unges it into
water to cool, heats it red-hot in the furnace, and lastly hammers it on
the anvil. When all is finished he brandishes the sword, and, to the
mingled terror and delight of Mime, with one mighty stroke cleaves the
anvil in twain.

The next act shows a glen in the gloomy forest close to Fafner's lair.
Alberich is watching in the darkness, in the vain hope of finding an
opportunity of recovering his lost treasure. Wotan appears, and taunts
him with his impotence, telling him meanwhile of Siegfried's speedy
arrival. Mime and Siegfried soon appear. The dwarf tries to excite the
feeling of fear in Siegfried's bosom by a blood-curdling description of
the terrible dragon, but finding it useless, leaves Siegfried at the
mouth of Fafner's cave and retires into the brake. Left alone, Siegfried
yields to the fascination of the summer woods. Round him, as he lies
beneath a giant linden-tree, the singing of birds and the murmur of the
forest blend in a mysterious symphony. His thoughts fly back to his dead
mother and his lonely childhood. But his reverie is interrupted by the
awakening of Fafner, who resents his intrusion. Siegfried boldly attacks
his terrible foe, and soon puts an end to him. As he draws his sword
from the dragon's heart, a rush of blood wets his hand. He feels it
burn, and involuntarily puts his hand to his lips. Forthwith, by virtue
of the magic power of the blood, he understands the song of the birds,
and as he listens he hears the warning voice of one of them in the
linden-tree telling him of the Tarnhelm and the ring. Armed with these
he comes forth from the dragon's cave to find Mime, who has come to
offer him a draught from his drinking-horn after his labours. But the
dragon's blood enables him to read the thoughts in the dwarf's heart
under his blandishing words. The draught is poisoned, and Mime hopes by
slaying Siegfried to gain the Nibelung hoard. With one blow of his sword
Siegfried slays the treacherous dwarf, and, guided by his friendly bird,
hastens away to the rock where Bruennhilde lies within the flaming
rampart awaiting the hero who shall release her.

The third act represents a wild landscape at the foot of Bruennhilde's
rock. Wotan once more summons Erda, and bids her prophesy concerning the
doom of the gods. She knows nothing of the future, and Wotan professes
himself resigned to hand over his sovereignty to the youthful Siegfried,
who shall deliver the world from Alberich's curs