Epilogue: 9. The Gold at the Bottom of the River and the Ring of Power

at Irp

The name of the river which flowed through Worms was the Rhine.

Have you seen the film: “The Name of the Rose”?

The gold was at the bottom of the Rhine. Nobody knew it was there. Nobody knew that it was there. Nobody human knew that it was there.

Are you a humanitarian?

It was guarded by three maidens. They were water spirits and they lived at the bottom of the river.

Are there fairies at the bottom of your garden?

The three Rhine maidens guarded the gold against theft.

Have you ever worked for a security company?

The three Rhine maidens guarded the Nibelung’s Gold against theft.

Do you know Wagner’s music and opera which includes this scene?

The three Rhine maidens were very beautiful.

Is beauty more important than truth?

An ugly old dwarf, by the name of Alberich, dived into the river.

Did you say that you knew the story of Snow white and the Seven Dwarves, or that you didn’t?

He saw the gold gleaming on the bottom of the river. He swam up to it.

Can you do backstroke?

Then he saw the Rhine maidens who were guarding it. He was enchanted by their beauty. He was transfixed. He stared at them. He stared at them and he thought they were beautiful. He admired their beauty. He was enchanted by it. He was hypnotised by them. He tried to persuade them to play with him and to go away with him but they laughed at him.

Is rejection more painful than loss?

The ugly old dwarf called Alberich swam up to them and tried to woo them. They laughed at him because he was ugly. They humiliated him. Then they continued their singing and dancing.

Are you better at singing or dancing?

They sang that if someone could steal the Rhinegold then he could rule the world.
They sang that if someone could steal the Rhinegold then he could rule the world but nobody could do that.
They sang that if someone could steal the Rhinegold then he could rule the world but nobody could do that because first you had to renounce love.
They sang that if someone could steal the Rhinegold then he could rule the world but nobody could do that because first you had to renounce love and swear never to know the joy of human love.

Is love the most powerful force in the universe?

Alberich was listening. In his bitterness and humiliation he renounced love and stole the gold and ran off with it.

Have you ever eaten chicken in lemon sauce?

Scroll down and click the links to go to other episodes or grammar notes or questions.

The Story of Siegfried the Dragon Slayer and of his Beautiful Wife, Kriemhild and of his Tragic Murder and of her Terrible Revenge

Title Page
1. Nibelung’s Gold
2. Siegfried the Dragon Slayer
3. Kriemhild’s Dream
4. Siegfried’s Trip to Worms
5. The Plan to win the Hand of Bruenhild
6. Bruenhild’s Suspicion
7. Hagen’s Plan
8. Kriemhild’s Revenge
9. Epilogue : The Gold at the Bottom of the River and the Ring of Power