Page:MU KPB 001 The Rhinegold & The Valkyrie - Illustrated by Artur Rackham.pdf/167

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The Valkyrie
Fricka

Who breathed their souls into men?
Who opened their eyes, that they see?

Behind thy shield
Strong they appear;
With thee to goad them,
Upward they strive;

Those men that thou praisest,
’Tis thou who spurrest them on.

With falsehoods fresh
Thou wouldst fain delude me,
With new devices
Thou wouldst evade me;
Thou shalt not shelter
The Wälsung from me;

He lives only through thee,
And is bold through thee alone.

Wotan
With emotion.
He grew unaided
In grievous distress;

My shield sheltered him not.

Fricka

Then shield him not to-day;

Take back the sword
That thou hast bestowed.
Sudden and strong
Wotan
The sword?
Fricka
Yes, the sword,
The magic sword

That thou gavest to thy son.

Wotan
Unſteadily.
Nay, Siegmund won it
Himself in his need.
[From here Wotan’s whole attitude expreſses an ever-deepening uneaſineſs and gloom.

106

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