foe, heopened the door, and sta&&erin& in he sank upon the hearth.

#s he looked about him he thou&ht, 5This is the home of some forest chief.5

# &reat fire burned in the rude fireplace, and, as he &re! !arm, bein& !orn and !eary,he sank into a heavy sleep.

/un#ing7S Wife

#s ie&mund slept, the door of the inner room !as &ently opened and a beautiful!oman stole softly in.

he !as clad in sno!y !hite.

Her head !as cro!ned !ith a !ealth of &olden hair.

he had heard ie&mund as he entered the room, and, thinkin& her chieftain hadreturned from the hunt, she came to &reet him.

-nstead she sa! a stran&er on the hearth, and, dra!in& near, she sa! that his face lookedsad and troubled.

5 ho are you*5 she asked, but ie&mund did not stir.

Then she knelt beside him and looked into his face.

-t !as the stron&, noble face of a hero.

5He sleeps,5 she said. 5Ho! !eak and !eary he seems. (erhaps he has been !oundedor is faint from hun&er.5

ie&mund roused and asked for !ater.

The !oman ran quickly, and, brin&in& a cup of cold !ater, held it to his parched lips.

ie&mund drank. Then, &a8in& into the !oman's kind face, he &asped4 5 here am -*5

ut, !ith a startled look, she stood in silence, listenin& to the heavy tread outside thedoor.


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/un#ing

The ne;t moment the chieftain entered and &lared fiercely at ie&mund.

The !oman hastened to say4 5- found this stran&er lyin& on our hearth. He !as faint and

needed help.5

5#nd did you &ive it*5 &ro!led the chieftain.

5- &ave him !ater. - could not drive him out into the stormy ni&ht.5

The chieftain &re! dark !ith an&er as he said4 5 ecause it is the sacred la! of mycountry that none shall be turned from the door !ho seek shelter from the ni&ht, thisintruder may stay until the mornin&. Then he shall fi&ht for his life.5

ie&mund kne! no! that he !as in the house of the fierce Hundin&.

Takin& the !oman by the arm, Hundin& led her from the room, and ie&mund !as leftalone to think ho! he mi&ht save himself.

)on& he leaned upon the hearth in troubled silence. Then, kno!in& he must flee, heturned to!ard the door.

That moment the last flickerin& li&ht of the dyin& fire flashed upon the hilt of the ma&ics!ord in the ash tree.

ie&mund sa! it, and, sprin&in& for!ard, he &rasped its hilt. Then, bracin& himselfa&ainst the tree, !ith one mi&hty pull, behold6 he dre! the bri&ht blade from its sheath.

The War!.ai#ens

otan &athered to 1alhalla a company of nine !ar%maidens. They !ere called thealk=re.

They !ere stron&, beautiful youn& !omen, !ho rode throu&h the clouds upon s!ifthorses.

The horses could not only run on the &round7 they could fly throu&h the air.

The maidens !ore !in&s upon their helmets, and each !ore a splendid silver armor!hich &littered and flashed in the sunshine.

herever there !as a battle on the earth, otan !ould send a battle%maiden for themost valiant hero on the field.

The maiden !ould fly over the battlefield and !atch !hile the !arriors fou&ht.

hen the bravest man !as !ounded, she !ould quickly s!oop do!n, and, snatchin&him up, !ould fly !ith him to 1alhalla, !here he !as revived by fair 0reya.


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ometimes, !hen evenin& came, every one of the !ar%maidens rode into 1alhallacarryin& a noble hero.

This !as otan's plan for protectin& the palace.

#fter a !hile he !ould have at the castle a company of the bravest heroes of the earth.

He hoped he !ould then be happier.

The heroes !ould protect the beautiful 1alhalla in time of dan&er.

Wotan7S Wife

Mornin& da!ned.

The kin& of the &iants !ent forth from his castle and called runhilde, his favorite battle%maiden.

He loved runhilde more than any other of the alk=re.

he !as the bravest of them all.

He loved her as a father loves a dau&hter.

5 runhilde,5 said otan, 5to%day there is to be a fearful battle. The fierce Hundin& is to

fi&ht !ith my dearest friend%%the valiant ie&mund.5)on& have - !ished to have my noble friend at 1alhalla. 0ly, runhilde, to the

battlefield. /ive to ie&mund the victory. arry him here to d!ell upon the hei&hts.5

#t that moment otan's !ife rushed to them in &reat an&er.

