Part 3
_As the day dawns Siegfried and Mime enter. Siegfried carries his sword in a sword-belt of rope. Mime examines the place carefully. At last he looks towards the background, which remains in deep shadow, whilst the rising ground in the middle becomes, after a time, more and more brightly illuminated by the sun._
MIME
Our journey ends here; Here we halt.
SIEGFRIED
[_Sits down under the lime-tree and looks about him._
So here I shall learn what fear is? A far way thou hast led me; We have wandered lone together A whole night long in the woods. This is the last Of thee, Mime! Can I not master My lesson here, Alone I will push forward And never see thee again.
MIME
Lad, believe me, If thou canst not Learn it here and now, No other place, No other time Ever will teach thee fear. Dost thou see That cavern yawning dark? Yonder dwells A dragon dread and grim, Horribly fierce, Enormous in size, With terrible jaws That threaten and gape; With skin and hair, All at a gulp, The brute could swallow thee whole.
SIEGFRIED
[_Still sitting under the lime-tree._
'Twere well to close up his gullet; His fangs I will therefore avoid.
MIME
Poison pours From his venomous mouth; Were he to spue out Spittle on thee, Thy body and bones would decay.
SIEGFRIED
That the poison may not consume me, I will keep out of its reach.
MIME
A serpent's tail Sweeping he swings; Were that about thee wound And folded close, Thy limbs would be broken like glass.
SIEGFRIED
That his swinging tail may not touch me, Warily then I must watch. But answer me this: Has the brute a heart?
MIME
A pitiless, cruel heart.
SIEGFRIED
It lies, however, Where all hearts lie, Brute and human alike?
MIME
Of course! There, boy, The dragon's lies too. At last thou beginnest to fear?
SIEGFRIED
[_Who till now has been lying indolently stretched out, sits up suddenly._
Nothung into His heart I will thrust! Is that what is meant by fearing? Hey, old dotard! Canst thou teach me Nothing but this With all thy craft, Linger no longer by me: No fear is here to be learnt.
MIME
Wait awhile yet! What I have told thee Seems to thee empty sound; When thou hast heard And seen him thyself, Thy senses will swoon, overwhelmed! When thine eyes grow dim, And when the ground rocks, When in thy breast Thy heart beats loud,
[_Very friendly._
Thou wilt remember who brought thee, And think of me and my love.
SIEGFRIED
Thy love is not wanted! Hast thou not heard? Out of my sight with thee; Let me alone! Begin again talking of love, And on the instant I go! The horrible winking, The nods and blinking-- When shall I see The last of them, And rid be at length of the fool?
MIME
Well, I will off, And rest there by the spring. Thou must stay here, And as the sun scales the sky Watch for the foe: From his cave He lumbers this way, Winds and twists Past this spot, To water at the fountain.
SIEGFRIED [_Laughs._
Liest thou by the spring, Unchecked thither the brute shall go; He shall swallow thee Down with the water, Ere with my sword To the heart I stab him! So heed well what I say: Rest not beside the spring. Seek somewhere else A far-off spot, And nevermore return.
MIME
Thou wilt not refuse Cooling refreshment When the fierce fight is over?
[_Siegfried motions him angrily away._
Call on me too Shouldst thou need counsel,
[_Siegfried repeats the gesture with more violence._
Or if felled on a sudden by fear.
[_Siegfried rises and drives him away with furious gestures._
MIME [_Aside, as he goes away._
Fafner and Siegfried-- Siegfried and Fafner-- Might each the other but slay!
[_He disappears in the wood on the right._
SIEGFRIED
[_Stretches himself at his ease under the lime-tree, and looks after Mime as he departs._
He is no father of mine! How merry of heart I feel! Never before Seemed the forest fair; Never day Wore as lovely a smile, For the loathed one has gone at last, To be looked on by me no more.
[_He meditates in silence._
My father--what was he like?-- Ha! like me, without doubt. Had Mime by chance had a son, He would have been Mime's image: Quite as disgusting, Filthy and grey, Small and bent, Hunchbacked and halting, With ears long and hanging, Rheumy eyes running-- Off with the fright! To see him makes me sick!
[_He leans further back and looks up through the branches of the tree. Deep silence. Woodland murmurs._
What could my mother, I wonder, be like; That is not So easy to picture.
[_Very tenderly._
Her clear shining eyes Must have been soft, And gentle like the roe-deer's, Only far fairer.
