On the Valkyries' rock, where Siegfried woke Bruennhilde, the Norns were gathering. The first Norn was old and tall and lay where Bruennhilde had lain--under the spreading fir tree. The second was younger and also tall, and she was stretched upon a rock in front of the cave. The third was the youngest, and she, too, was tall, and she sat upon a rock below the mountain peak, and all were clothed in dark and veil-like draperies. They were Erda's daughters, and were called the Fates. Behind them shone the firelight which guarded the rock and it flared fitfully above the peaks. The first Norn unwound from her waist a golden rope and tied one end of it to a branch of the fir tree. While one wove into this rope the destinies of the world, another clipped it, and the three sang the story of creation. They sang of the ash tree, of Wotan and the Eternals; and as they sang they threw the rope from branch to branch, weaving and clipping, weaving and clipping. They sang the story of Bruennhilde, of the Rheingold, of all the strife in the world, and of the destinies of the Gods and mortals. After a while the dawn began to glow, the sun to rise, and the fire-glow behind the mountain to die out. On the Third Day, Bruennhilde and Siegfried had entered the cave; then when the sun rose and night was dispelled, they came out, Siegfried dressed in Bruennhilde's armour and Bruennhilde leading her good horse, Grane. "Now, I must be gone and do valorous deeds, dear Bruennhilde," Siegfried said to her. Taking the Nibelung ring from his finger, he put it upon hers. "Keep thou this ring and thou art all powerful and it shall keep our faith, truly." In return Bruennhilde gave him her horse, Grane. "Once he mounted above the clouds while now he can only pace the earth; but that he will do bravely for thee, my Siegfried," she assured him. The parting was full of promises and love for each other. Siegfried and Grane disappeared below the cliff, while Bruennhilde, standing upon a little mountain height, looked down at them and bade Siegfried a loving farewell. ACT I While Siegfried was on his way to search for the glory suited to such a hero, a banquet was being held in the hall of the Gibichungs, a race of mortals living on the banks of the river Rhein. Gunther and his sister Gutrune were the rulers, and they sat upon a rude throne, side by side, while the banquet table was spread before them. At one side sat Hagen, the half brother of Gunther, half a Nibelung--in short, the son of Alberich. Through the great door of the hall could be seen a green field stretching away to the bank of the Rhein. "Tell me, Hagen," Gunther asked of his half brother, "is there anything I have left undone that could enhance the fortunes of my race?" "That there is," Hagen cried. "Dost thou not know of the Nibelungs' ring?" "I have heard there is a treasure stolen from the Rhein-daughters; and that of it a ring was made, which has magic power."