5 otan,5 she cried, 5 ie&mund must not be brou&ht to 1alhalla. - ask that my friend,the forest chief, shall be &iven aid. end runhilde to bear Hundin& to our castle.5

5+o,5 replied otan, 5- must protect ie&mund. He it is !ho !on my s!ord.5

5Take the s!ord from him,5 replied otan's !ife in ra&e. 5- plead for Hundin&'s ri&hts.(romise me that you !ill forbid your !ar%maiden to &ive aid to ie&mund.5

otan's heart ached at the thou&ht of failin& this friend he loved so !ell.

On ie&mund !ere centered all his hopes. Yet he feared to refuse his !ife's request.

2uarrels and strife must not come into 1alhalla.

He thre! himself upon a rocky seat and hun& his head and thou&ht in silence.

#t len&th he said4%%


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5- promise. 0rom ie&mund - !ithdra! my aid.5

Wotan An# Brunhil#e

+o! that otan's !ife had &ained his promise, she turned back to 1alhalla.

otan buried his face in his hand and cried out in despair4%%

5Oh, !oe and shame upon the &iants6 hat - love best - must &ive up. - lose the friend -hold most dear. #ll my hopes are vanishin&. # short time and the &iants !ill be nomore.5

)oudly he moaned4 5This is the curse that clutched me !hen - snatched the &litterin&&old.5

runhilde knelt at otan's feet, and, lookin& into his sad eyes be&&ed4%%

5Tell me, 0ather, !hat thy child can do. Trust me, 0ather65 she pleaded. 5Tell me allyour !oe.5

otan took her hands in his and told her the story of the rin&.

Ho! he had taken it from the fin&er of the d!arf.

Ho! he had stooped to trickery and had stolen the &old !ith !hich to pay for 1alhalla.

He told of the sad hearts of the $hine%dau&hters, and of the &reedy 0afner, lyin& at thedoor of his forest cave, &uardin& his hoard.

ut last of all, he told of the dread of #lberich's curse.

He told of his fear that the black +ibelun& mi&ht re&ain the rin& and by its po!erdestroy 1alhalla.

Off To The Battlefiel#

hen runhilde had heard the story of the curse, she said4%%

5 ut, 0ather, #lberich could not destroy 1alhalla. Think of all the heroes &atheredthere. urely, they can protect it from all dan&er.5

5 runhilde, my child,5 si&hed otan, 5you do not kno! the po!er of that rin& !hen itis in the hands of #lberich. Once he &ains it, he can do !ith it !hat he !ill, because hehas &iven up all love. ith it, he could turn my friends into enemies. Our heroes !ouldthen fi&ht for #lberich.


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5- have lon& hoped that a hero mi&ht come !ho !ould be brave enou&h to slay thedra&on. - hoped it mi&ht be ie&mund. ut no! - must desert him in his time of need.Thou&h it breaks my heart, - must &ive him up.

5Darkness and &loom are fast &atherin& upon 1alhalla. /o, runhilde. /o quickly to the

battlefield and shield my !ife's friend.5

5+o, no, 0ather, - cannot65 cried the battle%maiden. 5You love ie&mund, and - shall&uard him !ell.5

#t these !ords the mi&hty otan &re! !rathful and cried4%%

5Ho! dare you disobey me, child* /o, - say6 /ive to Hundin& the victory, and thusfulfill my promise.5

adly runhilde took up her spear and shield and rode a!ay to the battlefield.

The Flight

losely runhilde !atched the stru&&le.

hen she sa! ho! fairly and valiantly the noble ie&mund fou&ht, and ho! unfair andco!ardly !as the !icked Hundin&, she thou&ht4%%

5- shall obey my kin&'s !ishes, not his !ords. He loves ie&mund.5

he hovered nearer as the battle &re! more terrible.

uddenly she dashed to ie&mund's side and cried4%%

5 lay him, ie&mund, !ith your matchless s!ord65

ie&mund raised his s!ord to deal the deadly blo!, !hen lo6 otan dashed throu&h arift in the clouds and struck ie&mund's s!ord !ith his mi&hty spear.

The s!ord fell in pieces at the feet of runhilde. The victory belon&ed to Hundin&.

runhilde, terrified by the an&ry otan, snatched up the broken pieces of the s!ord,and, sprin&in& to her saddle, dashed a!ay.

0aster and faster she fled to the forest, bearin& the broken blade to ie&mund's !ife.

5 ie&mund is slain65 she cried. 5These are the pieces of his mi&hty s!ord.


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5On6 on6 my fiery steed65 she ur&ed.

+o battle%maiden ever rode so fast.

-f she could but reach the other battle%maidens before the !rathful otan overtook her,

surely, they !ould protect her from his an&er.

The Punishment

-t !as the custom for the battle%maidens to meet at alk=re $ock every evenin& atsunset. This !as the hi&hest peak in the mountains. 0rom here they !ould ride into1alhalla, each carryin& the hero !hom she had snatched from the battlefield.

