Scene 4
(an open place on the mountaintop)

(Wotan and Loge enter, leading their prisoner Alberich)

Loge: All right, sit down there! (sarcastically) Oh look, my dear "brother", there it is - the entire world, that you wanted to have all for yourself by making others slave for you. I wonder what grubby little piece of it you would've given me for my pigsty-home?

Alberich: Shameful swindler! You snake! You swine! [The temptation to retain Wagner's brilliant alliteration was overwhelming!] Untie me! Let me go, or you'll be sorry you ever crossed me!

Wotan: No, you're our prisoner now, captured in my chains like you wanted to capture the world and everything in it for yourself. Don't deny it! Now, if you want to go free, you'll have to pay whatever we want as your ransom.

Alberich: Oh, I was a stupid fool, an idiot blinded by dreams, to trust this thief's lies! I promise you my vengeance for your treachery!

Loge: Before you have a chance to take your revenge, you'll need to get yourself free; a slave's treasure isn't worth much to his master. You should worry about getting out of this predicament you're in before you start wasting your energy on revenge!

Alberich: What is it you want?

Wotan: Your treasure; every last bit of your gold.

Alberich: Greedy, garish gangsters! [Once again!!] (aside) But if can just keep the ring for myself, the treasure will be a trifle that I can easily do without. The Ring would make it easy to get it all back, and more! It'd be a very good lesson for me, and a cheap one, too, if it only costs me this paltry gold.

Wotan: Will you give up your treasure?

Alberich: Untie me, and I'll summon it here. (Wotan frees his hands; Alberich waves) All right! I've called the Nibelungs to me; I hear them bringing my treasure up here from the darkness. Now, let me go!

Wotan: Not until the ransom is paid in full.

(the Nibelungs enter with the gold)

Alberich: (to himself) What humiliation, that my slaves should see me like this! (to the Nibelungs) Bring it here, as I commanded you! Pile it up there! Do I need to help you? Are you lame? Don't look at me! Quickly, quickly! All right, get out of here; back to work! You'll be sorry if I catch any of you loafing! I'll be following right behind you! (to Loge and Wotan) All right, you have your gold; now let me go free. And give me that helmet that Loge is holding.

Loge: That's also part of your ransom. (keeps the Tarnhelm)

Alberich: Damned thief! (aside) Ah, patience - Mime can make me another one; he's still under my power. But it is too bad that I have to give such a powerful weapon to my enemies. (to Wotan) Well, then, I've given you everything; now let me go.

Loge: (to Wotan) Are you satisfied now? Should I let him go?

Wotan: You have a golden ring on your finger; don't you? I think that should belong with the treasure as well.

Alberich: (completely taken aback) The Ring?

Wotan: You have to give it up if you want to go free.

Alberich: Take my life - but don't take the Ring!

Wotan: I have to have the ring; do what you want with your life!

Alberich: If I lose this ring, I lose everything I have. My hands, my head, my eyes and ears, these are a part of me just as much as the Ring is!

Wotan: You claim the Ring for your own? Are you crazy? Why don't you tell us where the gold came from, that you used to make "your" ring? Who did you steal it from? Was it yours, or did you take it from the waters of the Rhine? Ask the Rhinemaidens whether they gave it to you, or whether you stole it from them!

Alberich: Vile trickery, villainous treason! [Last time, I promise!] You wanted that gold, too; are you trying to put all your guilt onto me now? I'm ashamed of you! You yourself would have taken the gold from its home, if you'd only had the chance. Now you've found a way to win it that takes all your guilt away, and puts it on me! I went to all that trouble just to help you! You hypocrite! My pain and suffering don't mean anything to you; my mistakes, that I only made because of my fear and desperate need, are going to give you pleasure you haven't earned and don't deserve! Be careful, mighty God: If I've sinned, I only sinned against myself; if you take my Ring, you sin against everything that exists, everything that ever was, everything that ever will be!

Wotan: Give up the ring! Nothing you say can prove your right to it.

Alberich: I'm destroyed! Shattered! I'm the most despicable person that ever lived!

Wotan: (taking the ring) Now I have what will make me the mightiest of Gods!

Loge: Should I let him go now?

Wotan: Let him go!

Loge: (untying Alberich) Crawl to your cave! You're free to go; nothing's holding you back now.

