Harmony ]]: He wipes his hand across his forehead.)
Siegfried: (#103) I’m feeling hot from my heavy burden! (#103 Fragment?) My raging blood’s racing fiercely through my veins; my hand is burned by my brow. (#87 Hint or #97 Hint?; #20a Vari?) The sun’s already high in the heavens: its eye stares down on the crown of my head from the brilliant blue above. [[ #128b ]] Gentle coolness I choose beneath the lime!
(#128a?; #20a Vari?) He stretches out beneath the lime-tree and looks up again through the branches.)
Siegfried: (#106) Once more, my dear little bird, since for so long we were rudely disturbed (#106 >>; #107?) I’d be glad to hear (#108) your song: on the branch I can see you blissfully swaying, twittering, brothers and sisters surround you, fluttering gaily and lovingly round! But I am so alone, have no brothers or sisters; my mother died, my father was slain. Their son never saw them! (#131/#41) A loathsome dwarf was my only companion; (warmly) kindness never led us to love; (#117?) He slyly set me cunning snares: - Now I’ve had to slay him!
(He raises his eyes again, in painful emotion, to the branches above him.)
Siegfried: [[ #132a ]]; #37?) My friendly woodbird, I ask you now, (#106?) would you grant me a boon companion? Will you advise me aright? (#108) So often I’ve tried to attract one but never yet obtained one: you, my dear friend, (#128b or #98?) would surely do better! Already you’ve given such good advice. (ever more quietly: #17?; #11?) Now sing, I’ll list to your song.
Voice of the Woodbird: [[ #129 ]]/#11) Hey! Siegfried’s now slain the evil dwarf! Now I know the most glorious wife for him. High on a fell she sleeps, fire burns round her hall: [[ #128b ]], if he passed through the blaze [[ #128b ]] and awakened the bride, Bruennhilde then would be his!
(Siegfried leaps up impetuously from his sitting position.)
Siegfried: [[ #132b ]] O welcome song! O sweetest breath! Its meaning burns my breast with searing heat! How it thrills my heart with kindling desire! What courses so swiftly through heart and senses? Tell me the answer, sweet friend! (He listens.)
Voice of the Woodbird: (#11/[[ #128b ]] Delighting in sorrow, (#128a?) I sing of love; [[ #128b ]] blissful I weave (#128a?) my lay from woe: (#20a?) lovers alone can know its meaning.
Siegfried: [[ #132b ]] Exulting, it drives me away from here, out of the forest and on to the fell! – (#35; [[ #132b ]]) But tell me again, you lovely songster: shall I (#92) break through the fire? (#92?) Can I awaken the bride?