5Heiho6 hoyotoho6 heiho65 called each as she neared the peak, and 5Heiho6 hoyotoho6heiho65 came the ans!er.

#t len&th all but one had reached the rock.

5 hy does runhilde not come*5 they asked of each other an;iously.

5 hat has happened that she should be so late*5

)oudly they called4 5Heiho6 hoyotoho6 heiho65

)ookin& to!ard the valley, they sa! runhilde ridin& fast.

Her horse !as flecked !ith foam.

5Heiho6 hoyotoho6 heiho65 they shouted7 and 5Heiho6 hoyotoho6 heiho65 camerunhilde's ans!er.

he reached the peak and spran& from her saddle, cryin&4%%

5Help me, isters6 help me6 - disobeyed our kin&65

3ven as she cried otan dre! near.

5 here is runhilde*5 he screamed in an&er.

The skies &re! black !ith the storm of his !rath.

53very one of you !ho dares to shield her shall share her punishment.5

runhilde, !eepin&, !alked out from her hidin&%place amon& her sisters.

inkin& at otan's feet she cried4%%

5Here - am, 0ather. hat punishment is mine*5


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otan spoke in solemn tones4%%

5+ever a&ain shall you see the beautiful 1alhalla. +ever shall you carry another hero toyour kin&.

5You shall lie do!n upon this mountain peak, and here you shall sleep until some!anderer in passin& shall a!aken you, and his !ife you shall be.5

5You cannot mean it, 0ather6 #nythin& but this6 +ever to see 1alhalla* +ever to ride!ith the alk=re* 0ather6 0ather6 Take back these !ords of doom65 runhilde's sisters

be&an to plead for her.

5/o65 he cried, 5every one of you. )eave runhilde to me65

0ri&htened by &reat otan's a!ful !rath, they spurred their horses and dashed a!ay to1alhalla.

The Sleep

lo!ly the storm clouds drifted a!ay. The t!ili&ht came.

till runhilde lay in fear and &rief at otan's feet.

#t len&th she lifted her sad eyes to otan and cried4%%

5 as it so !ron&, this thin& that - have done* 'T is you !ho tau&ht me to shield the brave and the true. - only sou&ht to care for one you loved.5

5 runhilde, you disobeyed me. - have told you !hat your punishment shall be. - cannotchan&e it.5

5Then &rant me, 0ather, this one !ish4 that you !ill make the place !here - sleep so noco!ard can reach me. Make it so none but a hero !ill dare come near.5

Then, takin& runhilde in his arms, he said4%%

5- &rant your !ish, my child. - shall encircle the place !ith ma&ic fire. Only he !hokno!s no fear may claim you for his bride.5

Then otan kissed runhilde upon each eyelid, and she fell fast asleep.

/ently he bore her to a mossy mound beneath a spreadin& fir tree.

)ayin& her do!n, he looked lon& and lovin&ly upon her s!eet, brave face.

He dre! her helmet close over her eyes, and laid her shield upon her breast.

The flo!ers !ent to sleep.


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runhilde's noble steed lay do!n and slept.

50are!ell, my child, most brave and beautiful6Thou life and li&ht of all my heart, fare!ell6(ride of my soul, fare!ell, a lon& fare!ell65

The .agic Fire

otan strode a fe! steps a!ay from !here runhilde slept, then struck the rock !ithhis mi&hty spear.

$ed flames shot up, leapin& almost to the sky. They !ere ma&ic flames and !ould notharm any one.

ut they looked like real fire, and none but a hero !ould dare &o into them.

They !ould fri&hten a!ay all co!ards.

otan !alked around the peak, dra!in& a line !ith his spear.

0rom every place the spear touched the fire burst forth, until at len&th the mound !hererunhilde slept !as entirely encircled by lurid flames.

/reat otan looked upon his !ork. Then he turned and called to all the mountains andthe valleys belo!4%%

5 hoso dareth otan's spear,hoso kno!eth nau&ht of fear,)et him burst these flames of !ar,)et him leap this fiery bar65

Siegfrie#

The .issing .imi

The cunnin& Mimi secretly lon&ed to steal out into the !orld and find that ma&ic rin&.

One ni&ht !hen all the other little +ibelun&s !ere asleep, he slipped stealthily to hisfor&e.

He &athered up his best tools.

Makin& sure that all !ere soundly sleepin&, he stole quietly out.

hat surprise and e;citement there must have been the ne;t mornin& !hen the little black +ibelun&s found that Mimi had run a!ay and had taken all of his best tools !ithhim6


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Ho! they must have rushed about, each an;ious to tell another the ne!s of the missin&Mimi6

Of course, #lberich &uessed very quickly for !hat purpose his brother had &one.

