The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-08-13
Nv
THE STORY OF THE wALKYREN.

daughters. destined to aid him In avertine the
destruction Of the gods. These are the Walky-
rem (Vdl-choosers). who choose for him the Wal
dead, those heroes who are worthy to live with
him after death. They ride. 10 full armor, over
the field OF battle, lift the slain heroes on their
horses. and carry them TO walhala. There the
dead revive and form a troop which shall some
day lend aid against the hostile powers now
temporarily bound to peace by treaties with the
gods
Erda discloses to the god, now once more
hopeful that he must especially guard against
AlOerich. IL he should again get possession OF
the ring, theu would the very troop OF heroes In
Wahalli be OF no avail-even these would he
forced by Alberich into his service against the
gods. But how shall he guard the ring. no
longer In his possession, from the grasp OF the
crafty dwarf? Fafner Is now its rlghtfll pos.
g, ssor, and how shall he rob him Of II without
breaking compacts Of which he himself Is the
guardian? Fafner has changed into dragon,
and lies In lazy repose and enjoyment OF pos
session upon the treasure, which he does not
use. A hero must be found who, unaided by
the god, shall slay the dragon by his own efforts
and get possession Of the ring. Under the name
of wass, wotan mingles with men, and mar
ries human wife, who bears him twns-Sieg-
mund u son, and Sieglinde, a daughter. with
his son, Siegmund, he goes out In search
Of adventure, doing deeds OF violence, aud rais-
ing up envy and hostility. During their ab-
sence the mother Ia slain, the daughter.
Sieslinde. carried OF. and the house burned
down. WAse has to fee to the forest with his
son as one under ban there they live long
time In VOLTS shape and bravely defend them
selves from the hunters.
THE MIGHTY SWORD.
Tho daughter meantime has married a man
whom she does not love. sitting. sadly on her
Al har
she saw man come In who had only
sword into the ashen tree trunk, In the
centre 4 the hall, and declared that the sword
one could do this; but Sleglinde recognizes in
the stranger hor father VASE, and now lives
eontented 10 the certainty that she Is 20
| sword. Siegmund. IN the meantime, has lost all
trace OF his father aud leaving the wood. applies
TO different men aud women. but nowhere md
ing kindly welcome. He protects a girl on the
pont of being forced into hateful marriage,
and slays her brothers; but he Is overpowered
by the relations. his weapons broken, and, him
self defenceless, forced To take light.
Hunted like a wild creature. he takes refuge
one evening tat the opening Of the real acti ON In
the drama IN HundiGg's house. Hunlins. a. a
relation Of the girl above mentioned. has just
started on the warpit against him. Sieglinds
retreshes the exhausted wanderer, toward whom
she feels strange and great warming. and Ses-
I'LL his sympathy turns TO warmer passion
Hunding. returning. recognizes the object uf his
vengeance. ana grants MIN shelter only till the
next morning. He sends Sieglinde TO her cham
Der, and himself follows her. Siegu una, ia
great dismay, remains by the dying enbers
on the hearth. How snail he, unarmed contend
with his enemy next morning. Hi father has
once told HIM that IN his time " utmost need
be snail mud a weapon. Now he Is weapouiess
IN Ills enenys house. But where Is the sw ,rd Z
Sieelnde, who has given her husband a
sleeping potion comes out into the hall now
dark. and susnectiug In tue str niger the hus-
band PROMISED her by Vase, tells him Of the
sword and OF her hope. Light dawns on Sieg-
mi md - mi ha ami haF .falx
his destined bride. The rear door of tue house
suddenly flies open. and the full moon of a glo.
rious spring night streams In. The brother and
sister recognize with delight In each others
H. lures the proud look Of their father WAlse.
slegmpnd, with mighty Tug draws the sword
sionate and nupttal embrace.
THE DUEL.
