Siegfried & The Twilight of the Gods. The Ring of the Niblung, part 2. Рихард Вагнер
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Walhall with Hella's hosts,
And rule, lord of the world!
WANDERER [Quietly.
Thy design I know well,
But little I care:
Who wins the ring
Will rule by its might.
ALBERICH
Thou speakest darkly,
But to me all is plain.
Thy heart is bold
Because of a boy,
[Mockingly.
A hero begot of thy blood.
Hast thou not fostered a stripling
To pluck the fruit thou durst not
[With growing violence.
Pluck frankly for thyself?
WANDERER [Lightly.
With me
'Tis useless to wrangle;
But Mime thou shouldst beware;
For thy brother brings here a boy
To compass the giant's doom.
He knows not of me;
He works for Mime alone.
And so I say to thee,
Do as seems to thee best.
[Alberich makes a movement expressive of violent curiosity.
Take my advice,
Be on thy guard:
The boy will hear of the ring
When Mime tells him the tale.
ALBERICH [Violently.
Wilt thou hold thy hand from the hoard?
WANDERER
Whom I love
Must fight for himself unaided;
The lord of his fate,
He stands or falls:
All my hope hangs upon heroes.
ALDERICH
Does none but Mime
Dispute me the ring?
WANDERER
Only thou and Mime
Covet the gold.
ALDERICH
And yet it is not to be mine?
WANDERER [Quietly coming nearer.
A hero comes
To set the hoard free;
Two Nibelungs yearn for the gold.
Fafner falls,
He who guards the ring;
Then a hand, seizing, shall hold it.
More wouldst thou learn,
There Fafner lies,
Who, if warned of his death,
Gladly would give up the toy.
Come, I will wake him for thee.
[He goes towards the cave, and, standing on the rising ground in front of it, calls towards it.
Fafner! Fafner!
Wake, dragon! Wake!
ALBERICH [With anxious amazement, aside.
Does the madman mean it?
Am I to have it?
FAFNER'S VOICE
Who troubles my sleep?
WANDERER [Facing the cave.
A well-wisher comes
To warn thee of danger;
Thy doom can be averted,
If thou wilt pay the price
With the treasure that thou guardest.
[He leans his ear towards the cave, listening.
FAFNER'S VOICE
What would he?
ALBERICH
[Has come to the Wanderer and calls into the cave.
Waken, Fafner!
Dragon, awake!
A doughty hero comes
To try his strength against thine.
FAFNER'S VOICE
I want a meal.
WANDERER
Bold is the boy and strong;
Sharp-edged is his sword.
ALBERICH
The ring he seeks,
Nothing besides.
Give me the ring, and so
The strife shall be stayed.
Still guarding the hoard,
In peace shalt thou live long!
FAFNER [Yawning.
I have and I hold:—
Let me slumber!
WANDERER
[Laughs aloud and then turns again to Alberich.
Well, Alberich! That ruse failed,
But call me rogue no more.
This one thing thou shouldst
Never forget:
Each according to his kind must act;
Nothing can change him.
I leave thee the field now;
Show a bold front,
And try thy luck with thy brother;
Thou knowest his kind perhaps better.
And things unknown
Thou also shalt learn!
[He turns away, and disappears quickly in the wood. A storm arises and a bright light breaks forth; then both quickly cease.
ALBERICH
[Looks after the Wanderer as he gallops off.
Away on his shining
Horse he rides,
And leaves me to care and scorn!
Laugh on! Laugh on,
Ye light-minded
And high-spirited
Race of immortals!
One day ye shall perish
And pass!
Until the gold
Has ceased to gleam,
Will wise Alberich watch,
And his hate shall prevail.
[He slips into the chasm at the side. The stage remains empty. Dawn.
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