Who longed for thee;
Thy own twin-sister
As well as the sword thou hast
won!
[She throws herself on his breast.
SIEGMUND
Bride and sister
Be to thy brother—
So Wälsungs shall flourish for aye!
[He draws her to him with fervent passion. The curtain falls quickly.
THE SECOND ACT
A wild, mountainous spot. In the background a gorge rises from below to a high ridge of rocks, from which the ground slopes down again towards the front. Wotan, in full armour, carrying his spear. Before him Brünnhilde as a Valkyrie, also fully armed.
WOTAN
Go bridle thy steed,
Valorous maid!
Bitter strife
Soon will break forth;
Brünnhilde, storm to the fray
And cause the Wälsung to win!
Hunding choose for himself
Where to bide:
No place in Walhall has he.
So up and to horse!
Haste to the field!
BRÜNNHILDE [Ascends the height on the right, shouting and springing from rock to rock.
Hojotoho! Hojotoho!
Heiaha! Heiaha!
Hojotoho! Hojotoho!
Heiaha! Heiaha!
Hojotoho! Hojotoho!
Hojotoho! Hojotoho!
Heiaha! Hojoho!
"Siegmund the Wälsung
Thou dost see!
As bride-gift
He brings thee this sword"
[She pauses on a high peak, looks down into the gorge and calls back to Wotan.
I warn thee, Father,
See to thyself;
Stern the strife
That is in store:
Here comes Fricka, thy wife,
Drawn hither in her car by her rams,
Swinging the golden
Scourge in her hand!
The wretched beasts
Are groaning with fear;
And how the wheels rattle!
Hot she hastes to the fray.
Such strife as this
No strife is for me,
Though I love boldly waged
Strife 'twixt men.
The battle alone thou must brave;
I go; thou art left in the lurch!
Hojotoho! Hojotoho!
Heiaha! Heiaha!
Hojotoho! Hojotoho!
Heiaha! Heiaha!
Hojotoho! Hojotoho!
Hojotoho! Hojotoho!
Heiaha! Ha!
[She disappears behind the mountain peak at the side. Fricka, in a car drawn by a pair of rams, has driven up the gorge to the mountain ridge, where she suddenly stops, alights and strides angrily towards Wotan in the foreground.
WOTAN [Aside, when he sees Fricka approaching.
The usual storm!
The usual strife!
But I must act with firmness
FRICKA [Moderating her pace as she approaches, and confronting Wotan with dignity.
All alone among the hills
I seek thee, where thou dost hide
Fearing the eyes
Of thy wife,
That help in need thou may'st promise.
WOTAN
Let Fricka tell
Her trouble in full.