Alberich: Am I free now? Truly free? Then hear the first words my freedom has to say to you! This ring came to me through a curse, and now it will carry that curse forever. Its gold gave me strength beyond measure, but now its magic will bring death to whoever wears it! No one who is happy will gain any more happiness from wearing it; its brilliance will shine on no one! Whoever owns it will be deathly afraid of losing it, and whoever doesn't have it will be consumed with envy! All men will want it, but no one will find pleasure in wearing it! The ring's owner will guard it with his life, and will lose everything he has to hold onto it. The ring's power will make him wish he were dead! His slavery to the ring will be his downfall! This curse will last forever, until I have it in my hands once again! That's my freedom's blessing on the ring. Keep it, and guard it well; you won't ever be able to escape my curse! (exits)

Loge: Did you enjoy his fond farewell?

Wotan: You should understand, he was just venting his rage and jealousy.

Loge: (looking off into the distance) Fasolt and Fafner are coming back, bringing Freia with them.

(enter Donner, Froh, and Fricka)

Froh: They've come back!

Donner: Welcome, brother!

Fricka: Do you have good news?

Loge: Our plan was successful; this gold will get Freia back.

Donner: Here she comes now; the giants have let her go.

Froh: The breeze breathes life back into us again. What a wonderful feeling to have her back with us! It would be a sad day for us all if she were gone for good.

(enter Fasolt and Fafner, escorting Freia)

Fricka: Have you come back to stay now?

Fasolt: Stop, don't touch her! She still belongs to us. We stopped to rest at the border of Riesenheim, but we were true to our word. We didn't want to, but we've brought her back to you in exchange for our payment.

Wotan: And it's all ready for you. We just have to measure the size of this huge pile of gold.

Fasolt: Keep in mind that we're pretty upset to have to give up this beautiful woman; it'll take a lot of gold to drive her memory from my mind! Stack it up so it completely covers her from my sight!

Wotan: Agreed. We'll stack it up high enough to cover Freia.

Fafner: Pile it between these poles I've stuck here in the ground. Fill up the space completely!

Wotan: Hurry and get this over with; the very idea of it all makes me sick!

Loge: Help me, Froh!

Froh: We'll end this disgrace to Freia quickly.

Fafner: Don't pack it so loosely! Fill the space as much as you can! I can still see through this spot here; fill up all the holes!

Loge: Stand back, you bully!

Fafner: Over here!

Loge: Keep your hands off me!

Fafner: Right here! Fill up this spot!

Wotan: (to himself) This is just disgraceful.

Fricka: Look at the shame Freia has to endure; she's too innocent to have to go through such humiliation. You've put your own flesh and blood through this torment!

Fafner: More gold! Put more on the pile!

Donner: I'm about to lose control of myself! I'm so mad at these idiots' greed, I could burst! Come here, you dog! If you want to measure something so badly, measure yourself against me!!

Fafner: Now, Donner - yell at me if it makes you feel better, but it won't help you get out of the responsibility of paying us.

Donner: I'd feel much better, being able to destroy a pompous slanderer like you!

Wotan: Hold it, you two! The job's done at last.

Loge: We've used up all the gold.

Fafner: I can still see her shining hair. (to Loge) Throw that thing on the pile!

Loge: What? The helmet, too?

Fafner: Get it over here!

Wotan: Give it to him.

Loge: Then we're finally finished! Are you happy now?

Fasolt: I can't see the beautiful Freia; is she free now? Should I let her go? Ah, I can still see her eyes shining on me through here. It's a small space, but her gaze is so brilliant! As long as I can see those wonderful eyes, I can't forget about her.

Fafner: You have to stop up this crack!

Loge: How can we satisfy you? Can't you see that all the gold is gone?

Fafner: Not quite. There's a golden ring on Wotan's finger. Fill the crack with it!

Wotan: What? This Ring?

Loge: (to the giants) Listen, that belongs to the Rhinemaidens. Wotan has to give it back to them.

Wotan: (to Loge) What are you talking about? It wasn't easy to get this ring, and I'm keeping it!

Loge: But I made a promise to the poor Rhinemaidens.

Wotan: You made the promise, and it's your problem now. I'm keeping the Ring.

Fafner: But you have to give it to us if you want Freia back.

Wotan: I'll give you anything you want; just ask. But I will not give up this Ring for all the world!

Fasolt: Then the deal's off; we're keeping Freia forever! (starts to take her away)

Freia: Help! Help!

Fricka: Wotan, give them the ring!

Froh: The gold isn't worth it!

Donner: Give it up, Wotan!

Wotan: Be quiet, all of you! I will not give it up!

(Erda appears)

Erda: Give in, Wotan, give in! Run away from the curse of the Ring! Having it will only lead you to your destruction.

Wotan: Who are you to threaten me, woman?