[_Very softly._
In fear and woe she bore me, But why did she die through me? Must then all human mothers Thus die on giving Birth to a son? That would truly be sad! Ah, if I only Could see my mother!-- See my mother, A woman once!
[_He sighs softly, and leans still further back. Deep silence. Louder murmuring of the wood. His attention is at last caught by the song of the birds. He listens with growing interest to one singing in the branches above him._
O lovely warbler, I know not thy note; Hast thou thy home in this wood? If I could but understand him, His sweet song might say much-- Perhaps of my mother tell me. A surly old dwarf Said to me once That men might learn To follow the sense Of birds when they were singing; Could it indeed be done? Ha! I will sing After him, On the reed follow him sweetly. Though wanting the words, Repeating his measure-- Singing what is his language-- Perhaps I shall know what he says.
[_He runs to the neighbouring spring, cuts a reed off with his sword, and quickly makes himself a pipe out of it. He listens again._
He stops to hear, So now for my song!
[_He blows into the pipe, breaks off, and cuts it again to improve it. He resumes his blowing, shakes his head, and cuts the pipe once more. After another attempt he gets angry, presses the pipe with his hand, and tries again. He ceases playing and smiles._
That rings not right; For the lovely tune The reed is not suited at all. I fear, sweet bird, I am too dull; Thy song cannot I learn.
[_He hears the bird again and looks up to him._
He listens so roguishly There that he shames me;
[_Very tenderly._
He waits, and nothing rewards him. Heida! Come hearken Now to my horn;
[_He flings the pipe away._
All I do sounds wrong On the stupid reed; To a song of the woods That I know, A merry song, listen now rather. I hoped it would bring Some comrade to me, But wolves and bears Were the best that came. Now I will see Who answers its note: What comrade will come to its call.
[_He takes the silver hunting-horn and blows on it. During the long-sustained notes he keeps his eyes expectantly on the bird. A movement in the background. Fafner, in the form of a monstrous lizard-like dragon, has risen from his lair in the cave. He breaks through the underwood and drags himself up to the higher ground, so that the front part of his body rests on it, while he utters a loud sound, as if yawning._
SIEGFRIED
[_Looks round and gazes at Fafner in astonishment. He laughs._
My horn with its note Has allured something lovely; A jolly companion wert thou.
FAFNER
[_At the sight of Siegfried has paused on the high ground, and remains there._
What is that?
SIEGFRIED
If thou art a beast Who can use its tongue, Perchance thou couldst teach me something. Here stands one Who would learn to fear; Say, wilt thou be his teacher?
FAFNER
Is this insolence?
SIEGFRIED
Courage or insolence, What matter? With my sword I will slay thee, Wilt thou not teach me to fear.
FAFNER [_Makes a laughing sound._
Drink I came for; Now food I find too!
[_He opens his jaws and shows his teeth._
SIEGFRIED
What a fine set of teeth Thou showest me there! Sweetly they smile In thy dainty mouth! 'Twere well if I closed up thy gullet; Thy jaws are gaping too wide!
FAFNER
They were not made For idle talk, But they will serve To swallow thee.
SIEGFRIED
Hoho! Ferocious, Merciless churl! I have no fancy To be eaten. Better it seems to me That without delay thou shouldst die!
FAFNER [_Roaring._
Pruh! Come, Boy, with thy boasts!
SIEGFRIED [_Draws his sword._
Beware, growler! The boaster comes!
[_He springs towards Fafner and remains defiantly confronting him. Fafner drags himself further up the knoll and spits at Siegfried from his nostrils. Siegfried avoids the poison, springs nearer, and stands on one side. Fafner tries to reach him with his tail. Siegfried, who is nearly caught, springs over Fafner with one bound, and wounds him in the tail. Fafner roars, pulls his tail angrily away, and raises the front part of his body so that he may throw its full weight on Siegfried, thus offering his breast to the stroke. Siegfried quickly looks to see where his heart is, and thrusts his sword into it up to the hilt. Fafner raises himself still higher in his pain, and, when Siegfried has let go his sword and sprung aside, he sinks on the wound._
[Illustration: Siegfried kills Fafner--See p. 56]
SIEGFRIED
Lie there, envious brute! Nothung's point home has speeded!
