Richard Wagner's Ring of the Niblung

The First Norn

[Fastening the rope again.]

The night wanes, Dark grows my vision; I cannot find The threads of the rope; The strands are twisted and loose. A horrible sight Wildly vexes mine eyes: The Rhinegold That black Alberich stole. Knowest thou more thereof?

The Second Norn

[With laborious haste winds the rope round the jagged rock at the mouth of the cave.]

The rock's sharp edge Is cutting the rope; The threads loosen Their hold and grow slack; They droop tangled and frayed. From woe and wrath Rises the Nibelung's ring A curse of revenge Ruthlessly gnaws at the strands:-- Canst thou the end foretell?

The Third Norn

[Hastily catching the rope which is thrown to her.]

The rope is too short, Too loose it hangs; It must be stretched, Pulled straighter, before Its end can reach to the north!

[She pulls hard at the rope, which breaks.]

It breaks!

The Second Norn

It breaks!

The Third Norn

It breaks!

[They take the pieces of broken rope and bind their bodies together with them.]

The Three Norns

So ends wisdom eternal! The wise ones Will utter no more. Descend to Erda! Descend!

[They vanish. The dawn grows brighter; the firelight from the valley gradually fades. Sunrise; then broad daylight.]

© 2018 Books on Demand (E-raamat): 9783748157274

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E-raamat: 27. detsember 2018