And she sways about the reef, at the summit of which dimly gleams the vein of gold; then another daughter of the Rhine plunges from the heights and joyously pursues her flying sister. But the voice of a third undine chides them both as she, laughing, sings:
Heila Weïa!
Wildes Geschwister!
Des Goldes Schlaf
Hütet ihr schlecht;
Besser bewacht
Des schlummemden Bett
Sonst büsst ihr beide das Spiel!
Then she in her turn dives below, and these gracious dwellers of the Rhine swim and frolic, upborne by the harmonious waves of music, around the prophetic rock where sleeps the imprisoned gold, untouched and virgin still.
On this occasion the Rhine maidens are standing quietly upon the platform in walking costumes and straw hats, but they can hardly be seen in the obscurity and, without interfering with our imaginings they lend their fresh and limpid voices to the forms the poet has created.
Now comes a heavy and jarring rhythm, and from the most obscure depths of the river, slowly emerges a strange dwarf, with white hair and long white beard braided into one strand. He climbs along the slippery rocks. The music expresses his struggles, as he complains of the painful ascent, alliterating his words:
Garstig glatter
Glitschriger Glimmer!
Wie gleit ich aus!
His eager look follows the undines in their charming play, and, unable to reach them, he calls to them:
He, He! Ihr Nicker!
Wie seid ihr niedlich
Neidliches Volk!
Aus Nibelheim's Nacht
Naht' ich euch gern,
Neigtet ihr euch zu mir.
The Rhine maidens, frightened, cluster about the rock:
"Hütet das Gold!
Vater warnte
Von solchem Feind."