r me from Hunding," she added, wistfully.

At that, Siegmund leaped up and clasped her in his arms:

"Then in truth shall I draw it. It is I who shall free thee. And who
but the God Wotan put the weapon there for thy deliverance? Thou sayst
he had but one eye! Did not Wotan give one of his to win his wife,
Fricka? Thou hast been guarded by the Gods themselves," he cried, and
again clasping her to his breast he promised to free her forever from
Hunding. "It is the weapon told of by my father, the wolf," he
declared; and while they stood thus, the outer door swung noiselessly
open and the moonlight streamed in.

"Ah! It is the Spring," he whispered. "The beautiful Spring! She has
entered unannounced to bring us cheer and hope, it is an omen of good.
I am no longer sad. I have found one to love who loves me, and a
weapon to defend her." With a mighty wrench Siegmund pulled the sword
from its bed and swung it above them.

ACT II

When Sieglinde and Siegmund had fled and while they were wandering,
waiting for the battle which was certain to occur between Siegmund and
Hunding, Wotan was preparing to send out his war-maid, Bruennhilde,
from the palace of the Gods--Walhall. The warrior-maid had been given
him by Erda, and she went forth each day to the ends of the earth, to
guard all warriors. When men died in battle, she and her eight
sisters, who were called the Valkyries, bore those heroes to Wotan,
and they dwelt in Walhall forever. It was on the day of the battle
that Bruennhilde and Wotan came to a high rock, armed and prepared for
war. Wotan carried a magic spear.

"Listen, Bruennhilde! Thou art to hasten. There is this day to be a
great battle between Siegmund, who is of the Waelsung race, and
Hunding. As for Hunding, I want him not in Walhall. Yet it is Siegmund
whom thou art to shield in the strife. Take thy horse and hurry
forth." Bruennhilde, springing upon her beautiful horse, Grane, flew
shouting over the rocks, loudly calling her battle-cry:

"Ho-jo-to-ho! Ho-jo-to-ho! Heia-ha, heia-ha, heia-ha!" This loud clear
cry, rang from peak to peak, from crag to crag, while the maid on her
enchanted horse flew away to summon her sisters. On a far peak she
paused, and called back to Wotan:

"Have a care war-father! Thy Goddess, Fricka, comes drawn in her car
by rams. She will give thee a great battle I fear; she swings her
golden lash, and makes the poor beasts dance. I tell thee, war-father,
thy Goddess has so