#nd ho! #lberich must have ra&ed !hen he thou&ht of !hat a sad day it !ould be forhim should Mimi become o!ner of that rin&6

Mimi !as stran&ely clever.

He said to himself4 5That rin& is hidden some!here in the forest. - !ill &o there andsearch until - kno! !ho has it. Then - !ill find some !ay of &ettin& it.5

On he !ent, until he came to the darkest place in the !oods.

The bou&hs overlapped each other, so much that almost no sunshine could &et throu&h.

Mimi liked this place. -t !as soothin& to his eyes, so used to the darkness of the +ibelun&s' cavern.

The $ragon

Mimi had found the very forest !hich he sou&ht to find.

This !as the one in !hich the dra&on lay &uardin& the hoard.

The sly d!arf cau&ht a &limpse of the hu&e monster lyin& at the door of its cave.

-ts &reat ya!nin& 9a!s and sharp teeth filled him !ith terror.

Mimi darted into the underbrush. Ho! &lad he !as that the monster had not seen him.

He shook and trembled !ith fear as he peeped at the loathsome creature.

-ts body !as covered !ith &reen scales. (oison breath came from its nostrils.

-ts a!ful snake%like tail t!isted and lashed about. -n the end of the tail !as a deadlystin&.

5#lberich's rin& is in that cave,5 thou&ht Mimi. 5+o! close to this forest - must find a&ood little cavern in !hich to live.

5Then - can come often to !atch the dra&on.

5 ome day - shall find a hero to slay this fierce monster. Then - shall slink into the caveand snatch the rin&.

5Ho6 ho6 my brother #lberich6 e shall see !ho shall be master and !ho shall beslave65


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A Baby 3n The Forest

Mimi found a cavern in a rocky cleft. -t !as 9ust the kind of place he liked.

-n it !as 9ust the ri&ht kind of rock for a for&e.

There he hammered at !eapons or chains or !hatever happened to be his need.

Daily he sneaked about in the underbrush, !atchin& the dra&on, and daily he becamemore an;ious to &ain the &old.

He !as such a co!ard that he !as fri&htened at almost every animal he sa! in the!oods and startled by every sound.

One day, !hen he had ventured farther from his cave than usual, he !as startled by astran&e little cry.

He listened a moment and thou&ht4%%

5-t sounds like the cry of a little child. - shall run to my cave.5

ut as he heard the cry a&ain, somethin& made him !ant to see !hat it !as.

He slipped cautiously throu&h the bushes, in the direction from !hich the sound came.

hen he reached the place he found a little baby boy.This !as the same forest to !hich runhilde had fled, bearin& the broken s!ord toie&mund's !ife.

ut no! the mother had died, and ie&mund's child !as left alone in the !oods.

.imi An# The Baby

Mimi !as mean and selfish.

He !ould not even have cared for a little child alone in the !oods had he not thou&htthat by so doin& he mi&ht &ain somethin& for himself.

#s he looked at the baby he heard a stran&e voice sayin&4%%

5 ie&fried is his name, and only he !ho kno!s no fear can mend the s!ord.5

5The s!ord* The s!ord*5 questioned Mimi. 5 hat does the voice mean*5

/oin& nearer to the child, he sa! close beside it the broken pieces of ie&mund's s!ord.

Mimi picked up the pieces and looked at them.


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5The finest piece of steel - ever sa!,5 he chuckled, as he ran his fin&ers carefully alon&the keen ed&es.

Then he cried aloud in 9oy.

5#t last - have found the hero6 This little baby is the son of some valiant !arrior. Theseare the broken pieces of the !arrior's s!ord. uch luck for Mimi6

5The boy !ill be a !arrior like his father. - shall take him to my cave and take &oodcare of him.

5 hen he is &ro!n up - !ill make him pay me for my care and pains. He shall slay thedra&on. Then - !ill take the rin&.5

He lifted the little baby as &ently as he kne! ho!, and started to!ard his cave.

#&ain he heard the same stran&e voice4%%

5 ie&fried is his name, and only he !ho kno!s no fear can mend the s!ord.5

5Ha6 ha65 chuckled Mimi. 5That voice does not kno! !hat a skillful smith Mimi is.

5- !ill mend the s!ord and ie&fried shall use it to slay the dra&on.5

He folded the baby close in his rou&h, black little arms.

5# fe! more years, a fe! more years,5 he &ur&led in &lee, 5and Mimi's hands shallclutch the precious &old.5

Siegfrie# An# /is Frien#s

Mimi took &ood care of ie&fried.

hen the boy had &ro!n lar&e enou&h to play about in the !oods, Mimi made for hima little silver horn.

ie&fried loved all the birds and the !ild animals.

