Fair to the giants and just.
In vain the search,
Convincing at last
That the world contains
Nothing so sweet
That a man will take it instead
Of woman's love and delight.
[All seem surprised and taken aback.
Where life moves and has being,
In water, earth and air
I questioned,
Asking of all things,
Where weak still is strength,
And germs only stirring,
What men thought dear—
And stronger deemed—
Than woman's love and delight.
But where life moves and has being
My questions met
But with laughter and scorn.
In water, earth and air
Woman and love
Will none forego.
[Varied gestures of amazement.
One man, one only,
I met who, renouncing love,
Prized ruddy gold
Above any woman's grace.
The Rhine's pure-gleaming children
Told me of their sorrow.
The Nibelung,
Night-Alberich,
Wooed for the favour
Of the swimmers in vain,
And vengeance took,
Stealing the Rhinegold they guard.
He thinks it now
A thing beyond price,
Greater than woman's grace.
For their glittering toy
Thus torn from the deep
The sorrowful maids lamented.
They pray, Wotan,
Pleading to thee,
That thy wrath may fall on the robber
The gold too
They would have thee grant them
To guard in the water for ever.
Loge promised
The maidens to tell thee,
And, keeping faith, he has told.
"The Rhine's pure-gleaming children
Told me of their sorrow"
WOTAN
Dull thou must be
Or downright knavish!
In parlous plight myself,
What help have I for others?
FASOLT
[Who has been listening attentively, to Fafner.
The Niblung has much annoyed us;
I greatly grudge him this Rhinegold;
But such his craft and cunning,
He has never been caught.
FAFNER
Other malice
Ponders the Niblung;
Gains he might from gold
Listen, Loge!
Tell us the truth.
What wondrous gift has the gold,
That the dwarf desires it so?
LOGE
A plaything,
In the waves providing
Children with laughter and sport,
It gives, when to golden
Ring it is rounded,
Power and might unmatched;
It wins its owner the world.
WOTAN [Thoughtfully.
Rumours I have heard
Of the Rhinegold;
Runes of riches
Hide in its ruddy glow;
Pelf and power
Are by the ring bestowed.
FRICKA [Softly to Loge.
Could this gaud,
This gleaming trinket
Forged from the gold,
Be worn by a woman too?
LOGE
The wife who wore
That glittering charm
Never would lose
Her husband's love—
That charm which dwarfs are welding,
Working in thrall to the ring.
FRICKA [Coaxingly to Wotan.
O could but my husband
Come by the ring!
WOTAN
[As if falling more and more under the influence of a spell.
Methinks it were wisdom,
Won I the ring to my service.
But say, Loge,
How shall I learn
To forge and fashion it true?
LOGE
A magic rune
Can round the golden ring.
No one knows it,
Yet plain the spell to him
Who happy love forswears.
[Wotan turns away in annoyance.
That suits thee not;
Thou art too late too.
Alberich did not delay;
Fearless he mastered
The potent spell,
[Harshly.
And wrought aright was the ring.
DONNER [To Wotan.
We should all be
Under the dwarf,
Were not the ring from him wrested.
WOTAN
The ring I must capture!
FROH
Lightly now,
Without cursing love it were won.
LOGE [Harshly.
Just so:
Without guile, as in children's games!
WOTAN
Then