Siegfried & The Twilight of the Gods. The Ring of the Niblung, part 2

BRÜNNHILDE [Lost in thought.

What dread demon's mightMoves here in darkness?By what wizard's spellWorked was the woe?How weak is my wisdomFaced by this puzzle!And where shall I findThe runes for this riddle?Oh, sorrow! Sorrow!Woe's me! Woe's me!I gave all my wisdom to him;

[With increasing emotion.

The maid in his powerHe holds.Fast in his fettersBound is the bootyThat, weeping her grievous shame,Gaily to others he gives!Will none of you lend a swordWith which I may sever my bonds?

HAGEN

[Going close to Brünnhilde.

Leave that to me,O wife betrayed;I will avengeThy trust deceived.

BRÜNNHILDE [Looking round dully.

On whom?

HAGEN

On Siegfried, traitor to thee.

BRÜNNHILDE

On Siegfried? Thou?

[Smiling bitterly.

One single flashOf his eye and its lightning—Which streamed in its glory on meEven through his disguise—And thy heart would fail,Shorn of its courage.

HAGEN

But to my spearHis perjury gives him.

BRÜNNHILDE

Truth and falsehood—What matter words!To arm thy spearSeek for something stronger,Strength such as his to withstand!

HAGEN

Well know I Siegfried'sConquering strength:How hard in battle to slay him;But whisper to meSome sure deviceFor speeding him to his doom.

BRÜNNHILDE

Ungrateful, shameful return!I taught him allThe arts I know,To preserve his body from harm.He bears unwittingA charmèd lifeAnd safely walks by spells enwound.

HAGEN

Then no weapon forged could wound him?

BRÜNNHILDE

In battle none;—yet—Did the blow strike his back!Never—I knew that—Would he give way,Or turn and fly, the foe pursuing,So there I gave him no blessing.

HAGEN

And there shall my spear strike!

[He turns quickly from Brünnhilde to Gunther.

Up, Gunther,Noble Gibichung!Here stands thy valiant wife.Why hang thy head in grief?

GUNTHER

[Starting up passionately.

O shame!Dishonour!Woe is me!No man has known such sorrow!

HAGEN

In shame thou liest—That is true.

BRÜNNHILDE [To Gunther.

O craven man!Falsest of friends!Hidden behindThe hero wert thouWhile won were for theeThe prize and the glory.Low indeedThe race must have sunkThat breeds such cowards as thou!

GUNTHER [Beside himself.

Deceived am I—and deceiver!Betrayed am I—and betrayer!My strength be consumed,And broken my heart!Help, Hagen!Help for my honour!Help, for my mother was thine—Thee too she bore!

HAGEN

No help from headOr hand will suffice:'Tis Siegfried's death we need.GUNTHER [Seized with horror.Siegfried's death?

HAGEN

Unpurged else were thy shame.

GUNTHER [Staring before him.

Blood-brotherhoodHe and I swore.

HAGEN

Who broke the bondPays with his blood.

GUNTHER

Broke he the bond?

HAGEN

In betraying thee.

GUNTHER

Was I betrayed?

BRÜNNHILDE

He betrayed thee,And me ye all are betraying!If I were just,All the blood of the worldWould not atone for your guilt!But the death of oneIs all I ask for.Dying, SiegfriedAtones for himself and you!

HAGEN

[Turning to Gunther and speaking to him secretly.

His death would profit thee;Boundless were indeed thy mightIf thou couldst capture the ring,Which, alive, he never will yield.

GUNTHER [Softly.

Brünnhilde's ring?HAGENThe ring the Niblung wrought.

GUNTHER [Sighing deeply.

'Twould be the end of Siegfried.

HAGEN

His death would serve us all.

GUNTHER

But Gutrun', to whomHe has been given!How could we look in her faceIf her husband we had slain?

BRÜNNHILDE [Starting up furiously.

