"Waft your waves, ye waters!" "Carry your crests to the cradle!" " Are you watching alone?" " With you there'd be two of us" " Let's see how you watch" " Safe from you" " Heiaha!" "Sprightly sisters!" " Help me capture Woglinde" "Badly you guard the gold" "Watch better or you'll repent" "Hey, nymphs!" "How inviting you look" "From Nibelheim I'd gladly draw near if you'd but come down to me" "See who's spying on us!" " Ugh!" "How frightful!" " Guard the gold!" "Father warned us of a foe" " You up there!" " What do you want?" "Do I spoil your sport by staring?" "If you'd come down, the Nibelung would freely frolic with you ls he in jest?" "How brightly you shine!" "My arms would love to enfold one of you" "Now I laugh at my fears!" "Our foe is in love!" " Lascivious beast!" " We'll teach him!" " She's coming down" " Come close to me, then!" "Loathsome slime!" "My hands and feet are slipping!" "Damp fills my nostrils" "Curse this sneezing!" "My wooer comes spluttering!" "Be my love, fairest child!" "Woo me up here!" "Alas, come back!" "What you manage is hard for me" "Climb to the bottom!" "You'll catch me there!" " Better down there!" " But now up again!" "How can I catch this bashful fish?" "Wait, false one!" "Hey, beloved!" "Don't you hear me?" "is it me you're calling?" "Turn to me." "Do not heed Woglinde!" "You are far lovelier." "That shy one is much too sly" "Come down if you'd delight me" " Am I close to you now?" " Not close enough!" "Twine your arms around me   that I may touch your neck   and caress your soft breast" "If you're longing for love   let's see what you look like" "Ugh, you hairy horror!" "Swarthy, sulphurous dwarf!" "Find yourself a sweetheart who'd suffer you!" "Though I don't please, I'll hold you" "Fast then, or I'll fly" "Perfidious child!" "Frigid fish!" "If I don't seem handsome, suave and sprightly   then flirt with the eels!" "So soon disheartened?" "You've courted two lf you asked the third   blissful balm she'd bestow" "A sweet song sounds in my ear" "How good there are more of you!" "There must be one I'd please lf l'm to believe you, come down!" "How stupid you are, sisters!" "Don't you think him handsome?" "I think them stupid and ugly since I saw you, the fairest" "Sing on." "That song tempts my ear" "My heart hammers and shivers in pleasure at such praise" "Your grace rejoices my eyes" "Your smile rejoices my spirit" " Dearest of men!" " Sweetest of maids!" " Would you but favour me!" " l'd hold you for ever" "Might I ever see your piercing gaze and clasp your bristly beard!" "Might your wiry hair flow round me for ever" "Might I see only your toad-like form   and hear your croaking voice!" " Do you mock me?" " How justly at the song's end!" "Alas!" "Woe is me!" "Has the third betrayed me too?" "You sly, sluttish wenches!" "Do you feed only on fraud?" "Heia!" "For shame, gnome!" "Don't scold down there!" "Listen to what we tell you!" "Why did you not secure the maid for whom you yearned?" "We are faithful to the wooer who holds us fast" "Seize on us and do not fear." "In the water we cannot escape" "Through me an ardent fire burns" "Fury and longing surge through my spirit" "Though you laugh, I long for you and one of you must yield to me!" "If this fist could seize one!" "Look, the sun laughs in the depths" "Through the green waters she greets the sleeper" "Now she kisses his eyes open" "See, he smiles in the light" "His rays flood through the waters" "Rhinegold!" "Dazzling delight!" "Your glow spreads a glorious light" "Awake, friend, to joy!" "The river flashes as we dance and sing in our joyous sport" "Rhinegold!" "Heiajahei!" "What is it that gleams there?" "Whence come you that you have never heard of the Rhinegold?" "Does the gnome know nothing of the eyes of gold that wake and sleep?" "Of the star in the depths that shines through the waves?" "See how we bask in its glow!" "If you wish, sport with us!" "Gold only for games would be little use to me" "He would not scorn the gold if he were aware of its wonders" "He could win the world's wealth if from the Rhinegold   he fashioned the ring that confers immeasurable might" "Father ordered us   to guard the treasure" "No cheat should ravish it." "So hush, you chatterers!" "Do you not know to whom alone it is given to shape the gold?" "Only he who forswears   love's power and delight" "Only he can attain the magic to fashion the gold into a ring" "Then we are secure." "Everything that lives wants love" "No one will reject it" "Least of all that lascivious gnome I do not fear him as I found him." "His passion almost burned me" "Like a brand in the waves, he was sizzling with love" "Dear gnome, why don't you laugh?" "In the glow how fair you shine!" "Come, beloved, laugh with us!" "The world's wealth I could win through you?" "If I cannot extort love, can I by cunning attain pleasure?" "Mock on!" "The Nibelung nears your toy!" "Save yourselves!" "The gnome has gone crazy!" "Love has sent him mad!" "Are you still not afraid?" "Then coquette in the dark!" "I will put out your light   wrench the gold