He kne! they !ere his best friends, for somethin& in Mimi's face al!ays sho!ed himthat the d!arf !as false.

ie&fried !ould !ander out into the forest !ith his silver horn s!in&in& from hisshoulder.

He !ould blo! his little horn son&, and his forest friends !ould hear the call and cometo play !ith him.

He !atched the birds as they built their nests.


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He listened to the father bird as he !arbled his pretty little love son&s.

Ho! s!eetly he san& to the mother bird !hile she sat upon the nest6

#nd !hen the little e&&s had told their secret, both the father and the mother birds

carried food to the babies.

ie&fried sa! ho! tenderly the mother fo;es, !olves, and bears cared for their babies.

0rom these friends in the forest he learned !hat love is.

+ever for all the !orld !ould he have stolen one baby from its mother.

ut it !as !hen he !atched the love%li&ht in the eyes of the mother deer that he !ouldshut his eyes and try to dream that he too had a lovin& mother.

The Broken S6or#

Mimi al!ays pretended to be ie&fried's father, and he pretended to love ie&fried.

ut ie&fried kne! there !as no love in Mimi's heart.

Daily ie&fried &re! lar&er and stron&er.

Mimi continually boasted of his !ork at the for&e.

Often he said4 5+o one in this !orld can make such marvelous s!ords as Mimi.5

ie&fried ur&ed him to make one s!ord after another, but as fast as they !ere made the boy !ould shatter them to bits !ith one blo! on the d!arf's for&e.

Then he !ould cry in dis&ust4 5+onsense, Mimi. Your s!ords are mere toys. :ust likelittle s!itches.

53ither make me a &ood stron& s!ord or quit your bra&&in&.5

Mimi al!ays kept the pieces of ie&mund's s!ord carefully hidden. hile ie&friedroamed throu&h the !oods, the d!arf !ould !ork for hours tryin& to mend the ma&ic

blade, but its hard steel !ould never yield either to his fire or his hammer.

Mimi &re! tired and discoura&ed.

5- can never mend it,5 he &roaned.

A Big Bro6n Bear

ie&fried &re! to be a youn& man.


31/44


32/44

Mimi and ie&fried sat do!n upon the rocks in the cave, and Mimi told ho! he hadfound the baby in the !oods and ho! he had brou&ht him to the cave.

Mimi put in many !ords of ho! much ie&fried o!ed for all this care and trouble.

5Thou &ivest me al!ays trouble and pain,- !ear to shreds poor foolish me6

+o!, for my care, this is my &ain,%%Only abuse and hate from thee.5

ie&fried looked strai&ht into Mimi's eyes.

He tried to see if Mimi !ere tellin& the truth.

5Ho! did you kno! my name !as ie&fried*5 he asked.

Then Mimi told of the stran&e voice !hich said4%%

5 ie&fried is his name.5

ut not once did the d!arf mention the s!ord.

5You co!ardly little !retch65 cried ie&fried. 5You have told me so much that is nottrue that - can never believe you.

5Ho! do - kno! that this is not another of your miserable falsehoods*

5(rove to me that this is true, or - shall make you sorry that you ever sa! me. (rove it tome, - tell you65 cried ie&fried, as he &rasped the shrinkin& d!arf by the shoulders.

5- !ill6 - !ill65 &asped the fri&htened Mimi7 and he brou&ht out the broken s!ord.

Siegfrie# .en#s /is Father7s S6or#

ie&fried looked at the s!ord.

Then handin& it back to Mimi, he said4%%

5Mend it for me, Mimi6 Mend it6 +o! is your chance to prove your skill65

5- cannot6 Oh, - cannot65 &roaned Mimi7 and he &asped out the rest of !hat the voicehad told him4%%

5Only he !ho kno!s no fear can mend the s!ord.5

ie&fried took the broken pieces to the for&e and be&an filin& them to dust.

5 top, ie&fried, stop65 cried Mimi. 5You !ill ruin that blade65


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34/44

5 hen he had &one as far as he dared, he pointed out the rest of the !ay to ie&fried.

5:ust throu&h here,5 he said. 5#nd - shall &o back no!. hen the dra&on sees you it !ill be a terrible stru&&le6 - shall !ait an;iously for you, my ie&fried65

ut as ie&fried vanished from si&ht, he rubbed his black hands to&ether and lau&hed4%%

5#h, it !ill be luck for Mimi if ie&fried and the dra&on kill each other65

A Woo#!Bir#7S Song

hen ie&fried had &one on a little !ay, he stretched himself upon a &rassy mound beneath a tree to rest and think.

