Scene 3
(The place in the forest where we last left Alberich)

Alberich: (seeing Mime) Where are you going so fast? What are you up to now?

Mime: (sarcastically) My dear brother! What are you doing here? I don't need you any more!

Alberich: Do you want my gold? Are you trying to get something that's mine?

Mime: Get out of here! This is my spot! What are you looking for?

Alberich: You're here to steal something, and I'm going to stop you!

Mime: I've worked hard for everything that's coming to me, and you're not going to stop me now!

Alberich: Did you get the Gold from the Rhine? Did you cast the spell on the Ring?

Mime: Did you make the Tarnhelm? You needed it to change your shape, but did you invent it?

Alberich: What do you know about anything? My power put all your skills to work for me!

Mime: Where's your ring now? The Giants took it from you! What you couldn't hold on to, I'll win with my cunning!

Alberich: You're going to try to get it all back from the boy? It's not yours, it's his, and there's nothing you can do about that now.

Mime: I raised him! He owes me! I've put a lot of work into what's finally going to happen today.

Alberich: You think that raising a boy entitles you to be king of the world? I'd rather the mangiest dog have that ring than you! You'll never get it, you fool!

Mime: Then you can have it back. Keep it! But at least remember that I'm your brother. Give me the Tarnhelm, and we'll both be happy.

Alberich: Share with you? Give you the Tarnhelm? You're crazy! I wouldn't be able to sleep at night!

Mime: You won't share any of it with me? So I should just leave empty-handed? All my work wasn't worth anything??

Alberich: You don't get a thing! I wouldn't let you have the rustiest nail at the bottom of the pile!!

Mime: Then you won't have anything either! I'll get it all, and I won't share it with you! I'll send Siegfried after you! He'll kill you for me, just like he killed Fafner!

Alberich: Turn around! He's coming out of the cave!

Mime: So what? I'm sure he didn't take anything valuable.

Alberich: He's got the Tarnhelm!

Mime: And the Ring!

Alberich: Damn it! The Ring!!

Mime: Go ahead and get it from him. It'll be easy for me to steal it from you later.

Alberich: But it can only belong to its true master. (leaves)

Siegfried: (entering, talking to the Ring) I don't really know what good you'll be to me, but I took you anyway. A bird gave me some good advice, and I listened to it. I didn't learn fear today, but I'll keep all this stuff anyway, as a reminder of the day I killed that dragon!

Forest Bird: Siegfried owns the Gold and the Ring now, but he should be careful of Mime! The dragon's blood allowed him to hear exactly what Mime is thinking in his heart. Siegfried should listen to the way Mime will lie to him.

Mime: He's taking way too long, thinking about the treasure he just got! I wonder if the Wanderer found him first, and told him everything! Well, now I really have to lay a good trap for him. That's OK, though; Siegfried always listens to what I tell him, so,…I'll just put on my best act, and lie right to his face! (to Siegfried, with extra sugar) Welcome, Siegfried! Tell me, have you learned what fear is yet?

Siegfried: I haven't found anyone who could teach me!

Mime: But, that dragon - you killed it, right? Didn't he scare you half to death?

Siegfried: He was pretty nasty, but at least he had some honor. I'm actually sorry he had to die, especially when there are far worse creatures who're still alive! I hate you a lot more than I ever hated that dragon!

Mime: (still very sweetly) Oh, come on, now! You won't have to look at me much longer, anyway. I'm about to make you go to sleep forever! You've done what I needed you to do, and now all I have to do is steal the gold from you! It won't be that hard, since you've always been easy so for me to fool!

Siegfried: So, you want to hurt me, do you?

Mime: (startled) I never said that! (sweetly) Siegfried, listen to me. I've always hated you and your kind. I didn't raise you out of love, you can be sure. I just wanted you to get Fafner's gold for me. If you don't give it to me, now, Siegfried, I'll make you pay me back for everything with your life!

Siegfried: I'm glad that you hate me as much as I hate you, but do you really want to try to kill me?

Mime: (angrily) That's not what I said! You're misunderstanding everything I'm saying! You must be really tired from your fight! I'm trying so hard to hide what I really mean; I'm lying to you as good as I can, and you're hearing me all wrong. Open your ears! Listen to what I really mean! Drink this! I always made you something to drink when you were thirsty; no matter how bad a mood you were in, you always drank whatever I brought you.

Siegfried: I'd like a drink right now. How did you make this one?

Mime: Just drink it! Trust me! You'll soon be weak, you won't be able to think clearly, and you'll want to go to sleep. You'll just lie down on the ground, and I'll take all your treasure away from you! Of course, if you ever woke up, I'd have to always be on my guard, because you'd come after me and kill me. So, while you're asleep, I'll just take your sword and cut your head off. Then, I'll have the Ring, and I'll be rid of you as well!

Siegfried: You want to put me to sleep, then kill me?

Mime: I want what? When did I say that? I just want to cut your head off! Even if I didn't hate you so much, even if I hadn't had to put up with your stupidity all these years, I'd still have to kill you to get your Gold before Alberich has a chance to get to it. Now, come on, my little Wälsung! Drink up, and choke yourself to death! I promise I'll never bother you again! Hee hee hee hee!

Siegfried: Take a drink of my sword, you liar! (Puts his sword right through Mime, who falls to the ground, dead.)

Alberich's Voice: (offstage) Haha! Haha! Haha!

Siegfried: I'm glad I have Nothung to take care of stuff like that for me. Here, Mime, you wanted all this Gold; now you can just lie here and watch over it! The dragon can lie here, too, and protect you from anybody who might want to steal it from you. I hope you both have a good sleep! Boy, I feel really hot now, from all that work. The sun's baking my skin! I need to find some shade, under one of those trees over there. I guess that bird got interrupted too many times, and decided to quit singing. I can see it up there in the branches, with all the other birds flying around it, keeping it company. I wish I had some company like that. But, I'm all alone. I never had any brothers or sisters, my mother died, my father was killed; I never even got a chance to know them! My only friend was that ugly old dwarf, and he certainly never liked me! All he ever wanted to do was trick me into doing his dirty work. I eventually had to kill him for all the stuff he did to me! Hey, little bird, you're the only one who's been at all nice to me lately; do you know anyone who'd be a good friend to me? Can you tell me what I should do now? I've always tried to look for someone myself, but I never found the right person; surely, you could do better than I did. You've already helped me lot, so could you just sing for me one more time? I'll listen to you.

Forest Bird: Siegfried's finally killed that terrible dwarf! I know where there's a women who could be his wife. She's in a deep sleep, on a mountaintop, with a dreadful fire surrounding her. Whoever can break through the fire and rescue Brünnhilde will have her for his wife!

Siegfried: Oh my gosh, that's it! That's what I have to do now! A woman? Why is my heart pounding so hard? What's this feeling that's come over me? Tell me, my friend, what is it?

Forest Bird: I'm singing about love. It's a long story, and it only has meaning to people who are in love!

Siegfried: But I'll go to her, I'll leave this place behind, and climb the mountain to get to her! Tell me, please, am I the one who can save her? Do I have a chance?

Forest Bird: No coward can wake Brünnhilde up. Only someone who doesn't fear anything can do it!

Siegfried: Well, that's me! I've tried everything I could to learn how to be afraid, but I couldn't do it. Maybe Brünnhilde can teach me! Which way is her mountain? Fly toward it, little bird, and I'll follow you! (exits, chasing after the bird)