Next mornlng Is to see Siegmund's combat
with the now douoly injured Hunding. wotan
orders the alkyre Iirnnhllde 70 Insure the VIC
tory To the Wh,sung tsOn OF NHlsc). OF the nine
daughters OF Erda. brnnhilde Is dearest TO Wo-
tan she has her mothers wisdom, Is always
Consulted BY him, aud knows her fathers
thoughts concerning the fate Of gods and men.
In cOnsonsnce with her fathers order she
wishes 10 bring defeat on Hunding that sieg-
munt may "a on victorious in his heroic career.
But Fricka. Wotsn's wife. and as such the guar
dlau OF marriage. urges the punishment Of
Siegmund. who has taken to his embraces the
~ie OF another, and what IL worse. his own
sister. she has long endured with pain the In
hdrhtY OF her own consprt; out that now far
Inferior race shoIld scorn the sacred law OF
OF what account 10 her Is wotan's ingenious
plan she even proves 10 him mat segmund
If ~ no means the nero who of his own power
can do the decd II salvation-that he has be-
come hero at Wotsn's own direct prompting
Tor who but Wotan has put into his hands tne
sword on which he relics? To his own shame
Wotsn recognizes tho trick which be has con
ten plated he desptirs Of the success OF his
work, and changes the order first given To brtn-
htlde; II Is Sicgnund who must fan. lirunhilde
recognizes her fathers inward struIgie and
La Il hp "A liz
heart but the harder It Is for him To yield TO
fnckas arguments, the less will he bear contra
dl'uOn from other quarters. lie flames out IN
his VIII.
seehnde has started from Siegmund's EN-.
braces only TO take flight. she has hitherto
oheycd "a husband who Possessed her but not
her love- and believes herself unworthy OF Sieg-
nuhd antttion. m vain no tries to sootho
her, when liundings band Is heard approach
ing ana seglinde, ioreseeng her lovers de-
struction, SINKS fainttng In his arms. Brtn-
hilde appears, and announces to him his death
and reception into Nalhalla. lie asks whether
he shall there see again his sister bride winch IA
denied. Herrupon he rejects the splendors of
the castle ot tho gods, and prefers the dark
lower world with MS sieshnde-" let Heila hold
me Last, BTunhilde, aStounded, asks him, " 50
lightly dost thou prize eternal bliss? And IL
thine sl-in-all the poor woman who. tired and
complaining, lies languid on thy bosJmf Is
naught else worth thy reverence Z" But he will
yield his beloved 10 no one, aud II he must die
"tommit thy wife 10 me for the sake OF the
pledge which with JOY she received from thee"
lie draws his sword, called toy him NOthuus,
because given him nv the utmost Moth e. G.. Ne
cessltbl To eNtlnguish both their lives at once.
btunhllde, in gush OF sympathy, resolves to
follow Wotans first and most genuine order,
and cries. stay, WAlsung, hear my word
Siegnde shall live, and with her Siegmundl IL
Is determined-the lot Of battle Will / guide
and for thee, segmund, will procure bless
ing and victory!"
DKtNHILDE CURSED ny woTAN.
llunding approaches Sieglindo, waking from
ne, trance, iries to rush In between the com
batants, while Segmund Inspired 10y Bruuhllde's
voice, aims deadly blow at Hunding, when
near me latter, red glow breaks through tho
clouds, aud Wotan. appearing, opposes his spear
against the threatened stroke. The sword
MES IN shivers. while Sogmund himself, sinks,
pierced by llunding's weapon, and Seglinde,
who has heard his death sigh, shrieks and
swoons. Bfnnhilde quickly fts the fainting |
form upon her horse, and vanishos To shun the
wrath OF her father, while Wotan, leaning On bis |
spear, looks mOurnfullv AT Siegmund's CORPSE.
At single scornful glance from him Huuding |
drops dead. But Wotau suddenly remembers |
the dsObedlence OF his favorite daughter and |
hurries after her lirnnhilde has halted on tho |
mount OF tue WalkYren, and vainly begs the |
OF her sisters for Sleginde who at irst
scorns 10 be saved nut learning that she WAS soon
to become the mother VI one Of the Wasung !