than their power, argues for #115’s derivation from #1 and/or #53, which represents the natural necessity of becoming and perishing. }}
Motif #116 is introduced as Wotan describes how he whittled “hallowed treaties’ binding runes” into the shaft of his new-made Spear, with which he ruled the world. But #116’s genealogy says otherwise: it is closely related to the family of motifs which includes #27, #36, #44, and #101, a set whose conceptual associations include Wotan’s intent to employ Loge’s cunning to break the treaties he has made (#27, and #36), and Mime’s cunning machinations to win Alberich’s Ring and Hoard away from both Alberich and the gods (#44, and #101). Thus, #116 puts the lie to Wotan’s optimistic assertion of his rectitude.
As the Wanderer proceeds to declare the universal authority that Wotan has won through his Spear, and that this rule embraces both the Nibelungs and the Giants, we hear #17, the so-called World-Inheritance Motif which is the immediate progenitor for the Ring Motif #19, and #45, the motif associated in R.3 with Alberich’s demonstration of the power over the Nibelungs his Ring grants him. What Wagner seems to be doing here, through musical means, is further establishing the ultimate identity of Alberich and Wotan, i.e., Dark-Alberich and Light-Alberich. The Wanderer’s assertion of power in Wotan’s name is over-optimistic, because by this stage Wotan is rapidly losing his former power to both Alberich (and eventually, his proxy Hagen) and Wotan’s heir Siegfried. The Wanderer has hearkened back to an earlier day, now long gone. In any case, Wotan’s assertion of power is dramatized by a thunder clap accompanied by a strong statement of the Spear Motif #21, which plunges Mime into fear. Judging from his subsequent remarks (see below), Mime presumably has now guessed the true identity of his disguised guest.
[S.1.2: D]
Wotan has successfully answered Mime’s three questions, which concerned only practical matters on which Mime was already fully informed. Mime tries unsuccessfully to dismiss Wotan, but Wotan insists on parity and requires of Mime that he now answer three of Wotan’s questions correctly, or Mime’s head will be forfeit:
Wanderer: (#114a:) Now tell me, wily dwarf: am I quit of your questions? Am I free to keep my head (:#114a)?
Mime: (After carefully observing the Wanderer with his spear, he now falls into a state of great anxiety, looking for his tools in his confusion and timidly averting his eyes: #41:; #112 vari:) Questions and head you’ve resolved and redeemed: now, Wanderer, go on your way (:#112 vari)!
Wanderer: (#113:) You ought to have asked what you needed to know (:#113); (#112:) my head stood bail for knowledge (:#112): (#21) (#83 vari?:) since you still do not know what you need to know, I’ll now take yours in pledge (:#83 vari?). (#21) (#113 vari:) Your greeting, I thought, was