Erda: I know everything that has ever been; I see everything that is, everything that will be. I, Erda, the eternal Eve, am here to warn you of what's to come. I gave birth to three daughters, the Norns, born before time began. They come to you every night with advice, telling you the things I know. But today, I've come in person to warn you of the worst danger you can ever imagine. Hear me! Hear me! Everything that exists will end. A dark day is coming for the Gods. I'm telling you, get rid of the ring!

Wotan: Your words are mysterious and strong; stay and tell me more!

Erda: You heard what I said. Think on it, and heed my warning! (starts to disappear)

Wotan: (reaching for her) If I'm going to do that, I want to keep you here with me!

Fricka: What are you doing? Are you crazy?

Froh: Stop, Wotan! Don't touch her, listen to her! (Erda disappears)

Donner: Listen, you giants: Come back here and wait. You'll get your gold.

Freia: Can I believe it? Am I worth this huge price?

Wotan: Come here, Freia, I'll free you. Bring us back our lost youth! Giants, take your ring! (gives the ring to Fafner)

(Fafner starts to pile the gold into a huge sack)

Fasolt: Don't be so greedy! Leave some for me. We'll split it evenly between us.

Fafner: You wanted the girl more than the gold anyway. It took all the persuasion I had to convince you to give her up. If you'd kept Freia, you wouldn't have shared her with me; so, I'm keeping the gold for myself.

Fasolt: You'd cheat me? Your brother? (to the gods) You be the judge of this dispute: Divide the treasure equally between us.

Loge: (to Fafner) Let him keep the treasure; you keep the Ring!

Fasolt: No! I gave up Freia's wonderful gaze for it, and it's mine! (goes after the Ring)

Fafner: Get away from me! The Ring is mine! (Fasolt takes the Ring)

Fasolt: I have it, and it belongs to me now!

Fafner: Then hold onto it tight, so you don't drop it!

(strikes Fasolt to the ground, and takes the ring from him as he dies)

Now you can have Freia all you want, but you won't touch my ring again!

(puts the Ring in the sack and carries all the treasure away)

Wotan: This must be the power of the Ring's curse.

Loge: You have fantastic luck, Wotan! You gained a great deal when you won the ring, but even more now that it's been taken away from you. Your enemies kill each other for what you just gave up.

Wotan: Why do I feel so bad, then? My mind is full of dread and fear. I have to find Erda, so she can tell me how all of this will end.

Fricka: What are you waiting for, Wotan? Don't you want to go home to your new castle? There it stands, calling you to its shelter.

Wotan: What a terrible price I paid for it!

Donner: There's a thick haze in the air. I'll call the storm clouds to clear it with some lightning. Heda! Heda! Hedo! Come to me, mist! Come to me, wind! Your master is calling you. The sound of my hammer will summon you to me! Misty rain, hovering clouds, come to me! Your master is calling you. Heda! Heda! Hedo! (to Froh) Come here, brother! Show us the way across the bridge!

Froh: This bridge leads to the castle; it looks flimsy, but it'll hold you. Don't be afraid; let it take you home!

Wotan: The sun's going down; my castle looks beautiful in these evening rays. It was just as brilliant this morning, but it wasn't my home then! What an eventful day I've had, having to work from morning to night to pay for it and finally be able to say I own it! It'll be our shelter from the dark night that's coming on. This castle is a welcome place for me to call my home, to keep me safe from the fear of what might happen. Come with me, Fricka, to live in Valhalla!

Fricka: What does that name mean? I don't think I've ever heard it before.

Wotan: I've mastered my fear through courage. If that courage can stay alive within me, you'll understand what it means soon enough. (they cross the bridge to Valhalla)

Loge: (aside) They're going to their death, even though they think they're strong and immortal. I'm almost ashamed that I have anything to do with them; my better judgement tells me to turn myself back into fire. Then, even though they're all powerful gods, I wouldn't have to die with them. I could destroy them with my flames! Well, I'll think about it; who knows what I'll end up doing?

Rhinemaidens: Rheingold! Rheingold! Purest gold! You shone on us so clear and bright! We're calling on you to come back home to us! Give us the gold! Give its beauty back to us!

Wotan: What's that noise?

Loge: The children of the Rhine are calling for their stolen gold.

Wotan: Shut them up! Stop that annoying whining!

Loge: Hey! You in the water! Be quiet, listen, and get used to the way things are now. Your gold is gone; you'll have to be satisfied with the brilliance of the new-found glory of the Gods!

Rhinemaidens: Rheingold! Rheingold! Purest gold! If only your shine were on us, down here in the depths of the water! All we have left is our innocence and truth; those who live above are cowardly and false!