Scene 3
(Brünnhilde's rock)

Siegfried: Gosh, it's nice up here! But what's that over there in the shadows? (takes a closer look) It's a horse?! Just lying there, asleep? And over there? There's something shining in my eyes. It looks like steel; is the fire still playing tricks on my eyes? No, it's a pile of armor! Should I pick it up? (completely forgetting the obvious) Ha, there's a man in the armor; that's cool! I wonder if he can breathe OK with that helmet on? I should help him get his armor off. (looks up) That's beautiful! The clouds are shining on him, and the sun's shining through them! He must be a great soldier! He's having a hard time breathing, though; I'll take the rest of his armor off. Come on, Nothung, help me cut through his armor. (cuts the armor, then jumps back, startled) That's not a man! It's …something like…. It's magic! My heart is pounding! What am I looking at? I've never seen anything like this before! It must be a…woman. And there's nobody around to help me figure out what to do! Mother! Mother!! Help me! How am I going to get this…woman to wake up, so I can get a look at her eyes? But, what if I don't know what to do when she looks at me? Can I handle it? Am I strong enough to face that? Gosh, I can hardly stand up, I feel so weak! My hands are shaking! There's something I want, but I don't quite know how to describe what it is, exactly. What's wrong with me? Is this what it's like to be afraid of something? Mother! Mother! Look what's happened to your "brave" son! After all I've been through, this is how I learn what fear is - from a woman, lying there asleep! I've got to do something. I've got to be strong, and wake her up. If I do, maybe then I won't be so afraid. Her mouth looks nice. It's trembling just like my heart! (coming closer to her) Her breath is nice and warm! Wake up! Wake up, woman! Ah, she can't hear me! Even if it kills me, I guess I'm going to have to kiss her awake. Here goes. (kisses her)

Brünnhilde: Ah, Sunshine! Light! This is a great day! I'm finally awake after having been asleep for so long. Who woke me up?

Siegfried: I came through the fire that was around your rock. I took off your helmet, and woke you up. My name is…Siegfried.

Brünnhilde: Thank you, Gods! Thank you, Heaven and Earth! I'm finally awake! And it's Siegfried who found me and woke me up!

Siegfried: Thanks to the mother who had me, and to the Earth that raised me! I'm just glad I'm alive right now, to be able to look in your eyes!

Brünnhilde: Thanks to the mother who had you, and to the Earth that raised you! You were the only one who could ever have made it through the fire to see me, let alone wake me from my sleep. Oh, Siegfried, Siegfried! You're the greatest hero the world has ever seen! You've brought me back to life! I don't think you'll ever know just how much I always loved you! You were all I ever thought about, all I cared about. I protected you, I had all the hope in the world for you, even before you were born! I've loved you longer than you've been alive!

Siegfried: Then, my mother didn't die because of me after all? Is she just asleep somewhere, too?

Brünnhilde: You poor boy! I didn't mean that. No, your mother won't ever be able to see you again. But I'll be everything you want, if you'll just love me! I know all the things you always wanted to know, but didn't ever learn. My love for you is what lets me know everything you need! Siegfried! You've got me now! All I've ever wanted was for you to love me! I was the only one who knew what Wotan was up to - and I never told anyone; I kept it all to myself. I argued with him, I tried to get through to him, but in the end, I had to do what I knew was right, and I paid for it. But through everything, I kept my real reasons to myself, and now they've all come true! Siegfried, only you can make all this mean something; all you have to do is love me like I love you!

Siegfried: Your voice is beautiful, and yet I'm not quite sure what it is you're telling me. Your eyes are so pretty, I love to hear you talk to me, your breath feels nice on my skin, but I really have no idea exactly what you're talking about. It's probably something long ago and far away, and all I want to do right now is think about us, right here, right now. You were the only one who could teach me to be afraid of something. That's saying a lot! Don't mess with my mind like that, though; just let me enjoy the moment.

Brünnhilde: That's my horse over there. His name is Grane. He was asleep with me, but you must've woken him up, too!

Siegfried: (slightly befuddled) I want to look at your mouth; I want to kiss your eyes.

Brünnhilde: And there's my shield over there, the one I used to defend all those brave men. My helmet, too, just lying there. I guess I won't be needing them any more!

Siegfried: I came here without a shield or helmet, and I did OK. They couldn't have protected me from what I found here, anyway!

