with longing.

WELLGUNDE

Art thou in love?
For love art thou pining?
Approach and show me
Thy face and thy form.
Fie! thou horrible
Hunchback, for shame!
Swarthy, horny-skinned
Rogue of a dwarf!
Find thou a sweetheart
Fonder than I!

ALBERICH

[Tries to detain her by force

I may not be fair,
But fast I can hold!

WELLGUNDE

[Swimming up quickly to the middle rock.

Hold firm, or I will escape!

WOGLINDE AND FLOSSHILDE [Laughing.

Ha! ha! ha! ha! ha! ha!

ALBERICH [Angrily calling after Wellgunde.

Fickle maid!
Bony, cold-blooded fish!
Fair if I seem not,
Pretty and playful,
Smooth and sleek—
Hei! if I am so loathsome
Give thy love to the eels!

FLOSSHILDE

What ails thee, dwarf?
Daunted so soon?
Though two have been wooed,
Still a third waits thee,
Solace sweet
Fain at a word to grant!

ALBERICH

Soothing song
Sounds in my ear!
'Twas well I found
Three and not one!
The chance is I charm one of many,
Whilst, single, no one would choose me!
Hither come gliding,
And I will believe!

FLOSSHILDE [Dives down to Alberich.

How senseless are ye,
Silly sisters,
Not to see he is fair!

ALBERICH [Hastening towards her.

I well may deem them
Dull and ill-favoured,
Seeing how lovely thou art!

FLOSSHILDE

Sing on! Thy song,
So soft and sweet,
Entrancing sounds in my ear!

ALBERICH [Caressing her with confidence.

My heart burns
And flutters and fails,
Flattered by praises so sweet!

FLOSSHILDE [Gently resisting him.

Thy grace and beauty
Make glad my eye;
And thy smile refreshes
My soul like balm

[She draws him tenderly towards her.

Dearest of men!

ALBERICH

Sweetest of maids!

FLOSSHILDE

Wert thou but mine!

ALBERICH

Wert mine for ever!

FLOSSHILDE [Ardently.

To be pierced by thy glance,
To be pricked by thy beard,
To see and to feel them for aye!
Might thy hair hard as bristles
Flow ever more
Enraptured Flosshilde wreathing!
And thy form like a frog's,
And the croak of thy voice—
O could I, dumb with amaze,
Marvel forever on these!

WOGLINDE and WELLGUNDE

[Dive down close to them and laugh.

Ha! ha! ha! ha! ha! ha!

ALBERICH [Starting in alarm.

Wretches, dare ye thus scoff?

FLOSSHILDE [Suddenly darting away from him.

A suitable end to the song.

[She swims up quickly with her sisters.

WOGLINDE AND WELLGUNDE [Laughing.

Ha! ha! ha! ha! ha! ha!

ALBERICH [In a wailing voice.

Woe's me! Ah, woe's me!
Alas! Alas!
The third one, so dear,
Does she too betray?
O sly and shameful
Worthless and dissolute wantons!
Live ye on lies
Alone, O ye false nixie brood?

THE THREE RHINE-MAIDENS

Wallala! Wallala!
Lalalelai leialalei!
Heia! Heia! ha! ha!
Shame on thee goblin,
Scolding down yonder!
Cease, and do as we bid thee!
Faint-hearted wooer,
Why couldst not hold
The maid, when won, more fast?
True are we,
And troth we keep
With lovers when once caught.
Grasp then and hold;
Away with all fear!
In the waves we scarce can escape.
Wallala!
Lalaleia! Leialalei!
Heia! Heia! Ha hei!

[They swim apart hither and thither, now lower, now higher, to provoke Alberich to give chase.

The Rhine-Maidens teasing Alberich.

ALBERICH

Fiercely within me
Passionate fires
Consume and flame!
Love and fury,
Wild, resistless,
Lash me to frenzy!
So laugh and lie your fill—
One of you I desire,
And one must yield to my yearning!

[He starts chasing them with desperate energy. He climbs with terrible agility, and, springing from rock to rock, tries to catch one maiden after another. They keep eluding him with mocking laughter. He stumbles and falls into the abyss, and clambers up quickly again and resumes the chase. They sink down a little towards him; he almost reaches them, but falls, back again, and once more tries to catch them. At last he pauses out of breath, and, foaming with rage, stretches his clenched fist up towards the maidens.

ALBERICH

If but this fist had one!

[He remains speechless with rage, gazing upwards,