)ookin& up throu&h the branches at the clear sky, he cried4%%

5- am free6 0ree6 +ever a&ain !ill - &o back to that loathsome +ibelun&.5

# bird in the tree be&an sin&in& its s!eet !ood%son&.

5Ho! do you do, my little feathered friend65 said ie&fried. 5- am sure !hat you aresin&in& is very s!eet, but - cannot understand your !ords.5

Then ie&fried cut a reed near by, and puttin& it to his lips, tried to !histle ans!ers tothe little bird's notes.

His music did not sound much like the son& of a bird.

5- &ive it up, my little friend,5 he said, and thre! a!ay the reed.

Siegfrie# An# The $ragon

5- !ill blo! you a son& on my silver horn,5 said ie&fried to the bird.

5- often blo! this little son&. -t is my call for a comrade. - lon& for one. +one better

have ever come to me than the bears and fo;es.5

)oudly he ble! his horn.

oon there !as a &reat cracklin& in the underbrush. The hu&e dra&on came, lashin& itsdeadly tail, &apin& its red 9a!s, and blo!in& out poison fumes.

5Ho65 lau&hed ie&fried. 5 hat a fair comrade - have charmed from his cave6 Yousava&e brute, are you &oin& to teach me !hat fear is*5

5- am &oin& to eat you65 hissed the dra&on, &larin& at ie&fried and thrustin& out its lon&forked ton&ue.


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ie&fried quickly dre! his s!ord.

nortin& fire and smoke from its nostrils, the monster raised to strike a deadly blo!.

ie&fried spran& for!ard7 a flash of steel, and his blade sank to the monster's heart.

A )hange )omes O4er Siegfrie#

#s ie&fried dre! his blade from the breast of the dyin& dra&on, a drop of its black blood fell on his fin&er.

-t burned like fire.

ie&fried quickly put his fin&er in his mouth.

The instant the dra&on's blood touched his lips, a chan&e came over him.

He could understand the !ords of the little bird sin&in& in the tree4%%

5+o! the &old is ie&fried's6 +o! all the &old is ie&fried's6/o into the cave, ie&fried6/o in6 /o in60ind the helmet and the rin&6The helmet and the rin& are ie&fried's6

Take them6 Take them6 Take them65ie&fried !ent throu&h the brush in the direction from !hich the monster had come.

hen he found the cave, he peered in.

#ll !as deep, dreary darkness, but ie&fried had not learned fear.

He !ent in and found the &old, the helmet, and the rin&.

ut he did not need the &old. -ts !ei&ht !ould only hinder him.

He looked upon the !ishin&%cap, but surely no one could turn into anythin& better thana hero, and ie&fried !as already a hero.

hat use could he have for a !ishin&%cap*

# hero does not try to make believe he is somethin& !hich he is not.

He is brave enou&h to be 9ust himself.

ut the little bird fluttered at the door of the cave.

5Take the helmet and the rin&, ie&fried6 Take the helmet and the rin&65


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5- !ill obey my little friend,5 said ie&fried.

.imi /as A Surprise

The sly, !icked Mimi came slinkin& to the place !here the dra&on lay.

hen he sa! it lyin& dead under the trees, he looked about for ie&fried, but ie&fried!as no!here to be seen.

5+o! - shall rush in and snatch the rin&6 #t last - shall have my pay for all these yearsof trouble !ith that ro&ue - hate65

ut scarcely had Mimi turned to!ard the dra&on's cave !hen suddenly #lberich spran& before him.

5You sly, crafty rascal65 cried #lberich. 5 hat do you !ant here* Ha6 - have cau&htyou at your sneakin& tricks6 )on& have - &uarded here6 You shall not steal my &old6 /et

back to your murky cave.5

ut Mimi screamed4%%

5You shall not have the &old6 'T is mine6 )on& years have - toiled and !aited6 The &oldis mine, - say65 5Yours*5 #lberich snarled in scorn. 5Yours* You snatched it from the$hine%dau&hters, did you* You paid the price to mould that rin&*5

#nd Mimi raved4

5 ho made the helmet, that !ondrous cap that in a flash can chan&e a man intoanythin& he !ants to be*5

.imi An# Alberich Stop To 8uarrel Too 0ong

hile Mimi and #lberich quarreled, ie&fried came from the dra&on's cave, bearin& the

helmet and the rin&.

He heard no sound save the rustlin& of the leaves and the son& of the bird.

#&ain he sat do!n in the shado! of a tree.

5)ittle bird, can you not help me to find a true friend*5 asked ie&fried.

53ach year you have your mate and your little birdlin&s in the nest. You sin& son&s !iththe other birds.

5- have never kno!n a father or a mother, a sister or a brother. - am lonely.


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5-s there no!here in all this !orld some one !hom - may love* ome one !ho !ill loveme*5

Then the !ood%bird be&an to sin& a pretty love%son& of a maiden sleepin& on the crestof a mountain, encircled by fire.