Brünnhilde: My breastplate's cut in two! Did you do that? Did you cut it open to make me weak and defenseless?

Siegfried: I didn't need a breastplate to come through that fire, either! The only fire that matters now is the one coming out of me! My blood feels so hot, the fire around your rock feels like it's moved inside me! Please, you're the only one who can put it out! Come to me!

Brünnhilde: No God ever talked to me like that, and I was the mightiest of all the Valkyries! This is terrible! I can tell that what I was worried about has actually happened. You cut off my armor and left me weak, open to anyone who might want to hurt me! I'm not a God - I'm not Brünnhilde any more!

Siegfried: To me you're still the beautiful woman who was asleep, and you haven't really woken up yet.

Brünnhilde: I feel dizzy. Everything else about me is gone now; do I have to lose my mind as well?

Siegfried: You told me that all you needed was my love; the firelight that brought me here gave you that.

Brünnhilde: Well, now all I see is darkness. The sun must've gone down. I'm scared, I'm hurt, I don't know what to feel, and I don't like it!

Siegfried: You only see darkness when you don't open your eyes. If you let yourself, you'll see and feel just how great this all is. Look! It's still daytime!

Brünnhilde: Great! So everyone can actually see me like this! Siegfried! Siegfried, look at how upset I am! It was always so easy. All I ever had to do was watch out for you, and that was all it took to make me happy. Siegfried! You're the greatest hero the world has ever seen! You should just leave me alone now. It's real easy for you to think you love me, because I'm the first woman you've ever seen. Don't do this to me! Don't take away all my strength, and destroy the only person who ever really cared for you! Have you seen your face's reflection in the water? Did you like what you saw? If you stick your hand in the water, you know, the ripples destroy that reflection, and you can't see yourself any more. Is that what you want? Don't touch me! Don't do this to me! If you leave, I'll always be able to see you for the hero you really are. Siegfried! Please, live for yourself, and leave me alone. Don't destroy yourself!

Siegfried: I love you. Why can't you love me, too? Now that I've seen you, I don't just belong to myself any more. Don't you feel the same way? This is a wonderful feeling I have, and I want to keep it! If the waves break up my reflection, then I can still use the water. I can jump into it, let myself sink into it, and put out my love's fire in it! Wake up, Brünnhilde! Don't worry yourself so much! I want to make you happy! I want you to be mine!

Brünnhilde: Siegfried, I've always been yours!

Siegfried: Then, you still are!

Brünnhilde: I'll always be yours!

Siegfried: Then, what's the problem? If I take you in my arms, if I hold you tight against me, and our hearts beat together, and we breathe the same air, and we stare into each other's eyes, and kiss, then you'll be what you already are, what you always were, what you always will be. You wouldn't be able to doubt the truth, then. You'd be mine!

Brünnhilde: That's not it! There's a kind of peace, a divine purity, about all this. It's like the sunlight is shining down on us from heaven. All the wisdom I had before, when I was a God - it's all gone, washed away by my love for you! Siegfried, Siegfried, don't you see? Can't you see it in my eyes, the way I'm looking at you? Don't you feel the way I'm holding on to you? Can't you feel my heart beating as hard as yours? Doesn't it scare you, to have a woman feel this way about you?

Siegfried: Oh, that! Well, our blood is hot, our eyes are burning each other up, our arms are squeezing each other - That's all got my courage coming back to me! That fear, that I couldn't ever learn - until I saw you, that is - I guess it's kind of dumb, but it looks like I've forgotten it already!

Brünnhilde: You're wonderful! Beautiful, crazy, mischievous, strong…. OK, I'll admit it - I love you! I'll love you, I'll be ashamed of myself with you, I'll die with you, laughing all the way! I'm not a God any more. Valhalla! I hope you crumble to the ground! I won't have any part of you, ever again! Enjoy your happiness while you can, because it's coming to an end! Norns! Cut their string of life! Bring an end to all the Gods! Siegfried's the ruler of the world now, and he's mine! All mine!! My love, my life, my savior! He's brought real love to me at last, and I'll go to my death with him gladly!

Siegfried: At last you're happy! I'll make sure you stay that way as long as you live! This is a great day, that's brought us together like this! At last, the sun is shining on us, now and forever! Finally, you're awake; finally, you can see how wonderful it all is! Brünnhilde's mine! All mine!! My love, my life, my savior! She's brought real love to me at last, and I'll go to my death with her gladly!