FAFNER [_In a weaker voice._
Who art thou, boy bold-hearted, That hast pierced my breast? Who stirred up thy childish soul To the murderous deed? Thy brain schemed not the harm Wrought by thy hand.
SIEGFRIED
Not much have I learned, Not even who I am; Thou thyself with thy taunting Stirred me to fight and to slay.
FAFNER
O boy bright-eyed, Who knowest not yet who thou art, Whom thou hast murdered Hear from me. Two mighty giants there were, Fasolt and Fafner; The brothers now are both fallen. For the cursèd gold We got from the Gods I did Fasolt to death. He who now guards The hoard as dragon, Fafner, the last remaining, Falls, by a rosy boy slain. Boy in thy bloom, Watch and be wary: He who stirred thee blind to this deed Takes thought how to compass thy death.
[_Dying._
Mark the ending! Think on me!
SIEGFRIED
Who was my father? Tell, if thou canst. Dying, thou showest, Wild one, much wisdom. Siegfried my name is; haply That may help thee to guess.
FAFNER
Siegfried!...
[_He raises himself and dies._
SIEGFRIED
The dead can tell no tidings. My living sword, lead! Lead onward, my sword!
[_Fafner has rolled to the side in dying. Siegfried now draws the sword from his breast. In doing so his hand gets sprinkled with the blood; he draws it back quickly._
The hot blood burns like fire!
[_Involuntarily he raises his fingers to his mouth to suck the blood from them. As he looks musingly before him his attention becomes more and more attracted by the singing of the birds._
I almost seem To hear the birds speaking to me. Is there a spell, Perhaps, in the blood? The curious bird up there-- Hark! he sings to me.
VOICE OF THE WOOD-BIRD
[_From the branches of the lime-tree above Siegfried._
Hei! Siegfried now owns All the Nibelung hoard! Oh! could he the hoard In the cave but find! Tarnhelm, if he could but win it, Would help him to deeds of renown; And could he discover the ring, It would make him the lord of the world!
[Illustration: "The hot blood burns like fire!"--See p 58]
SIEGFRIED
[_Has listened holding his breath and beaming with delight._
Thanks, bonnie bird, For the counsel good: I follow the call!
[_He turns towards the back and descends to the cave, where he at once disappears._
_Mime steals up, looking about him timidly to assure himself of Fafner's death. At the same time Alberich comes out of the cleft on the opposite side. He observes Mime, rushes on him and bars his way, as the latter turns towards the cave._
ALBERICH
On what errand Furtive and sly, Knave, dost thou slink?
MIME
Accursèd brother, That thou shouldst come! What brings thee here?
ALBERICH
Rogue, has my gold Provoked thy greed? Dost covet my goods?
MIME
Get thee gone quickly! This corner is mine; What huntest thou here?
ALBERICH
Have I disturbed thee, Thief, at thy work, Secret and sly?
MIME
What I have slaved And toiled to win Shall not escape me.
ALBERICH
Who was it robbed The Rhine of gold for the ring? And whose cunning wrought The spell of magical might?
MIME
Who made the Tarnhelm, Changing its wearer's form? Though thou didst want it, Was it designed by thee?
ALBERICH
And what of thyself Couldst aright have fashioned, thou bungler? The magic ring Forced thee to master thy craft.
MIME
And where is the ring? 'Twas reft from thy clutch by the giants. What thou hast lost I will gain and keep by my guile.
ALBERICH
What the boy has won Would the niggard deny him? 'Tis not thine; the hero Who won it is now its lord.
MIME
I brought him up; For my pains now he shall pay; For its reward My trouble has waited too long.
ALBERICH
Just for rearing him, The old niggardly, Beggarly knave, Bold as brass, A king now would become? The ring would befit Better a dog Than bumpkin like thee. Never to thee The magical ring shall fall!
MIME [_Scratches his head._
Well, keep it, then, And guard with care The gleaming gold; Be thou lord, But treat me as a brother; Give me against it Tarnhelm for toy, Fairly exchanged; Divided thus, There will be booty for both.
[_He rubs his hands confidingly._
ALBERICH [_With a mocking laugh._
Share it with thee? And the Tarnhelm too! How sly thou art! I could never Sleep for a moment safely.
MIME [_Beside himself._
What! not even Strike a bargain! I must go bare, Beggared of gain! Thou wouldst leave me with nothing!
[_Shrieking._
ALBERICH
Nothing, not so Much as a nail, Shall fall to thy portion.