!eetly he san&4%%5Only he !ho kno!s no fear may claim her for his bride.5

ie&fried spran& to his feet. 5- do not kno! fear. - have tried !ith all my mi&ht to learnit. Oh, help me to find the mountain !here she sleeps65

The little bird fle! a!ay in the opposite direction from !here the !icked +ibelun&sstood quarrelin&, and ie&fried 9oyously hurried after.

Siegfrie# *eaches The .ountain

# heavy storm arose as ie&fried and the bird neared the foot of the mountain !hererunhilde slept. There !ere peals of deep thunder.

The sky &re! very dark. The &reat bou&hs of the trees s!ayed !ith the !ind.

ie&fried took shelter under a lo! spreadin& fir.

The storm did not last lon&, and as the li&ht a&ain broke throu&h the clouds, ie&friedlooked about for his little &uide, but all in vain. The bird had fled.

ie&fried started on up the mountain, !hen suddenly the &iant otan stood before him.

5 hat are you doin& here*5 demanded otan.

ie&fried replied4%%

5- am &oin& to the top of this mountain. There a maiden lies sleepin&. - !ill a!aken her,and she shall be my bride.5

5/o back to your forest65 commanded otan. 5This mountain is encircled by fire.5

#nd stretchin& forth his arm, he barred the path !ith his mi&hty spear.

ie&fried quickly dre! his s!ord from its sheath.

5This is the ma&ic spear that rules the !orld65 said otan. 5(ut a!ay that s!ord, or thespear that once shattered it !ill shatter it a&ain65

5Ha65 cried ie&fried, 5then you !ere my father's foe65

There !as a flash of ie&fried's blade, then a crash that echoed over mountains andvalleys, and ie&fried had shattered otan's spear. -t lay in splinters on the &round.


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ie&fried started back and stared in silence.

He trembled from head to foot.

He pressed his hand to his fast%beatin& heart.

5#t last65 he cried. 5#t last6 - kno! !hat fear is.5

The A6akening

#t len&th ie&fried !ent softly to runhilde's side.

He stood and looked upon her s!eet, heroic face, and love came into his heart.

endin& lo!, he tenderly kissed her.

runhilde slo!ly opened her eyes.

he looked up at the blue sky and the smilin& sun, and cried4%%

5#ll hail to thee, thou &lorious sun in heaven65

The flo!ers slo!ly opened their petals, the birds be&an to sin&.

runhilde's horse a!oke and nei&hed his &lad call.

runhilde looked upon ie&fried.

lo!ly her memory returned.

#s she remembered otan's !ords4 5Only he !ho kno!s no fear may claim you for his bride,5 she kne! at last her hero had come.

he looked into ie&fried's stron&, brave face, and as he told her of his love, she nolon&er !ished to &o back to 1alhalla.

he kne! that she loved ie&fried !ith all her heart, and she promised to be his bride.

he told him that she !ould al!ays be happy !hen she !as by his side.


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G tter#-mmerung

A Song Of The Past

One very dark ni&ht, three +orns came to the mountain crest to spin.

-f you had seen them, you !ould have called them !itches.

They spun the thread of fate.

They !ere very, very old. The eldest !as almost as old as the !orld.

They !ere tall and &aunt, and !ore lon& black &o!ns.

Their faces and hands !ere deep%!rinkled !ith a&e, and their hair !as as !hite as thesno!.

They had come up from the &reat, dark earth%hole, !here they lived, and no! theycrouched upon the rocks to spin their thread.

The eldest !as the first to spin the thread, and as she spun, she san& a son& about the past, !hen otan and his happy family lived out of doors upon the mountain%side.

he san& of the time !hen he split from the !orld's ash tree the piece of !ood from!hich he made the ma&ic spear, !hich had ruled the !orld for so many hundreds of

years.he san& of 0reya's apples, and of the stren&th and youth of the &iant family.

#t len&th her voice !avered, the stran&e, !eird son& ceased, and she tossed the threadto the second +orn.

A Song Of The Present

#s the second +orn took the thread in her !orn hands, she crooned a sorro!ful son&

about the present.

he san& of #lberich and the stolen &old. Of the love that he had &iven up in order tomake the rin&.

he san& of otan and ho! he &rasped the rin& and carried it into the !orld, brin&in&!ith it #lberich's curse.

Then she told of 0afner.

Mournfully she san&4%%

5-t has robbed all !ho have had it of their freedom and happiness.


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5-t has brou&ht envy and discontent to those !ho have stru&&led to &ain it.

5+o! otan's ma&ic spear is splintered.

