Behold it smiles,
Sending, like a star,
Gleaming light through the waves.
THE THREE RHINE-MAIDENS
[Swimming gracefully round the cliff together.
Heia jaheia!
Heia jaheia!
Wallala la la la leia jahei!
Rhinegold!
Rhinegold!
Radiant delight,
How glorious and glad thy smile,
Over the water
Shooting effulgence afar!
Heia jahei!
Heia jaheia!
Waken, friend!
Wake in joy!
That we may please thee,
Merry we'll play,
Waters afire,
Billows aflame,
As, blissfully bathing,
Dancing and singing,
We dive and encircle thy bed!
Rhinegold!
Rhinegold!
Heia jaheia!
Heia jaheia!
Wallala la la la heia jahei!
[With increasing mirthful abandonment the maidens swim round the rock. The water is filled with a glimmering golden light.
ALBERICH
[Whose eyes, strongly attracted by the radiance, stare fixedly at the gold.
What is it, sleek ones,
That yonder gleams and shines?
THE THREE RHINE-MAIDENS
Where dost thou hail from, O churl,
Of the Rhinegold not to have heard?
WELLGUNDE
Knows not the elf
Of the famed eye golden
That wakes and sleeps in turn?
WOGLINDE
Of the star resplendent
Down in the depths
Whose light illumines the waves?
THE THREE RHINE-MAIDENS [Together
See how gaily
We glide in the glory!
Wouldst thou also
Be bathed in brightness,
Come, float and frolic with us!
Wallala la la leia lalei!
Wallala la la leia jahei!
ALBERICH
Has the gold no value
Apart from your games?
It were not worth getting!
WOGLINDE
He would not scoff,
Scorning the gold,
Did he but know all its wonders!
WELLGUNDE
That man surely
The earth would inherit
Who from the Rhinegold
Fashioned the ring
Which measureless power imparts.
FLOSSHILDE
Our father told us,
And strictly bade us
Guard with prudence
The precious hoard
That no thief from the water might steal it.
Be still, then, chattering fools.
WELLGUNDE