Scene 1
(Rhinemaidens playing in the waters of the Rhine)

Woglinde: Weia! Waga! Roll on, waves! Flow to your cradle! Wagalaweia! Wallala weiala weia!

[These and all subsequent nonsense phrases in the Ring are sung to fit the music, which at these points is of more importance in introducing or developing musical motives. The spellings are retained from the original; for proper pronunciation, say all "w"s as "v"s, and all "j"s as "y"s. ("ß" = "ss")]

Wellgunde: Woglinde, are you here all by yourself?

Woglinde: Come over and join me.

Wellgunde: Let's see how you're doing.

Woglinde: I'm safe from you up here!

Floßhilde: Heiaha weia! Those crazy girls!

Wellgunde: Floßhilde! Woglinde's getting away! Swim after her; help me catch her!

Floßhilde: You two aren't watching the Gold very well. Keep a little bit better eye on it, or you'll be sorry for all this playing around!

(Alberich enters)

Alberich: Hey! Hey! You girls there! You look so young and playful; I've come from the dreariness of Nibelheim just to be close to you. Come down and see me!

Woglinde: Hey, who is that?

Floßhilde: Something called to us from the darkness.

Wellgunde: Let's see who's spying on us.

Woglinde, Wellgunde: (seeing Alberich) Yech! He's disgusting!

Floßhilde: Guard the Gold! Father warned us about someone like him trying to steal it!

Alberich: Hello up there!

Rhinemaidens: What do you want down there?

Alberich: Am I intruding on your fun just by watching you? I'd like to join in, if you'd only come down here to see me!

Woglinde: He wants to play with us?

Wellgunde: He must be crazy.

Alberich: You all shine so beautifully in the water's light! I'd love to hold you in my arms, if only I could reach you.

Floßhilde: I guess we were foolish to worry about the gold; he's in love with us!

Wellgunde: Disgusting!

Woglinde: Let's let him have it! Watch this! (swims down to him)

Alberich: (to himself) Oh, she's coming down to see me!

Woglinde: Come closer to me!

Alberich: I can't! I keep slipping on this...slime! My hands and feet can't grab on to anything! (sneezing as he tries to climb the rocks) And the dampness, the smell - I can't stop sneezing!

Woglinde: Ah, my love comes to me - with a runny nose.

Alberich: Beautiful child, be my love!

Woglinde: Come closer; catch me up here! (swimming away from him)

Alberich: Come back! I can't make it up there. It's so easy for you to slide through the water, but I -

Woglinde: Climb down to the floor. You'll surely be able to catch me there! (swims down to the riverbed)

Alberich: Yes, it's much better down here.

Woglinde: But here I go, up away from you again!

Wellgunde, Floßhilde: Ha ha ha ha ha ha!

Alberich: How can I ever catch her? She swims like a fish. Wait for me!

Wellgunde: My love, don't you hear me?

Alberich: Are you calling to me now?

Wellgunde: Believe me - don't bother with Woglinde; come over here to me.

Alberich: You are a lot prettier than that other one. But she's too shy, and she didn't sound very sincere anyway. Please, come down closer if you want to be with me.

Wellgunde: Is this close enough? (swimming down to him)

Alberich: No! Wrap your lovely arms around me, so I can touch your neck and surrender completely to your beauty.

Wellgunde: You're so romantic! Let me look at you up close. Yech! You're hairy, and ugly, and all hunched over, and slimy, and smelly, and, oh, go find yourself someone who can stand to be around you!

Alberich: I'm sorry if you don't like the way I look, but I will hold on to you anyway!

Wellgunde: You'd better hold tight, because I'm going to get away! (swims away from him)

Wellgunde, Floßhilde: Ha ha ha ha ha ha!

Alberich: You liar! You frigid fish! So, you run away from me, too! Well, if I'm not good enough for you, then go find one of your own kind for yourself! Go flirt with the eels!

Floßhilde: Why are you so worried about her? Do you give up that easily? You've tried the other two, but now it's my turn. I know I can make you happy!

Alberich: Your voice sounds wonderful to me. How lucky that there were three of you! Surely you must be the one I'm looking for; come down here, so I can see you up close!

Floßhilde: Oh, my stupid sisters, how could you resist him?

Alberich: Compared to you, they're ignorant and ugly.

Floßhilde: Talk to me more, my love. Your voice is irresistible!

Alberich: You make my heart pound! You are sincere in your love!

Floßhilde: Your masculine grace excites me! Your smile lifts my spirits, you wonderful man!

Alberich: Most beautiful girl!

Floßhilde: Take me in your arms!

