_Wotan_ sings of the glory of Walhalla. _Fricka_ reminds him of his compact with the giants to deliver over to them for their work in building Walhalla, _Freia_, the Goddess of Youth and Beauty. This introduces on the 'cellos and double basses the =Motive of Compact=, a theme expressive of the binding force of law and with the inherent dignity and power of the sense of justice.
In a domestic spat between _Wotan_ and _Fricka_, _Wotan_ charges that she was as anxious as he to have Walhalla built. _Fricka_ answers that she desired to have it erected in order to persuade him to lead a more domestic life. At _Fricka's_ words,
the =Fricka Motive= is heard, a caressing motive of much grace and beauty.
It is also prominent in _Wotan's_ reply immediately following. _Wotan_ tells _Fricka_ that he never intended to really give up _Freia_ to the giants. Chromatics, like little tongues of flame, appear in the accompaniment. They are suggestive of the Loge Motive, for with the aid of _Loge_ the God of Fire, _Wotan_ hopes to trick the giants and save _Freia_.
"Then save her at once!" calls Fricka, as _Freia_ enters in hasty flight. The =Motive of Flight= is as follows:
With _Freia's_ exclamations that the giants are pursuing her, the first suggestion of the Giant Motive appears and as these "great, hulking fellows" enter, the heavy, clumsy =Giant Motive= is heard in its entirety:
For the giants, _Fasolt_, and _Fafner_, have come to demand that _Wotan_ deliver up to them _Freia_, according to his promise when they agreed to build Walhalla for him. In the ensuing scene, in which _Wotan_ parleys with the _Giants_, the Giant Motive, the Walhalla Motive, the Motive of the Compact, and the first bar of the Freia Motive figure until _Fasolt's_ threatening words,
"Peace wane when you break your compact,"
when there is heard a version of the Motive of Compact characteristic enough to be distinguished as the =Motive of Compact with the Giants=:
The Walhalla, Giant, and Freia motives again are heard until _Fafner_ speaks of the golden apples which grow in _Freia's_ garden. These golden apples are the fruit of which the gods partake in order to enjoy eternal youth. The Motive of Eternal Youth, which now appears, is one of the loveliest in the cycle. It seems as though age could not wither it, nor custom stale its infinite variety. Its first bar is reminiscent of the Ring Motive, for there is subtle relationship between the Golden Apples of Freia and the Rhinegold. Here is the =Motive of Eternal Youth=: