"Keep the ring, Fafner," Loge called. "It is worth more to thee than all the gold." But the struggle became more fierce till at last Fafner with one great blow killed his brother, while the G.o.ds looked on in horror.

"Behold how Alberich's curse begins to work," Loge cried to Wotan.

"I must see Erda the Wise again," Wotan answered, abstracted and troubled.

"Nay," said Fricka, grasping his arm. "See thy palace--the Walhall of the Eternals for which thou hast nearly caused us to perish. Thou hast got what thou desired, yet hast not even entered its halls. Come--let us go and seek peace and happiness." Thus urged, but looking thoughtfully at the spot where Erda had disappeared, he permitted himself to be led toward Walhall.

"The place was paid for with an evil wage," one of the G.o.ds said, moodily, for all saw the mists settling upon them and felt youth and hope leaving them. They had not yet eaten of their apples of life, but Donner at last aroused himself and strode to a high peak.

"Come," he cried, in a mighty voice; and swinging his mammoth hammer above his head he called again: "Come! Come, ye mists of all the earth! Gather around me. Come, ye hovering clouds, ye foreboding mists! Come with lightnings and with thunder and sweep the heavens clear," and swinging his hammer he shouted: "Heda, heda, heda! To me, all mists! To me, all ye vapours! Donner calls his hosts. Vapours and fogs; wandering mists, heda, heda, heda!"

The black clouds gathered about him till all the G.o.ds were obscured, and as they enfolded them, even the Thunder G.o.d was hidden.

Out of the darkness flashed the lightning. Boom! his hammer crashed, and the thunders rolled away into the hills.

Boom! the hammer crashed against the rock again, and with another mighty stroke the darkness rolled away, the storm cleared, the sun shone forth and at Donner's feet a brilliant rainbow-bridge appeared.

It bridged the way from peak to palace. It was the bridge of promise, and to it Froh pointed the way. As the sun beamed upon the earth, the pinnacles and roofs of Walhall shone like burnished gold, and Wotan took his G.o.ddess by the hand and crossed the bridge of promise while the others followed in his train. Loge, going last, paused.

"I foresee the downfall of the Eternals," he murmured. "They have longed for ease and luxuries which they have bought with evil bargains. Shall I go with them, or shall I once more wander, flickering, dancing, wavering, glancing--a Spirit of Flame that shall destroy while others build?" Thinking of what was to come, he slowly crossed the rainbow-bridge and cast in his lot with the Eternals.

As the G.o.ds departed for Walhall, the Rhein-daughters were lamenting their loss; but Wotan heard and turned to chide them. (_See following pages--in which the music is to be read straight across five pages: 331 to 335 inclusive._)

[Music:

(Die drei Rheintochter in der Tiefe des Thales, unsichtbar.)

(_The three Rhein-daughters in the valley._)

Wogl.

Rheingold! Rheingold!

guileless gold!

how brightly and clear shimmered thy beams on us!

Wellg.

Rheingold! Rheingold!

guileless gold!

how brightly and clear shimmered thy beams on us!

Flossh.

Rheingold! Rheingold!

guileless gold!

how brightly and clear shimmered thy beams!

Wotan

(im Begriff den Fuss auf die Brucke zu setzen, halt an, und wendet sich um.)

(_preparing to set his foot on the bridge, stops and turns round._)

What plaints come hither to me?

Wogl.

For thy pure l.u.s.tre now lament me:

Wellg.

For thy pure l.u.s.tre now lament me:

Flossh.

For thy pure l.u.s.tre now lament me:

Loge

(spaht in das Thal hinab.)

(_looks down into the valley._)

The [Transcriber's Note: music ends here]]

THE NIBELUNG RING

SECOND DAY

THE VALKYRIE

CHARACTERS OF THE OPERA

Siegmund.

Hunding.

Wotan.

Sieglinde.

Brunnhilde.

Fricka.

The Valkyries: Gerhilde, Ortlinde, Schwertleite, Waltraute, Helmwige, Siegrune, Grimgerde, Rossweisse.

ACT I

Far off in the forest lived a huntsman and his wife. The huntsman was rough and brutal, but his wife, Sieglinde, was a young and tender creature who lived far away from pleasure and friends, while her husband hunted all day, went to sleep as soon as he had his supper, and was always surly and rough.

The huntsman's house was strangely built, with the trunk of an ash tree in its very centre, while struck deep into its hole was a sword.