One of the simplest motifs in the book is one of the most important: the Rhinegold motif. It is like the blowing of a fairy horn heralding to the world of sprites and elves the magic wonder in the river. In the olden days they had a lovely legend of the formation of the Rhinegold. They said that the sun’s rays poured down into the Rhine so brilliantly every day that, through some magic—no one knew exactly how—the glowing reflection became bright and beautiful gold, filled with great mystic powers because of its glorious origin—the sunshine. And that was the beginning of the Rhinegold. A.A.C. CONTENTS Part I THE RHINEGOLD, OR _DAS RHEINGOLD_ PAGE PRELUDE 3 CHAPTER I. THE RHINE MAIDENS 8 II. FASOLT AND FAFNER 13 III. NIBELHEIM 18 IV. THE RAINBOW BRIDGE 24 Part II THE WARRIOR GODDESS, OR _DIE WALKÜRE_ PRELUDE 33 CHAPTER I. THE HOUSE OF HUNDING 37 II. THE DAUGHTER OF WOTAN 45 III. BRÜNNHILDE’S PUNISHMENT 54 Part III SIEGFRIED PRELUDE 63 CHAPTER I. SIEGFRIED AND MIME 67 II. HATE HOLE 79 III. THE MOUNTAIN PASS 88 IV. THE WALKÜRES’ ROCK 95 Part IV THE DUSK OF THE GODS, OR _GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG_ PRELUDE 103 CHAPTER I. THE HALL OF THE GIBICHUNGS 107 II. THE WALKÜRES’ ROCK ONCE MORE 113 III. THE RHINE CHIEF’S BRIDE 118 IV. ON THE BANKS OF THE RHINE 124 V. THE LAST TWILIGHT 133 ILLUSTRATIONS WOTAN AND BRÜNNHILDE _Frontispiece_ THE GLEAMING TREASURE _Facing p._ 10 A WARRIOR GODDESS 34 THE WALKÜRE APPEARS 50 SIEGFRIED AT THE FORGE 76 THE DEATH OF THE DRAGON 82 BRÜNNHILDE ON THE WALKÜRES’ ROCK 104