The Ring of the Niblungs (Rackham)/The Rhinegold & The Valkyrie/The Valkyrie/Act 1
THE FIRST ACT
The interior of a dwelling-place built of wood, with the slem of a mighty ashtree as its centre; to the right, in the foreground, is the hearth, and behind this the store-room. At the back is the large entrance door; to the left, far back, steps lead up to an inner chamber; on the same side, nearer the front, stands a table with a broad bench behind it, fixed to the wall, and with stools in front. The stage remains empty for a space. Outside a storm is just subsiding. Siegmund opens the entrance door from without, and enters. With his hand on the latch he surveys the room. He seems overwhelmed with fatigue; his dress and appearance indicate that he is in flight. He shuts the door behind him when he sees nobody, walks to the hearth with the final effort of an utterly exhausted man, and throws himself down on a bearskin rug.
Siegmund |
|
Sieglinde
Still at the back.
|
[Coming nearer.
[She bends over him, and listens.
Worthy, valiant his mien, |
Siegmund
Suddenly raising his head.
|
|
Sieglinde |
Water brought at thy wish!
|
Siegmund |
|
Re-open glad on the world. | |
Sieglinde |
Stay thou here as his guest; |
Siegmund |
Wounded, weaponless stranger. |
Sieglinde
With anxious haste.
|
Quick, show me! Where are thy wounds? |
Siegmund
Shakes himself and springs up briskly to a sitting posture.
|
If my spear and shield had but been
But, faster than I from foemen, |
Sieglinde
Goes to the storeroom, fills a horn with mead,and proffers it to Siegmund with friendly eagerness.
|
Deign to accept from me. |
Siegmund |
Set it first to thy lips. [Sieglinde sips from the horn and hands it back to him. Siegmund takes a long draught, regarding Sieglinde with increasing warmth. Still gazing, he takes the horn from his lips and lets it sink slowly, while his features express strong emotion. He sighs deeply, and lowers his gaze gloomily to the ground. |
Siegmund
In a trembling voice.
|
Thou hast tended an ill-fated one!
[He starts up quickly, and goes towards the the back.
Onward now I must press. |
Sieglinde
Turning round quickly.
|
Who pursues thee so close at thy heels? |
Siegmund
Stops.
|
Be thou preserved from its touch! [He strides hastily to the door and lifts the latch. |
Sieglinde
Forgetting herself calls impetuously after him.
|
Misfortune thou canst not bring |
Sieglinde. |
Deign to accept from me.” |
Siegmund. |
“Set it first to thy lips.” |
See p. 79
|
Siegmund
Deeply moved,
|
Wehwalt named I myself: |
remains standing; he looks searchingly at Sieglinde, who, ashamed and sad, lowers her eyes. Returning, he leans against the hearth, his gaze fixed on Sieglinde, who continues silently embarrassed.
| |
Sieglinde starts, listens and hears Hunding outside leading his horse to the stable. She hurries to the door and opens it. Hunding, armed with shield and spear, enters, but, perceiving Siegmund, pauses on the threshold. Hunding turns with a look of stern inquiry to Sieglinde. | |
Sieglinde
In answer to Hunding’s look.
|
Qne whom need drove here. |
Hunding |
|
Sieglinde
In answer to Hunding’s look.
|
Welcome and a drink. |
Sieglinde
Regarding Hunding firmly and calmly.
|
Wouldst therefore chide the woman? |
Hunding |
|
Hunding
Examining Siegmund’s features keenly and with amaze, compares them with Sieglinde’s. Aside.
|
Gleams the guile of the serpent.
|
Siegmund |
I ran by I know not what road.
And I would gladly be told. |
Hunding
At table, inviting Siegmund to be seated.
|
Which have harboured thee.
Who guard the honour of Hunding.
|
Hunding
Watching them both.
|
To this woman tell thy secret: |
Sieglinde
Unembarrassed and interested.
|
|
Siegmund
Looks up and, gazing into her eyes, begins gravely.
|
Not for me the name Friedmund;
Nor her with whom I was born.
And found the wolf’s nest robbed.
The Neidungs’ heartless horde |
With Wölfe for many years. [Turning to Hunding.
A Wolfing tells thee the tale, | |
Hunding |
Wondrous and wild the story
|
Sieglinde |
But tell me further, stranger: |
Siegmund |
The Neidungs, starting anew,
Like chaff we scattered the foe.
There empty it lay: |
My heart longed for men and for women.
