The Rhinegold & The Valkyrie. The Ring of the Niblung, part 1. Рихард Вагнер

find a ransom for Freia

      Fair to the giants and just.

      In vain the search,

      Convincing at last

      That the world contains

      Nothing so sweet

      That a man will take it instead

      Of woman's love and delight.

      [All seem surprised and taken aback.

      Where life moves and has being,

      In water, earth and air

      I questioned,

      Asking of all things,

      Where weak still is strength,

      And germs only stirring,

      What men thought dear—

      And stronger deemed—

      Than woman's love and delight.

      But where life moves and has being

      My questions met

      But with laughter and scorn.

      In water, earth and air

      Woman and love

      Will none forego.

      [Varied gestures of amazement.

      One man, one only,

      I met who, renouncing love,

      Prized ruddy gold

      Above any woman's grace.

      The Rhine's pure-gleaming children

      Told me of their sorrow.

      The Nibelung,

      Night-Alberich,

      Wooed for the favour

      Of the swimmers in vain,

      And vengeance took,

      Stealing the Rhinegold they guard.

      He thinks it now

      A thing beyond price,

      Greater than woman's grace.

      For their glittering toy

      Thus torn from the deep

      The sorrowful maids lamented.

      They pray, Wotan,

      Pleading to thee,

      That thy wrath may fall on the robber

      The gold too

      They would have thee grant them

      To guard in the water for ever.

      Loge promised

      The maidens to tell thee,

      And, keeping faith, he has told.

      "The Rhine's pure-gleaming children

      Told me of their sorrow"

      WOTAN

      Dull thou must be

      Or downright knavish!

      In parlous plight myself,

      What help have I for others?

      FASOLT

      [Who has been listening attentively, to Fafner.

      The Niblung has much annoyed us;

      I greatly grudge him this Rhinegold;

      But such his craft and cunning,

      He has never been caught.

      FAFNER

      Other malice

      Ponders the Niblung;

      Gains he might from gold

      Listen, Loge!

      Tell us the truth.

      What wondrous gift has the gold,

      That the dwarf desires it so?

      LOGE

      A plaything,

      In the waves providing

      Children with laughter and sport,

      It gives, when to golden

      Ring it is rounded,

      Power and might unmatched;

      It wins its owner the world.

      WOTAN [Thoughtfully.

      Rumours I have heard

      Of the Rhinegold;

      Runes of riches

      Hide in its ruddy glow;

      Pelf and power

      Are by the ring bestowed.

      FRICKA [Softly to Loge.

      Could this gaud,

      This gleaming trinket

      Forged from the gold,

      Be worn by a woman too?

      LOGE

      The wife who wore

      That glittering charm

      Never would lose

      Her husband's love—

      That charm which dwarfs are welding,

      Working in thrall to the ring.

      FRICKA [Coaxingly to Wotan.

      O could but my husband

      Come by the ring!

      WOTAN

      [As if falling more and more under the influence of a spell.

      Methinks it were wisdom,

      Won I the ring to my service.

      But say, Loge,

      How shall I learn

      To forge and fashion it true?

      LOGE

      A magic rune

      Can round the golden ring.

      No one knows it,

      Yet plain the spell to him

      Who happy love forswears.

      [Wotan turns away in annoyance.

      That suits thee not;

      Thou art too late too.

      Alberich did not delay;

      Fearless he mastered

      The potent spell,

      [Harshly.

      And wrought aright was the ring.

      DONNER [To Wotan.

      We should all be

      Under the dwarf,

      Were not the ring from him wrested.

      WOTAN

      The ring I must capture!

      FROH

      Lightly now,

      Without cursing love it were won.

      LOGE [Harshly.

      Just so:

      Without guile, as in children's games!

      WOTAN

      Then