Editing Siegfried (opera) (section)

===Act 2===

Prelude to Act 2 - ''Fafners Ruhe'' (''Fafner's Rest'')

''Scene 1''

Deep in the forest. The Wanderer arrives at the entrance to Fafner's cave, near which Alberich secretly keeps vigil by a rocky cliff (''"Im Wald und Nacht"''). The two enemies recognize each other.  Alberich boasts of his plans to regain the ring and rule the world. Wotan states that he does not intend to interfere, only to observe.  He even offers to awaken the dragon so that Alberich can bargain with him.  Alberich warns the dragon that a hero is coming to kill him, and offers to prevent the fight in exchange for the ring. Fafner dismisses the threat, declines Alberich's offer, and returns to sleep. Wotan mysteriously advises Alberich that all things follow their own necessary ways which no one will change. He then rides away on his horse, leaving Alberich alone. Alberich withdraws and hides himself again in the rocks.<ref>Wagner (n.d.), 87–105</ref>

Orchestral Interlude

''Scene 2''
[[File:Siefgriedhorncall.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|Horncall from Act II of 'Siegfried' (Siegfried's leitmotif)]]
[[File:Ring45.jpg|left|thumb|upright=.7|Siegfried tastes the dragon's blood ([[Arthur Rackham|Rackham]])]]

At daybreak, Siegfried and Mime arrive. After assuring Siegfried that the dragon will teach him what fear is, Mime withdraws. As Siegfried waits for the dragon to appear, he hears a woodbird singing from the trees (''Waldweben'' - ''Forest Murmurs''). He attempts to mimic the bird's song using a reed pipe, but is unsuccessful. He then plays a tune on his horn (''Siegfrieds Hornruf'' - ''Siegfried's Horn Call''), which unintentionally wakes Fafner in his cave. After a short exchange, they fight; Siegfried stabs Fafner in the heart with Nothung. Regretful about his own life Fafner in his last moments learns the boy's name and tells Siegfried to beware the might of the curse, which condemns every lord of the Ring to death, just as it has now brought death to him. When Siegfried withdraws his sword from Fafner's body, his hands are burned by the dragon's hot blood and he puts his finger in his mouth. On tasting the blood, he finds that he can understand the woodbird's song (''"Hei! Siegfried gehört nun der Niblungen Hort!"''). Following its instructions, he takes the ring and the magic helmet [[Tarnhelm]] from Fafner's hoard.<ref>Wagner (n.d.), 106–131</ref>

''Scene 3''

Outside the cave, Alberich and Mime meet and quarrel over the treasure (''"Wohin schleichst du eilig und schlau"'').  Alberich hides as Siegfried comes out of the cave. Siegfried contemplates the ring but doesn't know what could be its use, viewing it just innocently as a valueless object of nature (''"Was ihr mir nützt, weiß ich nicht"''); nevertheless, on the forest bird's advice he decides to keep it. Then he complains to Mime that not even the dragon Fafner has taught him the meaning of fear. Mime congratulates him on having won his battle, and offers him the poisoned drink; however, the magic power of the dragon's blood allows Siegfried to read Mime's treacherous thoughts, and he stabs him to death (''"Willkommen, Siegfried!"''). Hidden nearby, Alberich is heard laughing spitefully at his brother's death. Siegfried puts Mime's body into the treasure cave and places Fafner's body in the cave entrance to block it. The woodbird now sings of a woman sleeping on a rock surrounded by magic fire (''"Nun sing! Ich lausche dem Gesang"''). Siegfried, wondering if he can learn fear from this woman, follows the bird towards the rock.<ref>Wagner (n.d.), 132–157</ref>