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Scene two     Sieglinde I found this man exhausted, by our fireplace. Distress led him into our house.  Hunding Did you look after him? Sieglinde I refreshed his lips; I treated as a guest.  Siegmund For shelter and a drink I have her to thank. You won’t scold your wife for that? Hunding My hearth is holy. Treat my house as holy too.  Serve the meal for us men.   How like my wife he is! That snaky shiftiness gleams out of his eyes as well.  From far away, I expect, you’ve come on your travels. You weren’t on horseback when you stopped here. What rough tracks caused your weariness? Siegmund Through forests and fields, heaths and thickets. I was chased by storms and deep distress.  I don’t know the way that I came. Where I’ve strayed to I know still less: I’d be glad to find out.  Hunding  The roof that shelters you, the house that protects you, have Hunding for landlord. When you leave here and travel west, in wealthy estates their dwell the kinsmen who guard hunting’s honor; if my guest respects my honor, he will tell me his name.   If you are wary of confiding in me, tell your tale to my wife here: look how greedily she questions you! Sieglinde I’d be glad to know, guest, who you are.  Siegmund I can’t call myself “peaceful”; I wish I were called “cheerful”; but “woeful” has to be my name.  “Wolf” was my father; I came into the world one of two, I and a twin sister. Prematurely I was bereft of mother and sister: she who bore me and she who was born with me, I hardly knew either of them. Warlike and strong was wolf, enemies he gained in plenty.  The old man went out hunting with young one. From scrapping and harrying we came home one day: there stood the wolf’s lair empty. Burnt to ashes was our fine living room, down to the stump the oak tree’s flourishing trunk; slaughtered lay my mother’s brave body, vanished in the flames was all trace of my sister. This harsh fate was dealt us by a cruel gang of ruffians.  Outlawed we escaped, the old man and I: many years of my youth I passed with wolf in the wild wood. Many a chase they made a after us. But we two wolves defended ourselves bravely.  A “wolf-cub” tells you this, and as “wolf-cub” I’m known to many folk.  HundingStrange and brutal tales you tell us, bold guest, “woeful” the “wolf-cub”! I fancy of that warlike couple I have heard dark tales, though I never knew “wolf” or “wolf-cub”. Sieglinde Do tell us more, stranger: where is your father now?  Siegmund Those ruffians started a fierce attack on us: many of the pursuers fell to the “wolves”; in flight through the forest we drove our quarry. Our enemies vanished like chaff. But I was separated from my father. I lost track of him the more I sought him.  Only a wolf skin I found in the forest. It lay empty before me. I did not find my father.  I had to leave the woodland; I was drawn to men and women. But though I met many, wherever I found them, whether sought friends, or courted women, I was always unpopular. Bud luck dogged me. Whatever I thought right seemed bad to others; whatever seemed wrong to me, others approved of.  I ran into feuds wherever I found myself, I met disfavor wherever I went; if I hankered for happiness, I only stirred up misery; so I had to be called “woeful”: woe is all I possess.  Hunding She who granted you a wretched fate, the Norn, did not love you. No man enjoys meeting you when, being a stranger, you ask his hospitality. Sieglinde Only cowards fear the man who travels alone and unarmed.  Tell us more, visitor, of how in battle you finally lost your arms.  Siegmund A child in distress called on me for help.  She was pushed by her family into marriage with a man the girl did not love. Against their compulsion I came to her help; I met the crowed of oppressors in battle.
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| The enemy fell and I won.
Her brothers lay there dead, the girl embraced their corpses; the sorrow banished her anger. In a flood of wild tears she gazed weeping at the carnage. The murder of her own brothers the wretched bride lamented. |
 The kinsmen of the slain rushed to the spot; in great numbers they thirsted for vengeance. All round the dwelling enemies rose against me. But from the battlefield the girl would not move. With spear and shield I protected her from the long time until my spear and shield were cut from me in the fight. Wounded and unarmed I stood; I saw the girl die. The furious crowd hunted me; she lay dead upon the corpses.  Woman, you asked; now you know why I am not called “peaceful”.   Hunding I know of a savage family; they hold nothing sacred that others honour. Everyone hates them, as I do. I was called to vengeance to make amends for family bloodshed.  I came too late and now return home to see in my own house the tracks of the villain who fled. My house will shelter you, “wolf-cub”, for today, For this night I put you up. But tomorrow arm yourself with stout weapons. I choose the day for fighting: you must pay for those deaths.  (to Sieglinde) Leave the room! Don’t dally here. Prepare my night drink and wait till I came to bed.       (to Siegmund) A man needs his armor. “Wolf-cub”, I will meet you tomorrow.  You have heard my words: be on your guard!  |
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