First day of the stage-festival drama [The Ring of the Nibelug]

Act one

Prelude

Scene one

Siegmund

Whoever’s fire place this may be, here I must rest.

Sieglinde

A stranger? I must question him.
Who has entered the house and is lying there by the fire?
He’s lying there exhausted by the strain of his journey.
Has he fainted? Can be ill?

He is still breathing; he’s only closed his eyes.
The man looks strong even though he’s fallen down exhausted.

Siegmund
Water! Water!
Sieglinde
I’ll fetch something to refresh you.

I’ve brought relief for your parched lips: the water that you wanted.

Siegmund
Cool and reviving the water was; it has lightened the burden of my tiredness.
My spirits are refreshed, my eyes enjoy the blessed pleasure of what I see.
Who is it that has revived me so?

Sieglinde
This house and this woman belong to Hunding.
Rest here and be his guest. Stay till he comes home.

Siegmund
I am unarmed: a wounded guest will not worry your husband.

Sieglinde
Quick! Show me your wounds.

Siegmund
They are slight, not worth talking of; my body is intact, my limbs still firm.

If half so stoutly as my arms my spear and shield had stuck to me, I’d never have run from my foes.
But my spear and shield were smashed.
My enemies in a pack harried me till I was weary.
The thunderstorm broke my body.

But faster than I from my foes,
my tiredness has fled from me:
night fell on my eyelids, but now the sun shines on me anew.

Sieglinde
A sweet drink of creamy rich mead you will not refuse from me.

Siegmund
Will you taste it first?

A luckless man you have been tending.
May mishap be spared you, is my wish.
I have rested and enjoyed my rest: now I must be on my way.

Sieglinde
Who’s pursuing you, to make you go already?

Siegmund
Bad luck pursues me wherever I go; bad luck approaches wherever I stop.
May it keep away from you, woman.
I must go and look elsewhere.

Sieglinde
Then stay here!

You cannot bring bad luck into the house where bad luck lives.

Siegmund
I named myself “Woeful”.
I will wait for Hunding.