Now begins a beautiful lyric episode. _Siegfried_ reclines under a linden-tree, and looks up through the branches. The rustling of the trees is heard. Over the tremulous whispers of the orchestra--known from concert programs as the "Waldweben" (forest-weaving)--rises a lovely variant of the Wälsung Motive. _Siegfried_ is asking himself how his mother may have looked, and this variant of the theme which was first heard in "The Valkyr," when _Sieglinde_ told _Siegmund_ that her home was the home of woe, rises like a memory of her image. Serenely the sweet strains of the Love-Life Motive soothe his sad thoughts. _Siegfried_, once more entranced by forest sounds, listens intently. Birds' voices greet him. A little feathery songster, whose notes mingle with the rustling leaves of the linden-tree, especially charms him.
The forest voices--the humming of insects, the piping of the birds, the amorous quiver of the branches--quicken his half-defined aspirations. Can the little singer explain his longing? He listens, but cannot catch the meaning of the song. Perhaps, if he can imitate it he may understand it. Springing to a stream hard by, he cuts a reed with his sword and quickly fashions a pipe from it. He blows on it, but it sounds shrill. He listens again to the birds. He may not be able to imitate his song on the reed, but on his silver horn he can wind a woodland tune. Putting the horn to his lips he makes the forest ring with its notes:
The notes of the horn have awakened _Fafner_ who now, in the guise of a huge serpent or dragon, crawls toward _Siegfried_. Perhaps the less said about the combat between _Siegfried_ and _Fafner_ the better. This scene, which seems very spirited in the libretto, is ridiculous on the stage. To make it effective it should be carried out very far back--best of all out of sight--so that the magnificent music will not be marred by the sight of an impossible monster. The music is highly dramatic. The exultant force of the Motive of Siegfried the Fearless, which rings out as _Siegfried_ rushes upon _Fafner_, the crashing chord as the serpent roars when _Siegfried_ buries the sword in its heart, the rearing, plunging music as the monster rears and plunges with agony--these are some of the most graphic features of the score.