Siegfried

Siegfried, son of Siegmund and Sieglinde, has grown up—raised by the nasty dwarf, Mime. Siegfried forges anew the fragments of his father’s shattered sword, Nothung. Mime longs to have as his own the ring and the gold that are now guarded by the giant Fafner, who has now become a dragon.

Siegfried manages to slay Fafner, taking with him the ring and the magic helmet (the Tarnhelm). Realizing that Mime intends to do him harm, Siegfried kills Mime.

As the hero who knows no fear, Siegfried is able to penetrate the magic fire that surrounds Brünnhilde, who had been put to sleep as punishment by her father Wotan—she can be wakened only by a fearless hero. When Siegfried kisses her, she awakens as a mortal woman (no longer a goddess). The two fall ecstatically in love.