eadful deed have never ceased to torment him. His only son,
who lost his mother in early childhood, has grown up solitary, knowing
nothing of woman's sweetness, of peace and happiness. His only passion
is the hunt. He has grown into manhood and his father {311} as well as
his vassals wish him to marry, by [Transcriber's note: but?] never yet
has he found a woman, who has touched his heart with love.

In the beginning of the first act we see him hunting in the forest. He
has lost his way and his companions and finds himself in a spot, which
he has never before seen. A beautiful maiden comes out of a small
cottage and both fall in love at first sight. The returning collier
would fain keep his only child, who has not yet seen anything of the
world; but the nymph of the forest, Silvana's protectrice, beckons him
away. When at length the Count's fellow-hunters find him, he presents
Silvana to them as his bride. The unfortunate collier is made drunk
with wine, and during his sleep they take his daughter away to the
castle of the old Rhinegrave.

But Silvana is protected in the new world into which she enters, by the
nymph, who follows her in the guise of a young minstrel. The old
Count, hearing of his son's resolution, is quite willing to receive the
bride and even consents to go to the peasant's festival, and look at
the dancing and frolicking, given in honor of his son's bridal.

There we find Ratto, the collier, who seeks his daughter Silvana,
telling everybody that robbers took her away from him, and beseeching
help to discover her. Meanwhile Silvana arrives in rich and costly
attire between Gerold, the young Count and the old Rhinegrave. The
latter, attracted by her fairness and innocence has welcomed her as his
{312} daughter without asking for antecedents. When the dances of the
villagers have ended, the nymph enters in the guise of a minstrel,
asking to be allowed to sing to the hearers, as was the custom on the
banks of the Rhine.

She begins her ballad, the contents of which terrify the Rhinegrave,
for it is his own awful deed, which he hears. Springing up, he draws
his sword against the minstrel, but Silvana rises, protecting him with
outstretched arms. All are stupefied; Gerold looks with suspicion on
his bride, hanging on the breast of the stranger. He asks for an
explanation, but Silvana is silent. It is part of her trial, not to
betray the nymph. At the same moment Ratto, the collier, recogn