Scene 3
(On Brünnhilde's mountain)

(Brünnhilde, sitting down, looking at and kissing Siegfried's Ring. Thunder and lightning in the distance.)

Brünnhilde: I've heard that sound before. (looking off in the distance) And what's that? A horse with wings, flying this way!? Who could that possibly be?

Waltraute: (offstage) Brünnhilde! Sister! Are you still asleep?

Brünnhilde: (standing up suddenly) That's Waltraute! Is it you, sister? Was that you riding that flying horse? You know where to put your horse, over there in the woods. Let him rest for now. Come over here! (She runs into the forest, and we hear thunder. They both return together, Brünnhilde excited, Waltraute afraid.) Well, why did you come here? You know you could get in big trouble for this?

Waltraute: I had to get here as fast as I could, for you.

Brünnhilde: You came to see me, when you knew you weren't supposed to? Or did Father let you come? He's not so mad at me any more?! I knew I was doing the right thing when I protected Siegmund! I knew he couldn't stay mad at me! He kept me locked up here on this mountain, and left me to whoever could find me. But, remember, he showed mercy on me by putting a magic fire around the base of the mountain, and not letting anyone but the greatest hero in the world find me! Now, I'm that hero's wife, and I love it! (she goes to hug Waltraute, who shrugs her off) So, are you here to tell me more good news, and be happy along with me?

Waltraute: You've gone mad, and I certainly don't want to share that with you! No, it was something else entirely.

Brünnhilde: (noticing how frightened she is) You're afraid of something! So, Wotan's still mad at me. He hasn't softened a bit, and I can see how scared you are of him.

Waltraute: If I were only afraid of him, it wouldn't be so bad.

Brünnhilde: What? What does that mean?

Waltraute: Hang on! Be patient with me! I don't want to have to go back to Valhalla, but I have to. It's kind of the same way I felt coming here to see you.

Brünnhilde: What could possibly be going on in Valhalla?

Waltraute: Listen, and I'll tell you! Wotan doesn't send us off to battle any more. Once he left you here, he wasn't himself at all. When we came back home, he wouldn't have anything to do with the heroes we brought him. He took his horse and left home. He called himself the "Wanderer", and who knows where he went or what he was doing. Eventually, he came back, but we saw his spear had been broken. He said the world's greatest hero had shattered it; he told his noblemen to go cut down the world ash-tree, and pile the wood around the castle. He sat on his throne, and had everyone in Valhalla sit around him, like they were guarding him from something. He just sits there, he doesn't say or do anything, he just holds his broken spear in his hand. He won't eat Freia's apples either! We don't know what to make of it; the change in him is just amazing. We talk to him, we cry in front of him, and he doesn't even see us. He set his two ravens free to fly out into the world; maybe if they found some good news for him, he'd snap out of it, but I don't know. Once, I knew he was thinking about you, because I overheard him whisper to himself, "If she'd just return the Ring to the Rhinemaidens, then all this would be over. The curse would go away, and I'd be free again." I knew he was talking about you, so I got out of there fast, without anyone seeing me. I got on my horse and rode here as fast as I could to see you and tell you about it. Please, sister! Please do what he said! You can do it, and if it'll help us all, then, please, go! Do it!! (throws herself at Brünnhilde's feet)

Brünnhilde: What is that all about? You sound like you're scared to death, but I don't know what you could possibly mean. He was probably just dreaming when he said that. Look, he sent me away from Valhalla forever! It's a good story, but I think you're just rambling from being so tired and scared. You look terrible, too! Tell me, what exactly do you think I should do?

Waltraute: It's the Ring! Listen to me: You have to get rid of it! For Wotan's sake!!

Brünnhilde: Give up my Ring?

Waltraute: Give it back to the Rhinemaidens!

Brünnhilde: The Rhinemaidens? Me? The Ring? Siegfried's wedding gift to me? Are you totally out of your mind?

Waltraute: Listen to me! Don't you see how upset I am? That Ring is evil! Get it away from you! Throw it back in the water! You've got to give it back, to save Valhalla!

Brünnhilde: Do you have any idea what it means to me? You've never been in love like I am; how could you possibly know? This Ring means more to me than Valhalla, than any of those "Gods" up there. Just look at it! One little glimmer of sunlight reflecting off of it is more important to me than anything having to do with them! You know why? That's Siegfried's love shining down on me. That's the only thing I have left, and I can't even describe to you what it's like!! That's what this Ring means to me. Now go back home and tell all your "God" friends that this is my Ring, that I'll never give it up, that I'll never throw away love, and that they'll never be able to take it away from me. I'll see Valhalla destroyed first!

Waltraute: This is how you treat your family? I'm your sister! Don't you care about me at all?

Brünnhilde: Get out of here! Get on your horse, and leave! I'm not giving up my Ring!

Waltraute: This is terrible! I hope you're happy, "sister". You'll destroy all of us! (exits)

Brünnhilde: (watching Waltraute leave) So, the stormclouds are leaving with her - Good! I hope they never come back here again! (calming down) But the sun's gone down now, and it's getting to be nighttime. My fire always seems so bright this time of the evening. (The fire grows in strength, and the flames start to come over the edge of the mountaintop.) But the fire never looked this bright! I wonder what's going on? (Siegfried's horn is heard in the distance. Brünnhilde jumps up.) Siegfried? Siegfried's coming back! That's his horn! I've got to go see him! My husband!!

(She runs to the edge of the rock, and Siegfried, wearing the Tarnhelm and appearing like Gunther, jumps through the flames to her. The flames die down.)

Brünnhilde: (shocked to see Gunther) What? How did you get up here? Who are you?

Siegfried: (in a deeper voice, obviously not his own) Brünnhilde! Your fire didn't scare me off, and I've come for you. You have to go with me now, because I'm claiming you for my wife!

Brünnhilde: (very shaken) Who are you? How did you get through the fire?

Siegfried: (still not moving) I can make you go with me, by force if necessary.

Brünnhilde: (horrified) You're a monster! You've come to kill me! You can't be a man - have you come from Hell to get me?

Siegfried: (as before) I am a Gibichung. My name is Gunther, and you know you have to go with me.

Brünnhilde: (in desperation) Wotan! You miserable, worthless excuse for a God! Now I know what you had in mind for me! You got my hopes up with Siegfried, and now you stick me with…with this!!

Siegfried: (finally coming closer to her) It's getting dark. We're going to be married, right here, right now.

Brünnhilde: (holding up the Ring at him) Keep away from me! This will protect me! You can't do anything to me as long as I'm wearing this Ring!

Siegfried: But you have to give it to me now; you're my wife!

Brünnhilde: Stay away, you thief! Don't even try to come any closer! This Ring makes me stronger than you ever thought about being, and you'll never get it away from me!!

Siegfried: Your choice. I'll have to take it from you now.

(He jumps at her, and they fight. She manages to break away from him a couple of times, but eventually, he grabs her hand and rips the Ring off her finger. She screams, and as she falls into his arms, she sees that it's Siegfried she's been talking to all along.)

Siegfried: Now you're mine. You belong to Gunther. Now, into your cave!
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