| Wotan
|
The ring thou claimest as thine?
Impudent elf, thou art raving.
- Tell the truth;
- Whence was gotten the gold
To fashion the glittering gaud?
- How could that be
- Thine which reft was,
Thou rogue, from watery deeps?
- To the Rhine’s fair daughters
- Down and inquire
- If the gold
- Was as gift to thee given
That thou didst thieve for the ring!
|
| Alberich
|
- Vile double-dealing!
- Shameless deceit!
- Wouldst thou, robber,
- Reproach in me
The sin so sweet to thyself?
- How fain thou hadst
Bereft the Rhine of its gold,
- If it had been
As easy to forge as to steal!
- How well for thee,
- Thou unctuous knave,
- That the Nibelung, stung
- By shameful defeat,
- And by fury driven,
Was fired into winning the spell
That now alluringly smiles!
- Shall I, bliss debarred,
|
