Punch (82.1882)

xMay 20, 1882.] PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHABIVARI.

TIIE PLIZE EING DES NIBELUNGEN;

ok, Panto-Mime and the Thkee Mekky Maidens of the Rhino.

Few men have made more noise in the world than Herr Richakd
Wagnek, and if anybody doubt it, let him try the Ring des Nibel-
ungen ; or, Pcinto-Mime and the Three Merry Maidens of the Rhino.
The Nibelungen is made up of “motives,” but Herr Wagnek’s
motives are often hard to understand. “Blow it all! ” says Herr
Wagnek (they have trombones, and they all do it), “here goes! ”
Herr Wagnek’s rule is, “ When in doubt, play the drum.” _ This

raises a spirit of
emulation in the
bosom of the
gentleman who
has been en-
trusted with the
cymbals. Bang
they go! The
violins tremble
with indigna-
tion. HerrSEiDL
waves his arms
to the ophi-
cleides ; at it go
the horns, and

“ 0 let us be jaw-ful! ” si n8' ers yell

m another key,

to show that they are not to be put down by the odds against them.
Half-a-dozen “ motives ” have been going on—if one could only
have picked them out.

The Nibelungen opens with a view of some queer fish in an
Aquarium. Here are the Rhine Maidens with Our New Patent Self-
instructing Swimming Apparatus litted on them, trying to remember
that pretty little thing they heard last night. They don’t reeollect
the proper words, so Woglinde sings the tune, which seems to be
badly recollected from Mendelssohn, to the thrilling words :—

“tVeia! Waza ! Waga la Weia !
Wallala, weiala weia! ”

Then “ Gin a body meet a body coming through the Rhine.”
Everybody joins in chorus.

These bodies are taking care of thc Rheingold, or Rhino, as it is gene-
rally called, and a bad young man, Panto-Mime's brother, comes and
walks about in the water ; to whieh these bold young minxes do not
object until he goes up the ladder, which has been incautiously left,
from the bottom of the Rhine to the shelf on which the Rhino rests,
and walks olf with the treasure. Then they let off the steam—which,
by the way, they do on every possible occasion. Before the steam
has quite evaporated, and while there is still a good deal of Hot-
bathy smell about the place, the gauze rises, and discovers about as
eoarsely a painted scene as we ever remember. Here Wota?i, the
King of the Gods, is in a very low state of mind, because the
Giants have built him a palace and are coming to ask for their
money. The “ Can’t-pay-the-Rent-and-don't-know-what-I-shall-
do-about-the-Taxes Motive” expresses Wolan’s sorrow, after which,
to some good old pantomime music, in come the giants Fafner and
Fasolt. Y ou know they are giants directly, because it is stated so
in the bill; though, as a matter of fact, dwarfs, giants, and gods
are all the same size. To their Now-then,-Guv'nor,-are-you-

going - to -weigh-in f
Motive," Wotan re-
plies that he really
shall be very much
obliged if they will kindly make it
convenient to call again, and off
they go, taking with them the
goddess Fry-a, so named because
she acts as a sort of plain cook and bakes the apples, which is
ill that keeps the gods young. For these gods are in a very bad way

Fricka and her Lowther-Arcadian
P e r-ram-bulator.

altogether. Wotan, who is a disreputable old man, then goes off
on an expedition to steal the Rhino from Panto-Mime's brother,
who is very good at conjuring tricks ; and, at the bad old man’.'
request, transforms himself into a crocodile, which makes the god
verynervous, and he hits at him with his spear to the “ I-say,-you-
know,-no-la?-ks Motive." The performer then changes himself into
a toad, and to the “ Ilalloa !-noio-I've-got-you Motive," Wota ■
treads on him and steals the ring and the money. The Giants cali
again, Wotan settles their little account, and then, to the “ Schlog-
him-on-the-kop Motive," Fafner settles his brother.

Parts of the Waikiire had better not be talked about; but it may be
said that Siegmund, having been engaged in mortal comba+ for some

An Engine-eous Monster.

hours with the brother of Hunting (a great sportsman), runs awav.
and takes refuge in Hunting's hut. Hunting asks him to supper
but doesn't give him any, and Siegmund, who hates being ehaffed
accepts a challenge to settle it next morning after breakfast—that i-
to say, after Huntmg's breakfast, for Siegmu?id's chances of getting
any are remote. Wota?i's wife drives in on her chariot drawn bj
rams to the “ Baa,-baa,-black-sheep Motive," and after letting the
poor old god have it right and left, insists upon his secondiug Hu?d-
ing; and his daughter Briimihilde backs up Siegmund, though her
father distinctly tells her not to do so. Neither of the combatant.-
has the least idea of fighting, and they both die apparently of fright,
in spite of the fact that Sieg?nund has found a sword sticki’ng m a tree
which he has been assured will render him invincible; but that ’s
the way it happens when Herr JFag-nek is to the fore. The Prize
Ring they are all fighting about is not really the least good to any-
body, and the all-conquering sword is smashed at the first go ofi.
Wotan then proceeds to have it out with Brii?vnhilde, who has run
away to her sisters, and finds them playing at horses, mounted on
little wooden animals, to the “ Six-to-fo?ir-o?i-the-field,-t?vo-to-one-
bar-one Motive." Up comes Wotan and condemns Briinnhilde to go
to sleep for an indehnite period, only permitting her to have a fire
lighted to jjrevent the bad effects of the night air, lest, when she does
wake up, iufiuenza should prevent her from expressing her gratitude
to the gallant knight who rescues her. The fire is shown by much
vapour with light thrown on it, but it is not very effective hert,, and
can scarcely be called a succes de steam.

This Knight is to be Siegfried, who is living in the forest with
Panto-Mime, and, indulging in a good deal of bear-play—brings a
bear in with him to help : but though the bear is evidently connected
with Panto-Mi?ne, that dwarf does not like it. Wota?i is prowling
about, and as he can’t get anyone else to listen to him, and Panto-
Mi?ne is rather small, he keeps on obliging him with another stave,
till Siegfried returns, joins together the fragments of the sword his
father, Siegmund, made sueh a mess of, and goes for the giant Faf-
ner, who is living
in a cave hidden
in a second-hand
“ property ” dra-
gon — that’s the
way he enjoys the
RRino he has got
possession of.

Fafrier has caught
a dreadful cold in
his head, and
greets Siegfried
withthe “Aren't-
you - frightened f
Motive," but Sieg-
fried isn’t in the
least, and before
Fafner can get
out of the “property,” he is pierced by the sword, and perishes to
the “ Just-about-under-the-fifth-rib,-I-fancy ? Motive."

Here is some graceful and melodious music. The ill-used strings
have an innings, and make the most of it, and the flutes, brass.

j

Yol. 82.

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