The German Classics of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries Volume Ix Part 24

GERENOT

WULF _Warrior_

TRUCES _Warrior_

RUMOLT

SIEGFRIED

UTE

KRIEMHILD

BRUNHILDA, _Queen of Iceland_

FRIGGA, _her nurse_

A CHAPLAIN

A CHAMBERLAIN

_Warriors, Populace, Maidens, Dwarfs_

SIEGFRIED'S DEATH (1862)

TRANSLATED BY KATHARINE ROYCE

ACT I

_Iceland, BRUNHILDA'S castle. Early morning._

SCENE I

_Enter BRUNHILDA and FRIGGA from opposite sides._

BRUNHILDA.

From whence so early? Dewy is thy hair And blood-stained are thy garments.

FRIGGA.

I have made A sacrifice unto the ancient G.o.ds, Before the moon was gone.

BRUNHILDA.

The ancient G.o.ds!

The cross rules now, and Thor and Odin dwell As devils in deep h.e.l.l.

FRIGGA.

And dost thou fear Them less for that? Their curses still may fall Upon us, though their blessings are withheld, And willingly I sacrificed the ram.

Oh, wouldst thou kill one too! Thy need is great Above all others.

BRUNHILDA.

Mine?

FRIGGA.

Another time.

I long had meant to tell thee, and today At last the hour has come.

BRUNHILDA.

I've always thought That at thy death the hour would come to me, So did not importune thee.

FRIGGA.

Mark me now!

From our volcano came there suddenly An aged man and left with me a child, A tablet, too, with runes.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Peter Cornelius t.i.tle Page of the Nibelungenlied]

BRUNHILDA.

'Twas in the night?

FRIGGA.

How dost thou know?

BRUNHILDA.

When on thee falls the moonlight--On thy face, thou speakest oft aloud, Betraying much.

FRIGGA.

And thou didst harken to me?

At midnight we were watching with our dead--Our beauteous Queen. The old man's hair was white, And longer than a woman's. Like a cloak It hung about him, flowing softly down.

BRUNHILDA.

The spirit of the mountain!