THE VALKYRIES
What threatens the woman?
BRÜNNHILDE
Hark to me quickly!
Sieglinde this is,
Siegmund's sister and bride.
Wotan his fury
Against the Wälsungs has turned.
He told me
That to-day I must fail
The brother in strife;
But with my shield
I guarded him safe,
Daring the God,
Who slew him himself with his spear.
Siegmund fell;
But I fled,
Bearing his bride.
To protect her
And from the stroke
Of his wrath to hide,
I hastened, O my sisters, to you!
THE VALKYRIES [Full of fear.
O foolish sister,
How mad thy deed!
Woe's me! Woe's me!
Brünnhilde, lost one!
Mocked, disobeyed
By Brünnhilde
Warfather's holy command!
WALTRAUTE [On the look-out.
Darkness comes
From the north like the night.
ORTLINDE [On the look-out.
Hither steering,
Rages the storm.
ROSSWEISSE, GRIMGERDE, AND SCHWERTLEITE
Wildly neighs
Warfather's horse!
HELMWIGE, GERHILDE, AND SIEGRUNE
Panting, snorting it comes!
BRÜNNHILDE
Woe to the woman
If here she is found,
For Wotan has vowed
The Wälsungs shall perish!
The horse that is swiftest
Which of you lends,
That forth the woman may fly?
SIEGRUNE
Wouldst have us too
Madly rebel?
BRÜNNHILDE
Rossweisse, sister,
Wilt lend me thy racer!
ROSSWEISSE
The fleet one from Wotan
Never yet fled.
BRÜNNHILDE
Helmwige, hear me!
HELMWIGE
I flout not our father.
BRÜNNHILDE
Waltraute! Gerhilde!
Give me your horse!
Schwertleite! Siegrune!
See my distress!
Stand by me now
Because of our love:
Rescue this woman in woe!
SIEGLINDE
[Who until now has been staring gloomily and coldly before her, starts up with a repellent gesture as Brünnhilde encircles her with a warm, protective embrace.
Concern thyself not about me;
Death is all that I crave.
From off the field
Who bade thee thus bear me?
For there perchance
By the selfsame weapon
That struck down Siegmund
I too had died,
Made one with him
In the hour of death.
Far from Siegmund—
Siegmund, from thee!
O cover me, Death,
From the sorrow!
Wouldst thou not have me
Curse thee for flying?
Thou must hearken, maid, to my prayer:
Pierce thou my heart with thy sword!
BRÜNNHILDE [Impressively.
Live for the sake
Of thy love, O woman!
Rescue the pledge
Thou has gotten from him:
The Wälsung's child thou shalt bear!
SIEGLINDE
[Gives a violent start; suddenly her face beams with sublime joy.
Save me, ye bold ones!
Rescue my child!
Shelter me, maidens,
And strong be your shield!
[An ever-darkening thunderstorm nears from the back.
WALTRAUTE [On the look-out.
The storm has drawn nigh.
ORTLINDE
Fly, all who fear it!
THE VALKYRIES
Hence with the woman;
Here she is lost:
The Valkyries dare not
Shield her from doom!
SIEGLINDE [On her knees before Brünnhilde.
Save me, O maid!
Rescue the mother!
BRÜNNHILDE [Raising Sieglinde with sudden resolve.
Away then, and swiftly!
Alone thou shalt fly.
I—stay in thy stead,
Victim of Wotan's anger.
I will hold here
The God in his wrath,
Till I know thee past reach of his rage.
SIEGLINDE
Say, whither shall my flight be?
BRÜNNHILDE
Which of you, sisters,
Eastward has journeyed?
SIEGRUNE
A forest stretches
Far in the east;
The Nibelung's hoard
By Fafner thither was borne.
SCHWERTLEITE
There as a dread
Dragon he sojourns,
And in a cave
Keeps watch over Alberich's ring.
GRIMGERDE
'Tis uncanny there
For a woman's home.
BRÜNNHILDE
And yet from Wotan's wrath
Shelter sure were the wood;
For he both fears
And keeps far from the place.