MIME [_In a fury._
Neither ring nor Tarnhelm Shall thy hand touch, then; 'Tis I will not share! I will call on Siegfried, Summon the aid Of his keen-edged sword; The lad will make Short work, dear brother, of thee!
ALBERICH
[_Siegfried having appeared in the background._
Turn and look there! From the cavern hither he comes.
MIME
He will have chosen Trivial toys.
ALBERICH
He bears the Tarnhelm!
MIME
Also the ring!
ALBERICH
Curst luck! The ring!
MIME [_Laughing maliciously._
Get him to give thee the ring now! 'Tis I, not thou, who shall win it.
ALBERICH
And yet to its lord Must it at last be surrendered!
[_He disappears in the cleft._
[_During the foregoing Siegfried, with Tarnhelm and ring, has come slowly and meditatively from the cave; he regards his booty thoughtfully, and stops on the knoll in the middle of the stage._
SIEGFRIED
I do not know Of what use Ye are; I chose you From out the heaped-up hoard Because of friendly advice. Meanwhile, of this day Be ye worn as witness, Recalling to mind How with fallen Fafner I fought, And yet could not learn how to fear.
[_He hangs the Tarnhelm on his girdle and puts the ring on his finger. Silence. His notice is involuntarily drawn to the bird again, and he listens to him with breathless attention._
[Illustration: The dwarfs quarrelling over the body of Fafner. See p. 59]
THE WOOD-BIRD'S VOICE
Hei! Siegfried now owns Both the helm and the ring! Oh! let him not listen To Mime, the false! He were wise to be wary of Mime's treacherous tongue. He will understand Mime's secret intent, Because he has tasted the blood.
[_Siegfried's mien and gestures show that he has understood the bird's song. He sees Mime approaching, and remains without moving, leaning on his sword, observant and self-contained, in his place on the knoll till the close of the following scene._
MIME
[_Steals forward, and observes Siegfried from the foreground._
He weighs in his mind The booty's worth; Can there by chance Have come this way A Wanderer wise Who talked to the child, And taught him crafty runes? Doubly sly Be then the dwarf; My snares must be cunning, Cleverly set, That with cajoling And wily falsehoods The insolent boy I may fool.
[_He goes nearer to Siegfried and welcomes him with flattering gestures._
Ha! Welcome, Siegfried! Say, bold fighter, Hast thou been taught how to fear?
SIEGFRIED
A teacher still is to find.
MIME
But the dragon grim Has fallen before thee? A fell and fierce monster was he.
SIEGFRIED
Though grim and spiteful the brute, I grieve over his death, While there live still, unpunished, Blacker scoundrels than he was! The one who bade me slay I hate far more than the slain.
MIME [_Very friendly._
Have patience! Thou wilt not Look on me long.
[_Sweetly._
In endless sleep Soon thine eyelids will be sealed. Thy uses are over,
[_As if praising him._
Done is the deed; The only task left For me is to win the booty. Methinks that task will not tax me; Thou wert always easy to fool.
SIEGFRIED
To me thou art plotting harm, then?
MIME [_Astonished._
What makes thee think that?
[_Continuing tenderly._
Siegfried, listen, my own one! I have always loathed Thee and all that are like thee. It was not from love That I reared thee with care: The gold hid in Fafner's cave I worked for as my reward.
[_As if he were promising him something nice._
If thou wilt not yield It up to me,
[_As if he were ready to lay down his life for him._
Siegfried, my son, Thou plainly must see
[_As if in friendly jest._
I have no choice but to slay thee!
SIEGFRIED
That I am hated Pleases me; But must I lose my life for thy pleasure?
MIME [_Angrily._
I never said that; Thou hast made a mistake. See, thou art weary From stress of strife, Burning with fever and thirst; Mime, the kind one, To cool thy thirst Brought a quickening draught. While thy blade thou didst melt I brewed thee the drink; Touch it, and straight Thy sword shall be mine, And mine the hoard and Tarnhelm too.
[_Tittering._
SIEGFRIED
So thou of my sword And all it has won me-- Ring and booty--wouldst rob me?
MIME [_Violently._
Why wilt mistake so my words! Do I drivel or dote? I use the utmost Pains with my speech, That what in my heart I mean may be hidden; And the stupid boy Misunderstands what I say! Open thy ears, boy, And attend to me! Hear, now, what Mime means. Take this: the drink will refresh thee As my drinks oft have done. Many a time When fretful and bad, Though loth enough, The draughts I brought thou hast swallowed.
