But with my shield
I guarded him safe,
Daring the God,
Who slew him himself with his spear.
Siegmund fell;
But I fled,
Bearing his bride.
To protect her
And from the stroke
Of his wrath to hide,
I hastened, O my sisters, to you!
THE VALKYRIES [Full of fear.
O foolish sister,
How mad thy deed!
Woe's me! Woe's me!
Brünnhilde, lost one!
Mocked, disobeyed
By Brünnhilde
Warfather's holy command!
WALTRAUTE [On the look-out.
Darkness comes
From the north like the night.
ORTLINDE [On the look-out.
Hither steering,
Rages the storm.
ROSSWEISSE, GRIMGERDE, AND SCHWERTLEITE
Wildly neighs
Warfather's horse!
HELMWIGE, GERHILDE, AND SIEGRUNE
Panting, snorting it comes!
BRÜNNHILDE
Woe to the woman
If here she is found,
For Wotan has vowed
The Wälsungs shall perish!
The horse that is swiftest
Which of you lends,
That forth the woman may fly?
SIEGRUNE
Wouldst have us too
Madly rebel?
BRÜNNHILDE
Rossweisse, sister,
Wilt lend me thy racer!
ROSSWEISSE
The fleet one from Wotan
Never yet fled.
BRÜNNHILDE
Helmwige, hear me!
HELMWIGE
I flout not our father.
BRÜNNHILDE
Waltraute! Gerhilde!
Give me your horse!
Schwertleite! Siegrune!
See my distress!
Stand by me now
Because of our love:
Rescue this woman in woe!
SIEGLINDE
[Who until now has been staring gloomily and coldly before her, starts up with a repellent gesture as Brünnhilde encircles her with a warm, protective embrace.
Concern thyself not about me;
Death is all that I crave.
From off the field
Who bade thee thus bear me?
For there perchance
By the selfsame weapon
That struck down Siegmund
I too had died,
Made one with him
In the hour of death.
Far from Siegmund—
Siegmund, from thee!