from the rock   forge the ring of revenge" "Hear me, waves!" "Thus I curse love!" "Stop, thief!" " Rescue the gold!" " Help!" "Wotan, husband, awake!" "Gate and door guard the sacred hall of my joy" "Man's honour, eternal might extend to endless fame" "Up, leave dream's deceit!" "Rouse yourself and reflect!" "The everlasting work is done" "The god's stronghold soars resplendent" "As in my dreams I desired it   as my will directed   strong and fair it stands   sublime, superb!" "Do you delight in what I dread?" "I fear for Freia" "Reckless man, recall the price" "The fort is finished:" "forfeit is the pledge" "I well know the terms" "By a contract   I tamed those that built this abode" "Now it stands, thanks to them." "As to the price, pay that no heed" "Outrageous levity!" "Had I known of your contract, I would have prevented the fraud" "You men kept women away to deal alone with the giants" "Shamelessly you bartered Freia, my lovely sister" "What do you men hold sacred   when you thirst for power?" "Was Fricka free from thirst   when she begged for the building?" "Concern over his constancy   makes me ponder how to keep him   when he is drawn to roam" "A stately dwelling might tempt you to tarry here and rest" "You thought only of defences to increase your power" "Only to arouse storms   did this castle arise" "You wished to keep me in the castle" "But even as a god confined, I must win the outside world" "All who live love roaming I cannot relinquish this sport" "Unloving man!" "For the toys of dominion   would you stake love and a woman's worth?" "To win you for my wife I sacrificed one of my eyes" "I prize women more than pleases you!" "And I will not yield Freia." "I never intended it so" "Then protect her now!" "Save me, sister!" "Protect me, brother!" "From yonder mountain Fasolt would come to force me away" "Let him threaten!" "Did you not see Loge?" "You always trust that trickster!" "Much harm he's already done us   yet ever again he ensnares you" "When courage suffices I ask none for help" "But to use foes' jealousy   only Loge's cunning will serve" "He promised to deliver Freia I now rely on him" "And he forsakes you!" "The giants approach Where loiters your helper?" "Where linger my brothers   who should bring help, since my brother-in-law abandons me?" "Donner, help!" "Come hither, Froh!" "They who betrayed you have all gone to ground" "Sleep sealed your eyes   while we two built the fort" "Toiling yet untiring, we heaped up massive stones" "There stands what we raised   brightly shining in the light of day" "Now pass in and pay us our fee" "Name your price, my men" "is your memory so weak?" "Freia the fair   it was agreed we should take home" "Think of some other reward" "Are you planning treachery?" "Are the marks of solemn compact on your spear but sport to you?" "Brother, do you see the swindle?" "Son of light, beware!" "Hold firm to your bond!" "What you are, you are only by contracts" "Limited and defined is your power" "You have more wisdom than we" "You bound us to keep peace I will curse all your wisdom and flee from your peace   if you do not keep your bond!" "A simple giant thus counsels you." "Wise one, weigh his words!" "How cunning to take in earnest what was agreed only in jest" "The lovely goddess, of what use is her charm to you?" "Do you mock us?" "You, who rule by beauty   radiant race, foolishly you strive for towers of stone   and pledge woman's beauty!" "We toil away to win a winsome woman   who will live with us poor creatures" "And do you now upset our bargain?" "Cease your idle chatter!" "Custody of Freia serves little   but to carry her off is worth much" "Golden apples grow in her garden" "Only she knows how to tend them" "By eating the fruit, her kindred are endowed with eternal youth" "Sick and wan   they will waste away if they are forced to forego Freia" "Let her be taken from their midst!" "Loge delays too long" " Your answer!" " Another fee!" "Only Freia!" "Follow us!" "Help from these ruffians!" "To me, Freia!" "Froh will protect you" "Fasolt and Fafner, have you felt my hammer's heavy blow?" "Why do you threaten?" "We only want our wages" "Many a time have I paid giants their due" "The payment I'll weigh in full measure" "Hold, hothead!" "My spearshaft protects bonds" "Spare your hammer's haft!" "Alas!" "Wotan forsakes me!" "Do I understand you, cruel man?" "Loge at last!" "is this how you hasten to right your evil bargain?" "What bargain?" "That which you contracted?" "House and hearth delight me not" "Donner and Froh are dreaming of shelter" "A stately home was Wotan's wish" "House and court, hall and keep, the glorious fortress now stands I made sure that all was solid" "I found Fasolt and Fafner reliable" "Every stone was firm in place" "I was not idle, as were many here!" "Take care how you betray your only friend among the gods!" "Speak and counsel well!" "When those who built the castle stipulated Freia as payment   I agreed because you undertook to redeem the noble pledge" "To consider how to release her - that I promised" "But how