SIEGFRIED
Of a cooling drink I were glad; Say, how has this one been brewed?
MIME
[_Jesting merrily, as if describing to him a pleasant state of intoxication which the liquor is to bring about._
Hei! Just drink it! Trust to my skill. In mist and darkness Soon shall thy senses be sunk; None to watch or ward them, Stark-stretched shall thy limbs be. Thou lying thus, 'Twere not hard To take the booty and hide it; But wert thou to awake, Nevermore would Mime be safe, Even owning the ring. So with the sword He has made so sharp
[_With a gesture of extravagant joy._
First I will hack The child's head off! Then I shall have both rest and the ring!
[_Tittering._
SIEGFRIED
Thou wouldst, then, slay me when sleeping?
MIME [_Furiously._
Do what, child? Did I say that?
[_He takes pains to assume the utmost tenderness. Carefully and distinctly._
I only mean To chop off thy head!
[_With the appearance of heartfelt solicitude for Siegfried's health._
For even if I Had loathed thee less, And had not thy scoffs And my drudgery shameful So loudly urged to vengeance,
[_Gently._
I should never dare to pause Till from my path I thrust thee:
[_Jestingly again._
How else could I come by the booty, Which Alberich covets as well?
[_He pours the liquid into the drinking-horn, and offers it to Siegfried with pressing gestures._
Now, my Wälsung, Wolf-begot, Drink the draught and be choked, And never drink again!
[_Tittering._
SIEGFRIED [_Threatens him with his sword._
Taste thou my sword, Loathsome babbler!
[_As if seized by violent loathing, he gives Mime a sharp stroke with his sword. Instantly Mime falls dead to the ground. Alberich's voice in mocking laughter from the cleft._
SIEGFRIED
[_Looking at Mime on the ground, quietly hangs his sword again on his belt._
Envy's wage Pays Nothung; 'Twas for this that I forged him.
[_He picks up Mime's body, carries it to the knoll, and throws it into the cave._
In the cavern, there, Lie on the hoard; With steadfast guile The gold thou hast gained: Now let it belong to its master! And a watchman good I give thee, that thieves Never may enter and steal.
[_With a great effort he pushes the body of the dragon in front of the entrance to the cave, which it completely stops up._
There lie thou too, Dragon grim; Along with thy foe Greedy of gain Thou shalt guard the glittering gold: So both at last shall rest in peace.
[_He looks down thoughtfully into the cave for a time, and then turns slowly to the front of the stage as if tired. He passes his hand over his brow._
Hot I feel From the heavy toil; Fast and furious Flows my blood, My hand burns on my head. High stands the sun in heaven; From azure heights Falls his gaze Through a cloudless sky on my crown. Pleasant shadows will cool me under the linden.
[_He stretches himself out under the lime-tree, and again looks up through the boughs._
If only, pretty warbler, So long and so Rudely disturbed, I could once more hear thee singing! On a branch I see thee Merrily swaying; Chirping and chattering, Brothers and sisters Are happily hovering round.
But I--I am alone, Without brother or sister; My mother died, My father fell, Unseen by their son! The one soul I knew Was a loathsome old dwarf;
[_Warmly._
Love he festered not By kindness; Many a cunning Snare did he set me; At last I was forced to slay him.
[_He looks sorrowfully up at the branches._
Bird sweet and friendly, I ask thee a boon: Wilt thou find for me A comrade true?-- Wilt thou choose for me the right one? So oft I have called, And yet no one has come! Thou, my friend, Wilt manage it better, So wise thy counsel has been.
[_Softly._
Now sing! I hearken to thy song.
THE WOOD-BIRD'S VOICE
Hei! Siegfried has slain The deceitful dwarf! I know for him now A glorious bride. She sleeps where rugged rocks soar; Ringed is her chamber by fire. Who battles the flames, Wakens the bride, Brünnhilde wins as reward.
SIEGFRIED
[_Starts up impetuously from his seat._
O lovely song, Flower-sweet breath! Thy yearning music Burns in my breast! Like leaping flame It kindles my heart. What races so swift Through soul and senses? Sweetest of friends, O say!
[_He listens._
THE WOOD-BIRD'S VOICE