The World's Greatest Books [Volumes 1-15, 17-20]

Fire springs up and encircles the rock. Wotan : He whom my spear points'

Sharpness feareth, Shall cross not the flaming fire.

[Curtain.

326

Siegfried

Scene I

Mime's cave in a forest. An anvil and forge. Mime, a Nibelung, forging a sword.

Mime: The stoutest sword

That ever I shaped,

In a giant's fingers

Firm it were found:

But he whom 'tis forged for Will strain and twist it in two As 'twere a straw or a toy.

Nothung's fragments

He'd fracture me never

Could I but mend

The mighty metal,

But all my craft

Cannot compass that. Siegfried's prowess .-nproved May master e'en Fafner's might:

The Nibelung Ring

Would belong then to me. For this may serve but one sword; Now naught but " Nothung " I need.

[To Siegfried, who has just entered: I've shaped the weapon sharp, With its sheen thou wilt be well pleased. S'fried: Hey! what an idle

Toy is this!

This silly switch

Call you a sword?

[He beats it to pieces on the anvil.

There hast thou the splinters!

Would I had smashed it

Over your skull! 327

Mime: What gross ingratitude!

This overbearing boy, If he gets not all the best, The good things I have given Are each and all forgot.

A querulous brat

Kindly I reared;

Wrapped in warm linen

The little wretch;

Water and food

For thee I found,

Looked upon thee

As my very life. S'fried: How came you then

By this clamouring wretch? Mime: Only trust

Whatever I tell thee: I am thy father and mother in one. S'fried : You lie, perfidious fool!

A fish ne'er had toad for father! Now shall I make you inform me What father and mother are mine.

[Seises him by the throat and half chokes hint.

Mime: Let loose! what thou wishest to learn

I'll tell thee, as far as I know. A poor woman lay wailing Once in yon woodland wild; I helped her home to this hole, And gave my hearth for a haven. Sad was her lot: she died, But Siegfried saw the light. S'fried: And how was my father named?

Mime: That someone slew him,

She said, and no more. A querulous brat Kindly I reared. . . . 328

S'fried: Silence that endless

Starling note! Shall I believe your tidings? Then let me see a sign. [Mime produces the fragments of the sword Nothung. Mime: 'Twas this your mother gave me

For food and cost and toil; See here: a broken sword! She said thy father bore it In the fight when he was slain. S'fried: And these same fragments

You now shall forge for me. [He rushes off into the zvoods. Enter Wotan in the

simple disguise of a Wanderer. Wotan: Hail, wisest smith!

Mime: By whom in this woodland

Wild am I sought? Wotan : " Wanderer " calls me the world: All the earth round I roam at my will. Mime: Then roam on thy way,

And rest thee not here. Wotan {seating himself at the hearth) : Here gaining thy hearth I gage thee my head As stake in a struggle of wits. Mime: Thy head staking against my hearth!

Three the questions that I require: Now tell me aright What is the race Born in the bowels of earth? Wotan: In the bowels of earth

Burrow the Nibelungs: Nibelheim is their land. Mime: Now say to me sooth

What is the race That lives on earth's back? 329

Wotan: The back of the earth

The giants inhabit: Riesenheim is their land. Mime: Now tell me as well

What is the race Guards the welkin above? Wotan: The Welkin above

The Gods inhabit: Walhalla their dwelling. What thy welfare concerns, That shouldst thou have sought, Holding my head in pledge. Since thou hast not asked

To thy profit I will have thy head also as gauge. Now first let me ask you What is that noble race That Wrotan so ruthlessly treated, And that yet he holds most dear? Mime: The Walsung are they,

The race Wotan fathered: Siegfried is their son. Wotan: Now a wily Nibelung

Wardeth Siegfried, Fated slayer of Fafner: But what sword Must Siegfried wield Accomplishing Fafner's death? Mime: " Nothung" the name

Of the needful sword. Wotan: Who will, from the stubborn splinters,

" Nothung " the sword remake? Mime: The fragments? The sword?

Alas! it escapes me. 'Tis far too hard To yield to my hammer. Who shapeth the sword 330

Since I cannot? How can I master this marvel? Wotan : None but he who fear

Hath never felt Makes " Nothung " new. (rising) Thy head so wise

Henceforth guard welclass="underline" I leave it forfeit to him Who hath not yet learnt to fear.

[Turns azvay laughing, and disappears. S'fried (calls from without) :

Ho! lazy fellow, Aren't you yet ready ? Quick, how goes't with the sword? Mime : The sword! the sword!

How can I shape it ? How can I awake in him fear? S'fried (entering) : What mean you by fear? Mime: What profits the mightiest sword

When fear stays far from thee? S'fried: If 'tis an art,

Why was I not taught ? Say then, what is this " fear "? Mime: I wot of a monstrous Worm,

Who's slain full many a man: Fafner will teach thee fear; Follow thou me to his lair. S'fried: Thither then thou shalt'st lead me To learn about fear. Now swift shape me the sword! In the world I will wield it. Mime: Accursed steel!