[T.3.1: C]
However, Siegfried, accompanied by #176, and infected with the Rhinedaughters’ playful spirit, calls them back again to grant them the Ring after all. But the Rhinedaughters, having grown solemn, decide, with evident arbitrariness, and seemingly unwisely, to let Siegfried know in detail the danger he will escape by granting them his Ring, which suffers a curse. Why don’t they just play it safe and accept the Ring from him without further ado once he’s offered it? Clearly, something else, something fateful, is at work here: :
Siegfried: (descending further into the valley: #176:) Why should I brook such meagre praise? shall I let myself be so reviled? (#176) – (#176:) If they came back to the water’s edge, the ring would be there’s for the asking (:#176). (#174a frag) (calling out: #174b:) Hey! Hey there! You merry water-maids! Come quickly! I’ll give you the ring (:#174b)!
(#174a: He has removed the ring from his finger and holds it up. The Rhinedaughters return to the surface. They adopt a serious, solemn stance. #orch? [a dissonance])
Flosshilde: Hold on to it, hero, (#12) (#19?:) and ward it well, (#19?:) until you (#19 vari:) divine the evil [“Unheil”] …
Woglinde and Wellgunde: that you harbour within the ring.
All Three: (#19 vari:) You’ll then feel glad (:#19 vari) (#37:) that we freed you from its curse (:#37)
Siegfried: (calmly replacing the ring on his finger:) #176 inversion:; #19 vari: [&/or #20a?]) Then sing of what you know (:#19 vari - &/or #20a?)! (#37)
The Rhinedaughters: (#161 chord:) Siegfried! Siegfried! Siegfried (:#161 chord)! Evil [“Schlimmes”] we know lies in store for you.
Wellgunde: (#19 vari >> :) To your own undoing [“Unheil”] you keep the ring (:#19 vari)!