Still I was branded an outlaw;
I called myself Wehwalt therefore,
| |
Hunding |
Thou wert shown no grace by the Norns |
Sieglinde |
Only cowards would fear
At last thy weapon was lost! |
Siegmund |
|
To one whom her heart did not choose.
Before me foemen fell.
Standing weaponless, wounded,
The reason now I have told
| |
Hunding
Rises.
|
I know a wild-blooded breed;
All hate it, and I with the rest.
To find the impious wretch
For the night thou art my guest.
I choose the day for the fight:
Prepare my draught for the night, |
[Sieglinde stands for a while undecided and thoughtful. Slowly and with hesitating steps she goes towards the store-room. There she pauses again, lost in thought, her face half averted. With quiet resolution she opens the cupboard, fills a drinking-horn, and shakes spices into it out of a box. She then turns her eyes on Siegmund, in order to meet his gaze, which he never removes from her. She perceives that Hunding is watching, and proceeds immediately to the bed-chamber. On the steps she turns once more, looks yearningly at Siegmund, and indicates with her eyes, persistently and with speaking plainness, a particular spot in the stem of the ash-tree. Hunding starts, and drives her off with a violent gesture. With a last look at Siegmund, she disappears into the bed-chamber, and shuts the door behind her. | |
Hunding
Taking his weapons from the tree-stem .
|
With weapons man should be armed.
|
Siegmund alone. It has grown quite dark. All the light in the hall comes from a dull fire on the hearth. Siegmund sinks down on to a couch beside the fire and broods for some time silently in great agitation. | |
Sigmund |
My father said when most wanted
The woman for whom I long
When from my bosom should burst
|
Gay as laughter it gleams.
The lovely woman went?
Bringing me warmth and day.
With glory my head Till by the hills it was hid.[The fire flickers up faintly again.
But once more, ere it set,
| |
Deep in my bosom’s fastness
| |
Sieglinde |
|
Siegmund
Joyfully surprised.
|
|
Sieglinde
With stealthy haste.
|
’Tis I: listen to me! |
Siegmund
Ardently interrupting.
|
Thou here, all is well! |
Sieglinde |
I have come to show thee a weapon
O hearken: heed what I tell thee!
Assembled to honour his wedding.
One who was bartered by thieves.
|
A stranger entered the hall,
Sweet pain, sad delight,
As he swung a sword in his hands.
To the hilt driving it home.
Could win the weapon for his ;
The strongest tugged at the steel;
The sword was stuck in the tree.
| |
Could I but find the dear friend, | |
Siegmund
Embracing Sieglinde with passionate ardour.
|
Both woman and sword are his.
That welds us twain into one.
Holding thee, love, in my arms thus, [The outer door swings open.
|
Sieglinde
With a slart of alarm, tears herself away.
|
Ha, who went? Who entered there?
|
Siegmund
In soft ecstasy.
|
When blithe the birds are singing
From her warm blood blossom flowers
With tender weapons armed,
|
No wonder that, beaten boldly,
Was keeping her out.
By love has spring been allured;
Now glad she laughs to the light.
Lo! Love is mated with spring! | |
Sieglinde |
When pinched by the winter frost;
All I had seen appeared strange;
|
When, upon my frosty desert,
| |
Siegmund
Transported.
|
|
Sieglinde
Close to his eyes.
|
And so sweetly sways every sense! |
Siegmund |
My gaze on loveliness feasts. |
Sieglinde
Pushing the hair back from his brow, regards him with astonishment.
|
Of something I am reminded: |
Siegmund |
|
Sieglinde |
Again I see it before me; |
Siegmund |
|
Sieglinde
Quickly averting her gaze.
|
But no! I heard the sound lately, |
Siegmund |
|
Sieglinde
Gazing into his eyes again.
|
When he greeted me had that eye
And almost addressed him as father. [After a pause.
Art thou Weh wait in truth? |
Siegmund |
My sway is o’er bliss not sorrow! |
Sieglinde |
|
Siegmund |
Thy choice will also be mine! |
Sieglinde |
The name of thy father was Wölfe ? |
Siegmund |
A wolf to the fearful foxes!
Which, fairest one, shines in thine own, |
Sieglinde
Beside herself.
|
|
Siegmund
Springs up.
|
Burning bright in my breast, |
Come forth from thy scabbard to me!
Thy shield be Nothung, the sword,
| |
Sieglinde
Delirious with excitement, tears herself away and stands before him.
|
As well as the sword thou hast won!
|
Siegmund |
So Wälsungs shall flourish for aye!
|