5Oh6 Ho! this &old has tan&led all my threads65 she !ailed.

Her lon&, &aunt fin&ers pulled and !orked at the knots, but all in vain.

he could not strai&hten out the snarls.

5 in&, oh, my ister, sin&65 she cried. 5You kno! !hat the end !ill be.5

#nd she tossed the snarled threads to the third +orn.

A Song Of The Future

The third +orn took up the thread.

T!istin& and untyin&, she san& of the future.

he san& of the do!nfall of the &iants.

he san& of the time !hen otan and his family !ould be no more, and bri&ht1alhalla's halls !ould be only a ruin.

5 ut, isters, look65 she cried. 5The day is da!nin&. e must make haste65

he tu&&ed at the thread. The knots &re! ti&hter.

5Oh, see65 she cried. 5- cannot make it reach.5

#nother pull, the thread snapped.

The three +orns !ailed.

Then, snatchin& up the broken ends of their thread of fate, they vanished in the &loom.

A Ple#ge Of 0o4e

The days !ent by. ie&fried and runhilde !ere perfectly happy upon the mountain.

One day they decided that ie&fried should &o forth to do brave deeds in the !orld.

He !ould come back !hen he had !on honor and fame.

He told runhilde ho! an;ious he !ould be to &et back to her, and that he !ould come 9ust as soon as he could.


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runhilde told ie&fried ho! lonely she !ould be !ithout him, and ho! she !ouldlisten both day and ni&ht for the &lad call of his silver horn.

ie&fried took runhilde's hand and put the rin& upon her fin&er, sayin&4%%

5This, runhilde, shall stay !ith you. -t shall be a pled&e of my love until - comea&ain.5

runhilde &ave ie&fried her s!ift horse. On it he should ride to &reat victories.

ie&fried led the horse do!n the mountain.

3very little !ay he looked lovin&ly back at runhilde.

They called and !aved to each other until he passed from si&ht.

#nd after that runhilde listened to the clear notes of his silver horn, until at len&th itslast faint echo died a!ay.

The $oom Of 5alhalla

ie&fried had been a!ay several days.

runhilde sat lookin& far out over the valley.

he !as thinkin& of ie&fried and of ho! he !as provin& his coura&e to the !orld.he lifted her hand to her lips and kissed the rin&, ie&fried's pled&e of love.

5Heiho6 hoyotoho6 heiho65 came from the valley belo!.

runhilde spran& to her feet !ith the ans!er4%%

5Heiho6 hoyotoho6 heiho65

ould it be that one of her sisters !as comin& to see her*

as it possible that one of the alk=re !ould so far dare otan's !rath as to venture tothe mountain's crest*

+earer came the call4%%

5Heiho6 hoyotoho6 heiho65

#nd a battle%maiden came in si&ht.

runhilde !as very happy to see her sister a&ain, but the battle%maiden looked sad.

he brou&ht bad ne!s from 1alhalla.


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he and runhilde sat do!n upon the rock, and the battle%maiden told the sad story ofthe last days of the &iants.

5 runhilde,5 she said, 5 otan does not kno! that - have come. 1alhalla is in deepest&loom.

5 otan has never sent us to a battlefield since that day !hen !e last sa! you.

5+ot lon& a&o he came home !ith his ma&ic spear broken into splinters. He sat do!nand buried his face in his hands, and there he sits day after day.

5He tell us the &iants are passin& from the earth. # little !hile and 1alhalla shall be nomore.

5He refuses all of 0reya's &olden fruit. He has &ro!n very old and very sad.

5Yesterday - heard him say, 'Oh6 if runhilde !ould only &ive the rin& back to the$hine%dau&hters, and release the !orld from the terrible curse of &old6'

5#nd, runhilde, - have come to be& of you, !ill you not &ive the rin& back to the$hine%dau&hters*5

runhilde clasped the rin& close to her breast.

5/ive the rin& to the $hine%dau&hters*5 she cried.

Then she looked far a!ay to!ard the valley%%%%and ie&fried.

5This rin& of mine is ie&fried's pled&e of love65

0o4e

The ne;t mornin& runhilde stood upon alk=re $ock and !atched the &lorioussunrise.

uddenly she heard the &lad notes of ie&fried's silver horn.

5 ie&fried6 ie&fried65 she cried in 9oy, and hurried do!n the mountain to &reet him.

#ll the earth seemed as &lad as at that &lad time !hen ie&fried came to alk=re $ockto claim runhilde for his bride.

ut runhilde !as not alto&ether happy.

he could not for&et the sorro!ful ne!s !hich her sister had brou&ht, of the &loom at1alhalla.


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Opera Stories From Wagner by Florence Akin

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Transcript of Opera Stories From Wagner by Florence Akin