THE BEAUTIFUL VALHALLA

As Fafner carried away his treasure, a great storm gathered over the
mountain crest.

The sky grew black. The thunder rolled. Its echoes bounded on from cloud
to cloud, from peak to peak, then rumbled down the valleys to the sea.

Then the clouds drifted away. The setting sun shot its long rays into
the deep valley.

There, arching over the river and reaching from the flowery
mountain-side to the very door of the gleaming castle, stood a shining
rainbow bridge.

"Lo! our castle! Our beautiful Valhalla!" cried the king. "Let us cross
over. It shall be our dwelling-place forevermore."

One by one they stepped upon the bridge.

As Wotan walked slowly and sadly over, he heard the wailing of the
Rhine-maidens in the river below:--

"Rhine-gold! Rhine-gold!
We long for your light!"

"I shall never be happy again," thought Wotan. "I have given my honor
for Valhalla. What an awful price I have paid!"