What wisdom forewarned of,And runes hinted darkly,In helpless despairIs plain to me now.

[Passionately.

Gutrune is the spellThat stole my husband's heart away!Woe be her lot!

HAGEN [To Gunther.

If this grief we must give her,Conceal how Siegfried died.We go to-morrowMerrily hunting;The hero gallops ahead;We find him slain by a boar.

BRÜNNHILDE and HAGEN

So shall it be!Perish Siegfried!Purged be the shameHe brought on me!Faith sworn by oathHe has broken;Now with his bloodLet him atone!Avenging,All-hearing God!Oath-witness,And lord of vows!Wotan, come at my call!Send thou thine awfulHeavenly hostHither to hearWhile I vow revenge!

HAGEN

Doomed let him die,The hero renowned!Mine is the hoard,And mine I shall hold it!From him the ringShall be wrested!Niblung father!O fallen prince!Night warder!Nibelung lord!Alberich! Hear thou thy son!Ruling againO'er the Nibelung host,Bid them obey thee,The ring's dread lord!

[As Gunther turns impetuously towards the hall with Brünnhilde they are met by the bridal procession coming out. Boys and girls, waving flower-wreathed staves, leap merrily in front. The vassals are carrying Siegfried on a shield and Gutrune on a seat. On the rising ground at the back men-servants and maids are taking implements and beasts for sacrifice, by the various mountain-paths, to the altars, which they deck with flowers. Siegfried and the vassals blow wedding-calls on their horns. The women invite Brünnhilde to accompany them to Gutrune's side. Brünnhilde stares blankly at Gutrune, who beckons her with a friendly smile. As Brünnhilde is about to step back angrily Hagen comes quickly between them and presses her towards Gunther, who takes her hand again, whereupon he allows himself to be raised on a shield by the men. As the procession, scarcely interrupted, moves on quickly again towards the height, the curtain falls.

THE THIRD ACT

A wild wooded and rocky valley on the Rhine, which flows past a steep cliff in the background. The three Rhine-Maidens, Woglinde, Wellgunde, and Flosshilde, rise to the surface and swim and circle as if dancing.

THE THREE RHINE-MAIDENS

[Swimming slower.

The sunSends hither rays of glory;In the depths is darkness.Once there was light,When clear and fairOur father's gold shone on the billows.Rhinegold!Gleaming gold!How bright was once thy radiance,Lovely star of the waters!

[They sing and again start swimming and circling about. They pause and listen, then merrily splash the waters.

O sun,The hero quickly send usWho again our gold shall give us!If it were ours,We should no longerEnvy thine eye for its splendour.Rhinegold!Gleaming gold!How glad was thy radiance,Glorious star of the waters!

[A horn is heard.

WOGLINDE

Hark! That is his horn!

WELLGUNDE

The hero comes.

FLOSSHILDE

Let us take counsel.

[They all dive down quickly.

SIEGFRIED

[Appears on the cliff fully armed.

Some elf has led me astrayAnd lured my feet from the path.Hey, rogue! Behind what hillHast suddenly hidden my game?

THE THREE RHINE-MAIDENS

[Rise to the surface again and swim and circle as in a dance.

Siegfried!

FLOSSHILDE

What art thou scolding about?

WELLGUNDE

With what elf art thou so wroth?

WOGLINDE

Hast thou been tricked by some sprite?

ALL THREE

Tell us, Siegfried; let us hear!

SIEGFRIED

[Regarding them with a smile.

Have ye, then, hither charmedThe shaggy-hided fellowWhom I have lost?Frolicsome maids,Ye are welcome to him,If he is your love.

[The maidens laugh.

WOGLINDE

What would our guerdon be,Siegfried, if we restored him?

SIEGFRIED

I have caught nothing yet,So ask of me what you will.

WELLGUNDE

A golden ringGleams on thy finger.

THE THREE RHINE-MAIDENS

Wilt grant it?

SIEGFRIED

From a dragon grimI won the ring in fight;And think ye for a worthless bear-skinI would exchange the gold?

WOGLINDE

Art thou so mean?

WELLGUNDE

In bargains so hard?

FLOSSHILDE

Free-handedThou with women shouldst be.

SIEGFRIED

On you did I waste my goods,My wife would have cause to scold.

FLOSSHILDE

Is she a shrew?

WELLGUNDE

And beats thee sore?

WOGLINDE

Has the hero felt her hand?

[They laugh immoderately.

SIEGFRIED

Though gaily ye may laugh,In grief ye shall be left,For, mocking maids, this ringYe ask shall never be yours.

[The Rhine-Maidens have again joined hands for dancing.

FLOSSHILDE

So fair!

WELLGUNDE

So strong!

WOGLINDE

So worthy love!

THE THREE

How sad he should a miser be!

[They laugh and dive down.

SIEGFRIED

[Comes down nearer to the river.

Why should I standTheir taunts and blame?Why endure their scorn?Did they returnTo the bank again,The ring gladly I'd give them.

[Calling loudly.

Hey, hey! ye merryWater-maidens,Come back; the ring shall be yours.

[He holds up the ring, which he has taken from his finger.

THE THREE RHINE-MAIDENS

[Rise to the surface again. They appear grave and solemn.

Nay, hero, keepAnd ward it well,Until the harm thou hast feltThat in the ring lies hid.Then wouldst thou fainBe freed by us from its curse.

SIEGFRIED

[Calmly puts the ring on his finger again.

Sing something that ye know!

THE THREE RHINE-MAIDENS

Siegfried! Siegfried! Siegfried!Dark our knowledge for thee!The ring thou keepestTo thy own scathe!From the gleaming goldOf the Rhine 'twas wrought;He who cunningly forged it,And lost it in shame,Laid a curse on itWhich, for all time,The owner thereofDooms to his death.As the dragon fellSo shalt thou too fall,And that to-day;Thy fate is foretold,Wilt thou not give to the RhineThe ring to hide in its waters.Its waves aloneCan loose the curse.

SIEGFRIED

Enough, O ye womenFull of wiles!Was I firm when ye flattered,I am firmer now when ye threaten!

THE THREE RHINE-MAIDENS

Siegfried! Siegfried!Our warning is true:Flee, oh, flee from the curse!The Norns who weaveBy night have entwined itIn the ropeOf Fate's decrees!

SIEGFRIED

My sword once shattered a spear;And if the NornsHave woven a curseInto the strandsOf destiny's rope,Nothung will cleave it asunder.A dragon once warned meOf this dread curse,But he could not teach me to fear.

[He contemplates the ring.

The world's wealthHas bestowed on me a ring.For the grace of loveHad it been yours,And still for love might it be got,But by threats to my life and my limbs—Had it not evenA finger's worth—The ring ye never shall gain.My limbs and my life—Look!—thusFreely I fling away!

[He lifts a clod of earth from the ground, holds it over his head, and with the last words throws it behind him.

THE THREE RHINE-MAIDENS

Come, sisters!Fly from the madman!Though dauntless and wiseHe seems to himself,He is blind and in fetters bound fast.

[Wildly excited, they swim in wide circles close to the shore.

Oaths he swore,And was false to his word;

[Moving quickly again.

Runes he knowsThat he cannot rede.A glorious giftFell to his lot;He flung it from himUnawares;And the ring that deals doom and deathAlone he will not surrender!Farewell, Siegfried!A woman proudEre night falls thy wealth shall inherit.Our cry by her will be heard.To her! To her! To her!

[They turn quickly to their dance, and gradually swim away to the back singing.

SIEGFRIED

[Looks after them smiling, one foot on a piece of rock and his chin resting on his hand.

Alike on land and waterI have studied women's ways:Still those who mistrust their smilesThey seek with threats to frighten,And, are their threats despised,At once they begin to scold.And yet—Held I not Gutrun' dear,Of these alluring maidensOne had surely been mine.

[He looks calmly after the Rhine-Maidens, who have disappeared, and whose voices gradually die away. Horn-calls are then heard. Siegfried starts from a reverie and sounds his horn in answer.

HAGEN'S VOICE [Far off.

Hoiho!

VASSALS' VOICES

Hoiho! Hoiho! Hoiho!

SIEGFRIED

[Having first answered the call with his horn.

Hoiho! Hoihe!

HAGEN

[Appears on the height, followed by Gunther. He sees Siegfried.

So we have found theeWhere thou wert hidden!

SIEGFRIED

Come down all! Here 'tis fresh and cool.

[The vassals now appear on the height, and come down with Hagen and Gunther.

HAGEN

Here let us restAnd see to the meal.

[They lay the game in a heap.

Lay down the bootyAnd hand round the wine-skins.

[Wine-skins and drinking-horns are produced. All lie down.

HAGEN

Now be the wonders told usOf Siegfried and his huntingThat chased the game from us.

SIEGFRIED

No meal at all is mine;I beg of youTo share with me your spoil.

HAGEN

No luck at all?

SIEGFRIED

I sought for forest-game,But water-fowl only I found;Furnished with the right equipment,A brood of three wild water-birdsI had caught and brought you.Down there on the Rhine they told meThat slain to-day I should fall.

[Gunther starts and looks darkly at Hagen. Siegfried lies down between Gunther and Hagen.

HAGEN

A sorry chase were thatIf the luckless hunter fellA victim to the quarry!

SIEGFRIED

Thirst plagues me!

HAGEN

[Whilst he orders a drinking-horn to be filled for Siegfried, and hands it to him.

It has been rumoured, Siegfried,That thou canst tell the meaningOf what the birds sing:Does rumour speak true?

SIEGFRIED

I have not listenedFor long to their song.

[He takes the drinking-horn and turns with it to Gunther, to whom he offers it after he has drunk from it.

Drink, Gunther, drink! Thy brother hands the draught!

GUNTHER

[ Looks into the horn with horror. Moodily.

A pale draught thou hast poured!

[More gloomily.

Thy blood alone is there.

SIEGFRIED [Laughing.

With thine, then, be it mingled!

[He pours from Gunther's horn into his own so that it runs over.

Thus mixed the wine flows overTo Mother EarthMay it prove a cordial kind!

GUNTHER [With a deep sigh.

Thou over-joyous man!

SIEGFRIED [Low, to Hagen.

His cheer Brünnhild' has marred.

HAGEN [Low, to Siegfried.

She speaks less plain to himThan speak the birds to thee!

SIEGFRIED

Since I have heard women singing.The birds I have clean forgot.

HAGEN

But thou didst hear them once?

SIEGFRIED

[Turning with animation to Gunther.

Hei! Gunther!Moody-faced man!Come, I will tell theeTales of my boyhood,If thou wouldst care to hear them.

GUNTHER

'Twould please me much.

[All lie down close to Siegfried, who alone sits upright.

HAGEN

Sing, hero, sing!

SIEGFRIED

Mime wasA surly old dwarfWho because of greedReared me with care,That when the childGrew sturdy and boldHe might slay a dragon grimThat guarded treasure in the wood.He taught me to forgeAnd the art of fusing,But what the craftsmanCould not achieveThe scholar didBy skill and by daring—Out of the splinters of a weaponFashioned featly a sword.My father's bladeForged was afresh;Strong and trueNothung was tempered,Deemed by the dwarfFit for the fight.The wood then we sought, and thereThe dragon Fafner I slew.Listen and heedWell to my tale;I have marvels to tell you.From the dragon's bloodMy fingers were burning,And these I raised to my lips;And barely touchedWas the blood by my tongue,When what a bird was sayingAbove me I could hear.On a bough it sat there and sang:"Hei! Siegfried now ownsAll the Nibelung hoard!Oh! could he the hoardIn the cave but find!Tarnhelm, if he could but win it,Would help him to deeds of renown;And could he discover the ring,It would make him the lord of the world!'

HAGEN

Didst thou takeThe Tarnhelm and ring?

A VASSAL

Was that the end of the singing?

SIEGFRIED

Having takenTarnhelm and ring,Once more I listenedAnd heard the sweet warbler;He sat above me and sang:—"Hei! Siegfried now ownsBoth the helm and the ring!Oh! let him not listenTo Mime, the false,For Mime, too, covets the treasure,And cunningly watches and spies!He is bent on murdering Siegfried;Be Siegfried wary of Mime!"

HAGEN

'Twas well that he warned?

THE VASSALS

Got Mime due payment?

SIEGFRIED

A deadly-brewed draughtHe brought me to drink;But, fear-stricken,His tongue stammered truly:Nothung stretched him out dead!

HAGEN

[With a strident laugh.

The steel that he forged notMime soon tasted!

[He has another drinking-horn filled, and drops the juice of a herb into it.

THE VASSALS

What further did the bird tell thee?

HAGEN

From my hornDrink, hero, first:A magical draught is this;It will mind thee of things long forgotten,And bring old days to remembrance.

[He offers the horn to Siegfried, who looks into it thoughtfully and then drinks slowly.

SIEGFRIED

In sorrow I listened,Grieving looked up;He sat there still and sang."Hei! Siegfried has slainThe deceitful dwarf!I know for him nowA glorious bride.She sleeps where rugged rocks soar;Ringed is her chamber by fire.Who battles the flamesWakens the bride,Brünnhilde wins as reward!"

HAGEN

The wood-bird's counselDidst thou follow?

SIEGFRIED

Straight without pauseI rose and I ran

[Gunther listens with increasing astonishment.

Till I came to the fire-ringed rock.I passed through the flames,And for prize I found,

[More and more ecstatic.

Sleeping, and clad in bright mail,A woman lovely and dear.The hard helmetI loosened with care,And waked the maid with my kiss.Ah, then the burning, sweet embraceOf Brünnhild's rapturous arms!

GUNTHER

[Springing up in the greatest consternation.

What says he?

[Two ravens fly up out of a bush, circle above Siegfried, and then fly away towards the Rhine.

HAGEN

Didst understandWhat the ravens there said?

[Siegfried starts up suddenly, and, turning his back to Hagen, looks after the ravens. Hagen thrusts his spear into Siegfried's back.

HAGEN

Vengeance—that was the word!

[Gunther and the vassals rush towards Hagen. Siegfried swings his shield on high with both hands in order to throw it on Hagen; his strength fails him; the shield drops from his grasp backwards, and he falls down upon it.

GUNTHER and VASSALS

[Who have tried to hold Hagen back in vain.

Hagen, what dost thou?

HAGEN

Death to traitors!

[He turns calmly away, and is seen in the gathering twilight disappearing slowly over the height. Gunther bends over Siegfried in great grief. The vassals stand round the dying man full of sympathy.

SIEGFRIED

[Supported by two vassals in a sitting posture, opens radiant eyes.

Brünnhilde,Heaven-born bride,Awake! Open thine eyelids!Who againHas locked thee in sleepAnd bound thee in slumber so fast?Lo! he that cameAnd kissed thee awakeAgain breaks the bondsHolding thee fetteredAnd looks on Brünnhild's delight.Ah! those dear eyesNow open for ever!Ah! the soft fragranceBorne on her breathing!Death, thou art welcome—Sweet are thy terrors—Brünnhild' greets me, my bride!

[He sinks back and dies. The rest stand round him motionless and sorrowing. Night has fallen. At a silent command from Gunther the vassals raise Siegfried's body and bear it away slowly in a solemn procession over the height. The moon breaks through the clouds, and lights up the funeral procession with increasing clearness as it reaches the top of the hill. A mist has risen from the Rhine which gradually fills the whole stage, on which the funeral procession has become invisible. After a musical interlude the mist divides again, until at length the hall of the Gibichungs, as in Act I. appears with increasing distinctness.

It is night. The moonlight is mirrored in the Rhine. Gutrune comes out of her chamber into the hall.

Was that his horn?

[She listens.

No!—heHas not returned.Troubled was my sleepBy evil dreams!Then wildly neighed his horse;Brünnhild' laughed,And I woke up afraid.What woman was itI saw go down to the shore?I fear this Brünnhild'!Is she within?

[She listens at the door at the right and calls.

Brünnhild'! Brünnhild'!Art awake?

[She opens the door timidly and looks into the inner room.

No one is there!So it was sheI saw go downwards to the Rhine.

[A distant horn sounds.

Was that his horn?No!All silent!

[She looks out anxiously.

Would but Siegfried return!

[Hagen's voice is heard outside coming nearer. When Gutrune hears it she stands for a time transfixed with terror.

HAGEN

Hoiho! Hoiho!Awake! Awake!Lights! Ho! lights here!Burning torches!Home bring weSpoils of the chase.Hoiho! Hoiho!

[Increasing light from the torches is seen without. Hagen enters the hall.

Up! Gutrun'!Give Siegfried greeting,For home to theeThy hero comes.

GUTRUNE [In great fear.

What is wrong, Hagen?I heard not his horn.

[Men and women with lights and firebrands accompany, in great confusion, the procession returning with Siegfried's body.

HAGEN

The hero paleWill blow it no more;No more will he rideTo battle or chaseOr gaily go wooing fair women.

GUTRUNE [With growing terror.

What bring they here?

[The procession reaches the middle of the hall, and the vassals set down the body on a hastily improvised platform.

HAGEN

'Tis a wild boar's spoil they bring thee:Siegfried, thy husband slain.

[Gutrune shrieks and falls upon the corpse. General emotion and mourning.

GUNTHER

[Bends over the fainting Gutrune.

Gutrun', gentle sister!Open thine eyelids!Look up and speak!

GUTRUNE

[Recovering consciousness.

Siegfried—they have slain Siegfried!

[She pushes Gunther back violently.

Hence! false-hearted brother,Thou slayer of my husband!Oh, who will help me!Woe's me! Woe's me!These men have murdered my Siegfried!

GUNTHER

Cast not the blame on me;'Tis Hagen who must bear it:He is the accursèd wild boarThat did the hero to death.

HAGEN

With me art wroth for that?

GUNTHER

Woe and griefFor aye be thy portion!

HAGEN

[Stepping forward with terrible defiance.

Yes, then, 'tis true that I slew him.I—Hagen—Did him to death!By my spear he falsely swore,So by my spear he fell.I have the sacred rightNow to demand my booty,And what I claim is this ring.

GUNTHER

Away! Thou shalt not haveWhat forfeit falls to me.

HAGEN

Ye vassals, judge of my right!

GUNTHER

Thou wouldst seize Gutrune's dower,Insolent Niblung son?

HAGEN

[Draws his sword.

'Tis thusThe Niblung son demands his own.

[He rushes on Gunther, who defends himself: they fight. The vassals throw themselves between. Gunther falls slain by a stroke from Hagen.

HAGEN

Mine the ring!

[He makes a grasp at Siegfried's hand, which raises itself in menace. All stand transfixed with horror.

BRÜNNHILDE

[Advances firmly and solemnly from the background to the front. Still at the back.

Silence! Your sorrowClamour less loud!Now for vengeance his wife comes,The woman all have betrayed.

[As she comes quietly forward.

I have heard you whiningAs whine childrenWhen milk is spilt by their mother;But lamentationMeet for a hero unmatchedI have not heard.

GUTRUNE

[Raising herself suddenly from the floor.