Lyrics: Richard Wagner/Andrew Porter
Music: Richard Wagner
I found once in the wood
a woman who lay and wept:
I helped her here to my cave,
and by the fire there I warmed her.
A child stirred in her body;
sadly she gave it birth.
That birth was cruel and hard;
I helped as best I could.
Great was her pain! She died.
But Siegfried, your were born.
She died, my mother, through me?
To my charge she entrusted the child:
I gladly cared for you.
What love I lavished on you!
What kindness and care you received!
‘A whimpering babe,
born in these woods…’
I think I have heard that before!
But say: why am I called Siegfried?
The wish of your mother
that’s what she told me:
as ‘Siegfried’ you would grow
strong and fair.
‘And Mime was kind
to the tiny mite…’
Now tell me the name of my mother.
Her name I never knew.
‘Feeding you well,
keeping you warm…’
Her name I told you to tell me!
Her name I forget. No, wait!
Sieglinde, now I remember;
I’m sure that that was her name.
‘And sheltering you safe
as my very self…’
Now tell me, who was my father?
His name I never knew!
Did my mother say what his name was?
He fell in battle,
that’s all that she said.
The tiny orphan
was left in my care;
‘And as you grew older
I was your nurse;
when you were sleepy
I smoothed your bed…’
Stop that eternal
snivelling!
If I am to trust your story,
if truth at last you’re speaking,
then I must see some proof!
But what proof can I show you?
I trust you not with my ears;
my eyes alone I’ll believe:
what witness can you show?
This, this your mother gave me;
for payment, food, and service,
this was my wretched wage.
Look here, just a broken sword!
She said your father had borne it
when he fought his last, and was killed.