(_Looking down._) What shall Wiglaf say? Shall the skald, Whose eye sees through the darkness, see no light? Beyond the winter see no spring, beyond The storm, no calm? (_He starts away._) CANZLER-- Stay here with us, Wiglaf. (_Selma enters the cottage._) WIGLAF--Lose faith in Woden when the north wind blows? Think the trunk dead because the boughs are bare? Shall the bloom live forever, and the seed Not swell and break its pod and find the earth? Val-father sows and reaps and sows again. Our race has come to harvest, and the hands Of southern reapers have laid low the tribes, Bound them in sheaves and stacked them far away And threshed them out on many a bloody field. CANZLER--And the war-maidens have gleaned heroes there. WIGLAF--Gleaned them and sown them in the earth again. The years fall white upon the silent tribes. Val-father's winter locks them in the ground. (_Looking up at the trees._) But O, O chief, these, too, were once down there. CANZLER--The seed of Wittikind shall put forth a sprout. (_Fritz bows his head and walks back among the trees._) RUDOLPH-- (_From a pent-up heart._) Shall it, Wiglaf? CANZLER-- The bare North shall be green. WIGLAF--Be red. CANZLER-- Wiglaf! WIGLAF-- The young leaves come out red. As one who puts his ear against a door (_He gets down and puts his ear to the earth._) And hears within a noise of armed men, I hear the washing of Val-father's waves Rushing from Naastrand where their bodies lie Piled on the dark shore where the ships come not. CANZLER--Bringing them back. WIGLAF--(_Rising._) With shock of arms, O chief, The breaking of the bark. CANZLER-- Then comes the leaf. WIGLAF--Red from the breaking of-- CANZLER-- It shall be green. WIGLAF--Bragi is singing the white years away. (_He goes out right._) CANZLER--We may be few, Wiglaf, but-- MAX-- Stay with us. WIGLAF--He beckons from that island in the sea. Wiglaf must go where Bragi calls. CANZLER-- Oh, say "Hail," to that kindred land! (_He drops his ax against the log._) From us say "Hail!" (_Stepping past the stump._) Oh, if you find them holding up the North, Oh, tell them, Wiglaf, to keep iron hearts! Say that the ancient trunk of Wittikind Shows a green sprout! Say all the North is green! RUDOLPH--Go with us to the mountains! FRITZ-- Stay and die! CANZLER--Or say--say, Wiglaf, say--it shall be green! (_Smoke is seen curling above the roof of the cottage._)