myself;In fear of flaws,
Scanning it close.
Fasolt and Fafner
Faithful I found;
Firm-bedded is each stone.
I was not slothful
Like many here:
Who calls me sluggard, he lies!
WOTAN
Cunningly
Thou wouldst escape!
Warned be, and wisely
Turn from attempts to deceive.
Of all the Gods
I alone stood by thee
As thy friend,
In the gang that trusted thee not.
Now speak, and to the point!
For when the builders at first
As wage Freia demanded,
I gave way only,
Trusting thy word
When thou didst solemnly promise
To ransom the noble pledge.
LOGE
Perplexed to puzzle,
Plans to ponder
For its redeeming—
That promise I gave;
But to discover
What cannot be,
What none can do,
No man can possibly promise.
FRICKA
See the treacherous
Rogue thou didst trust!
FROH
Named art Loge,
But liar I call thee!
DONNER
Accursèd flame,
I will quench thy fire!
LOGE
From their shame to shelter,
Foolish folk flout me.
[Donner threatens to strike Loge.
WOTAN
[Stepping between them.
Forbear and let him alone!
Ye wot not Loge's wiles.
His advice,
Given slowly, gains
Both in weight and in worth.
FAFNER
Do not dally;
Promptly pay!
FASOLT
Long waits our reward.
WOTAN
[Turns sternly to Loge.
Speak up surly one!
Fail me not!
How far hast thou ranged and roamed?
LOGE
Still with reproach
Is Loge paid!
Concerned but for thee,
Thorough and swift,
I searched and ransacked
To the ends of the earth
To find a ransom for Freia
Fair to the giants and just.
In vain the search,
Convincing at last
That the world contains
Nothing so sweet
That a man will take it instead
Of woman's love and delight.
[All seem surprised and taken aback.
Where life moves and has being,
In water, earth and air
I questioned,
Asking of all things,
Where weak still is strength,
And germs only stirring,
What men thought dear—
And stronger deemed—
Than woman's love and delight.
But where life moves and has being
My questions met
But with laughter and scorn.
In water, earth and air
Woman and love
Will none forego.
[Varied gestures of amazement.
One man, one only,
I met who, renouncing love,
Prized ruddy gold
Above any woman's grace.
The Rhine's pure-gleaming children
Told me of their sorrow.
The Nibelung,
Night-Alberich,
Wooed for the favour
Of the swimmers in vain,
And vengeance took,
Stealing the Rhinegold they guard.
He thinks it now
A thing beyond price,
Greater than woman's grace.
For their glittering toy
Thus torn from the deep
The sorrowful maids lamented.
They pray, Wotan,
Pleading to thee,
That thy wrath may fall on the robber
The gold too
They would have thee grant them
To guard in the water for ever.
Loge promised
The maidens to tell thee,
And, keeping faith, he has told.
"The Rhine's pure-gleaming children
Told me of their sorrow"
WOTAN
Dull thou must be
Or downright knavish!
In parlous plight myself,
What help have I for others?
FASOLT
[Who has been listening attentively, to Fafner.
The Niblung has much annoyed us;
I greatly grudge him this Rhinegold;
But such his craft and cunning,
He