could I promise what never existed nor could succeed?" "What a treacherous knave you trusted!" "Your name is Loge. I call you liar I'll quench your fire!" "To cover their disgrace they revile me" "Leave my friend in peace!" "Loge's counsel is of richer weight when he delays in giving it" " No delays!" "Pay up!" " We're waiting for our wages" "Listen, shifty one!" "Where have you been roving?" "Ingratitude is always Loge's lot!" "Concerned but for you   I ransacked the earth to find a substitute for Freia" "In vain I searched" "In the whole wide world nothing is so rich   that a man will accept it in lieu of woman's beauty and delight" "Wherever there is life and being, in water, earth and air   I asked and sought of all   what would a man think mightier than woman's beauty and delight?" "My question was derided" "Nothing gives up love and womankind" "Only one I saw had forsworn love for gold" "The Rhine's children bewailed their plight to me" "The Nibelung, night-Alberich, stole from them the Rhinegold" "He now esteems it earth's most precious prize   greater than woman's grace" "The daughters appeal to you, Wotan   to bring the thief to justice" "Give them the gold back   to remain their own for ever" "I promised them to tell you this" "Now Loge has kept his word" "You are mad, if not malicious!" "You see me in trouble myself." "How can I bring others help?" "I grudge the gnome this gold." "Much harm he has already done us" "New mischief will the Nibelung plot if the gold gives him power" "You there, Loge!" "Of what great value is the gold?" "It is a toy for laughing children" "But were it fashioned into a ring it would bestow supreme power   and win its master the world" "I have heard of the Rhine's gold its glow hides runes of riches" "A ring would give unbounded power" "Would the glittering gems serve as adornment for women?" "A wife could ensure her husband's fidelity   with the ornament dwarfs forge, toiling in the power of the ring" "Could my husband win this gold?" "To control this ring seems wise" "But how can I learn the art of forging this gem?" "A spell turns the gold into a ring" "No one knows it" "But anyone can acquire it who renounces love" "That you will not." "You are too late" "Alberich did not hesitate" "He gained the power of the spell" "The ring became his!" "The dwarf will control us all   if the ring is not wrested from him" "I must have the ring!" "It is easily won without cursing love" "Child's play!" " Tell us, how?" " Theft!" "What a thief stole, you steal from the thief" "Could possessions be more easily acquired?" "But Alberich guards with guile" "You must act subtly to return   the Rhinemaidens' gold   for that is what they beg" "Rhinemaidens?" "What is this to me?" "I wish to know nothing of them." "Many a man, to my sorrow   have they lured with their sport" "That gold is worth more than Freia" "Eternal youth he gains who commands it by gold's magic" "Hear, Wotan, what we have to say!" "Freia may stay with you in peace" "We giants would be satisfied with the Nibelung's gold" "Can I give you what I do not own?" "The castle was hard to build" "It will be easy for you with craft to fetter the Nibelung firmly" "Shall I exert myself to fetter the foe for you?" "Come, girl!" "Follow us till we receive your ransom" "Till evening we will hold her as hostage" "We shall return lf as ransom the Rhinegold is not ready   she will go with us for ever!" "Sister!" "Brothers!" "Help!" " After them!" " Let us break everything!" "Save me!" "Over stock and stone they stride   through the ford across the Rhine" "Heia!" "How the louts lurch along!" "Only at Riesenheim will they pause" "On what does Wotan brood?" "How goes it with the glorious gods?" "Does a mist deceive me?" "How anxious and pale you've become!" "The light has faded from your eyes!" "Courage, Froh, it is but early yet!" "From your hand the hammer falls!" "How is it with Fricka?" "is she displeased with Wotan's grey gloom?" "Alas!" "What has happened?" "My hand drops" "My heart falters" "Hear what it is you lack!" "You have not yet eaten Freia's fruit" "The golden apples in her garden   made you hearty and young   when you ate them every day" "She is now a hostage" "On the branches the fruit withers" "It irks me less." "To me Freia was always niggardly" "I am only half as godlike as you glorious ones!" "But you staked all on the fruit." "This the giants knew well" "Without the apples   old, grey, and haggard, the scorn of all the world   the race of gods will die!" "Wotan, husband, unhappy man!" "See how your thoughtlessness has brought disgrace on us all" "Loge, come down to Nibelheim I will procure the gold" "The Rhinemaidens appealed to you." "Can they hope for a hearing?" "Silence!" "We must deliver Freia" "As you command, I will lead you down." " Shall we go through the Rhine?" " Not through the Rhine!" "Through the sulphurous cleft?" "Slip into it with me!" "Wait here till evening" "Our loss of youth I'll banish with redeeming gold!" " Farewell, Wotan!" " Good luck!" "Return soon to your anxious wife!"