The storm has passed and the light of the springtime moon pours its benediction upon the two, who in rapture plight their strange troth, Siegmund singing Bride and sister Be to thy brother, Thereby to cherish the Volsung name.
The next act is laid in a wild mountainous pass where the armored Wotan is discovered conversing with his favorite Brunnhilde, the leader of the Valkyries. He tells her of the conflict which is soon to take place between Siegmund and Hunding and bids her, by means of her protection, throw the victory to Siegmund. As Brunn hilde departs on her errand, Fricka, the goddess of wed lock, whose feelings have been outraged by the unnatural union of the Volsung twins, appears in her chariot drawn by rams. There follows a long altercation but finally the lordly Wotan is compelled by the wifely remonstrances to reverse his decree of victory. Hunding, the wronged husband, shall triumph. Brunnhilde, whose warlike cry has been echoing in the mountains, is recalled and entrusted with the new orders, which the sorrowing Wotan gives though knowing that if Siegmund is destroyed he him self never shall be freed from the curse of the ring. To Brunnhilde he confides his sore distress over having his scheme to avert destruction thus foiled.
Siegmund and Sieglinde appear fleeing from the wrath of Hunding. Foreboding has entered into the soul of Sieglinde and, overcome with sorrow and exhaustion, she falls senseless into her brother-husband's arms. As Sieg mund attempts to kiss her back to consciousness, the stern Brunnhilde appears to warn him that his hour is near and that soon he shall go to join the heroes in Walhalla. He protests that he will relinquish that joy rather than be separated from Sieglinde, at which the Valkyrie inquires So careless art thou Of heavenly rapture? One weak woman To thee is all.
Rather than leave Sieglinde to some unknown fate, he lifts his sword to slay her with his own hand, when Brunnhilde, deeply touched, relents and tells him that in defiance of her father's command, her shield shall be for his defense. Even now Hunding's horn is heard and Siegmund rushes to the encounter . The combatants meet in the midst of the din of thunder which announces the coming of Wotan. Brunnhilde hovers over Siegmund to ward off the force of Hunding's blows and, just as the victory is to be the Volsung's, Wotan, who has arrived in the fury of the storm, thrusts his spear between the two warriors. Siegmund's sword is splintered upon it and Hunding strikes him dead. But the hunter has not long to celebrate his triumph, for Wotan slays him with an accusing look. Brunnhilde collects the fragments of Sieg mund's sword and escapes bearing the fainting Sieglinde with her upon her horse.
The third act is upon the summit of a rocky hill capped with fir-trees. Riding through the storm-clouds upon their winged steeds come, one by one, the eight Valkyries in full armor, some with dead warriors hang ing from their saddles. The sound of their martial shouts fills the air. Last of all arrives Brunnhilde, carrying the wretched Sieglinde. The woman pleads for death but is entreated by her protector to live for the sake of Sieg fried, the son that she is to bear, who shall be the greatest hero of the world.
Brunnhilde bestows upon her the fragments of Sieg mund's sword and bids her escape to the tangled forest where Fafner the dragon watches over his Ring and whither Wotan dares not go. The voice of the angry god is heard even now in the midst of the thunder and, as he rushes in, he commands the trembling Brunnhilde to stand forth from among her sisters who try to con ceal her. She is to hear the penalty imposed for her disobedience. For failing in her duty, she shall be ban ished from the valorous sisterhood, and may never hope to see Walhalla again. Nor is this all. She shall be changed from her high estate to mere mortality, shall be mastered by a man and be but a housewife. To this end she shall be thrown into a deep sleep and shall lie upon the mountain top, the prey of the first man who comes to waken her. Her tears and passionate entreaties wring from Wotan only the promise that in order that no one but a hero may win her she may be encircled while asleep by a wall of magic fire.
Wotan presses a tender kiss upon the eyes of •his beloved daughter and, as her godhood slips away and slumber comes upon her, he places her gently upon the grassy slope, adjusts her helmet and spear and lays her shield over her for protection. Then calling upon Loki, he bids him surround her with fire. As the god disap pears, the flames leap up about Brunnhilde who is to lie here in slumber until her hero shall come to waken her.
Among the great moments in this, the most popular of the four parts of the cycle, are the prelude, which depicts the tumult of the thunder-storm ; Siegmund's spring song, one of the loveliest of the Wagnerian melodies, beginning No one went Yet some one came, See how the spring smiles in the hall, and Sieglinde's rapturous response, Thou art the spring, For whom I lay longing And fasting through the winter's frost.
The ride of the Valkyries ; Wotan's farewell to Brunn hilde ; and the concluding magic fire scene are also well known numbers.