He 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 knows
That he cannot rede.
A glorious gift
Fell to his lot;
He flung it from him
Unawares;
And the ring that deals doom and death
Alone he will not surrender!
Farewell, Siegfried!
A woman proud
Ere 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 water
I have studied women's ways:
Still those who mistrust their smiles
They 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 maidens
One 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 thee
Where 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 rest
And see to the meal.
[They lay the game in a heap.
Lay down the booty
And hand round the wine-skins.
[Wine-skins and drinking-horns are produced. All lie down.
HAGEN
Now be the wonders told us
Of Siegfried and his hunting
That chased the game from us.
SIEGFRIED
No meal at all is mine;
I beg of you
To share with me your spoil.
HAGEN
No luck at all?
SIEGFRIED