Freia, saying how great a loss it would be were the gods forever deprived of the jubilant bliss of sorrowless youth everlasting which Freia’s golden apples provide them:
(It continues to grow lighter: [#high, shimmering music from Loge’s original description of Freia’s golden apples the gods hadn’t eaten]; #8 on violins’ upper strings; #26a)
Loge: Fasolt and Fafner approach from afar (:#shimmering with #8; :#26a); (#26a:) they’re bringing Freia here (:#26a).
(#29: Donner, Froh, and Fricka emerge from the mists, which continue to disperse, and hurry towards the front of the stage.)
Froh: They’ve come back again.
Donner: Welcome, brother (:#26a; :#29)
Fricka: Do you bring good tidings?
Loge: (pointing to the hoard) With cunning and force our task succeeded: there lies Freia’s ransom!
Donner: (#shimmering:) From the giants’ hold fair Holda approaches (:#shimmering).
Froh: (#29 or #31 fragments?; #8?:) What sweet-scented air wafts around us again as blissful emotion steals over our senses (:#29 or #31 fragments; :#8?)! (#37 hint in rhythm?:) Sad it would be for us all to be severed for ever from her (:#37 hint in rhythm?) who grants us the jubilant bliss of (#75 hint?:) sorrowless youth everlasting (:#75 hint?).
(the front of the stage is now brightly lit again; the light restores the gods’ former youthful appearance; a veil of mist still hangs over the back of the stage, however, so that the distant castle remains hidden. Fasolt and Fafner enter, leading Freia between them.)