Alberich: To hold you for the rest of my life!

Floßhilde: Your piercing eyes, your stubbly beard - I want them forever! I want your wiry, matted hair all over me! I'm overcome with your toad-like body and your croaking voice!

Woglinde, Wellgunde: Ha ha ha ha ha ha!

Alberich: Are you mad at me?

Floßhilde: It's just the end of my cheap love song! (swims away)

Woglinde, Wellgunde: Ha ha ha ha ha!

Alberich: You bitch! How dare you hurt me so much! So, all three of you tricked me? You whores, you sluts, you mockers of men! Do you enjoy making people feel terrible?

Rhinemaidens: Wallala! Lalaleia! Leialalei! Heia! Heia! Haha! You should be ashamed for talking to us like that! Don't you know that if you had really held on to one of us, we would have been faithful to you? We're bound to the one that catches and keeps us, if he really means it. We can't escape that easily in the water. Just catch us, and we'll be yours!

Alberich: (to himself) I can surely catch one of them! They still look so good, I can't imagine being able to live without one of them at my side! You can laugh at me all you want, but I'll hold on to you now! I will make one of you give in to me! If I can just catch you...!

(A beam of light suddenly shines into the water, illuminating the Gold)

Woglinde: Look, sisters! The sun's shining on us!

Wellgunde: The light's so bright! Even down here, deep in the water.

Floßhilde: The light kisses the Gold's eyes, and wakes it up.

Woglinde: And it fills the water with its glorious light!

Rhinemaidens: Heiajaheia! Heiajaheia! Wallalallalala leiajahei! Rheingold! Rheingold! Beautiful Gold! Your dazzling beauty smiles on our spirits! Your gleaming brilliance fills the water with happiness! Heiajahei! Heiajaheia! Awaken with joy, our wonderful friend! We want to fly through the river with you, set the water on fire with the games we'll play: diving, dancing and singing around your holy bed! Rheingold! Rheingold! Heiajaheia! Wallalaleia heiajahei!

Alberich: What is that, that glistens and gleams so bright, and makes you all so happy?

Rhinemaidens: Where have you been all your life, that you've never heard of the Rheingold?

Wellgunde: Doesn't our ugly friend know of the Gold's eyes, that sleep and wake like we do?

Woglinde: Nothing of the bright star of the deep, that shines through the waves?

Rhinemaidens: See how happy it makes us to look at it! If you want to bathe in the glow with us, then come on and join us in our swim! Wallalalala leialalei! Wallalalala leiajahei!

Alberich: All this gold exists just so you all can play with it? What good would that be to me?

Woglinde: (to the others) If he only knew what this Gold could do for him, he wouldn't be so quick to put it down!

Wellgunde: Whoever can make a ring out of the Rheingold will win all the wealth in the whole world! Immeasurable power would be his forever!

Floßhilde: Father told us that, and also said to be careful in guarding the gold from thieves who would want to steal it. Don't give away all its secrets so easily!

Wellgunde: Why do you think you need to remind us of that? Don't you remember who he told us would make the Ring?

Woglinde: Only someone who completely gives up on love forever can learn the magic of turning the gold into a Ring.

Wellgunde: My point exactly! What could we possibly have to worry about, then? Everything that lives, loves. Who could ever give that up?

Woglinde: Especially this guy. He's so overcome with lust, it's a wonder it hasn't killed him!

Floßhilde: You're right. His passion just about burned me alive!

Wellgunde: The heat of his love hissed in the waves like a river of fire!

Rhinemaidens: Wallala! Wallaleialala! Why aren't you laughing with us, friend? The Gold's beautiful glow makes even you look good! Come on, sweetheart, play with us! Heiajaheia! Heiajaheia! Wallalalala leiajahei!

Alberich: (to himself) Did she say "all the wealth in the world"? Well, if I can't get love anyway, why not use my cunning to make the most of what I can do? (to the Rhinemaidens) Make fun of me if you want to! Here I come to play with your toy!

Rhinemaidens: (sarcastically) Heia! Heia! Heiajahei! Look out! He's gone crazy! He's burning the water up! He's out of his mind with passion!

Alberich: You still don't believe me, do you? Go play in the deep, dark water by yourself; I'm taking your light! I'm the one who'll rip the Gold from its rock and make the vengeful Ring! Listen to me, you Rhinewenches: I hereby curse and forswear love forever!!

(Alberich takes the gold, and swims away with it)

Floßhilde: Stop that madman!

Wellgunde: Save our gold!

Woglinde, Wellgunde: Help! Help!

Rhinemaidens: No! Oh, no!!