Alberich and Friends

ALBERICH AND FRIENDS

By Ian Runcie

Copyright 2011 Ian Runcie

Smashwords Edition

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

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Front cover design by author. Photograph from Werner Forman Archive, London: rock carvings at Vitlycke Museum, Bohulslän.

Dedicated to Hannah: may the birds fly back soon.

Thanks to my family for their encouragement. Also to Jan Bowman, Vanessa Brown and Hazel Phelan for their proof-reading skills and many helpful suggestions. Other acknowledgements and explanations have been moved to the back for the ebook version.

This book is also available in print at most online retailers ISBN: 9781412026284.

The Ring stands there like a multi-faceted mirror. When you look at it you see fragments of yourself.

Adapted from Keith Warner.

Chapter 1. Alberich

In the days before anyone could come along and build a castle, the beauty and mystery of the Rhine were unsurpassed.

The river rises near the mountain home of the Gods, crashes into the valleys of Middle Earth and oozes its way through the swampy plains to enter the sea through a deep channel at the far western edge of Europe. We may be within the warm, deep, barely flowing water or gliding wraith-like through the thickness of the steam rising from its surface. Or perhaps we are standing on the swampy shore, vaguely aware of the towering mountains glimpsed at intervals through the thick wandering mist. The rocks are jagged and haphazard and the land is tilted, suggesting a recent massive geological upheaval. The only sound is the drone of the slow water, which is increasing gradually as we become conscious of movement in the mud of the river floor. We catch a glimpse of a quick-tailed amphibious creature emerging from the mud, heading for the bank and becoming lost in the swirling mud and mist.

As the mist clears again, it seems that we may have been mistaken, for the lone figure we can now see stumbling out of the water and along the rocks and swamps clearly has two legs. There is nothing beautiful about the appearance or the thoughts of this creature for following him there is a swell on the surface of the water which, to those of us who understand these things, predicts change, violence and disorder.

Dwarfs were probably fairly common at that time but most were satisfied with living underground, digging for their precious metals and fashioning fine weapons and jewellery. Alberich had always known he was different. Even though the light hurt his eyes he, seemingly alone of dwarfs, was aware of the beauty and the mystery of the Rhine. As usual his thoughts were turning to the tales of Wotan. There was a legend that the blood of Wotan flowed in Alberich’s ancestry. Was Wotan really all-powerful? Wotan was said to live in eternal light, to be tall, graceful and eloquent, to have wisdom and power: everything, in fact, that Alberich lacked.

Alberich’s concern was not that he lacked powerful magic, for he had spent many hours perfecting his understanding while his less aware companions were delving deeper into the mines of Nibelung. As a youth, he had isolated himself from his contemporaries by giving free expression to what they saw as wild ravings and dangerous ideas. He had tried and failed to interest his fellow dwarfs in achieving more than just the products of their work. His companions had responded by trying to tease, cajole and threaten him into conforming but, after feeling the lash of his tongue and experiencing his increasing strength and power, one by one they had left him alone. Eventually Alberich had welcomed this for he concluded that his fellow dwarfs were incapable of advancement.

Frustrated by the world as he found it, he felt powerless and ignored with no outlet for his abilities. For many years he remained isolated and dissatisfied, raging against the established order. Approaching maturity he embraced a radical and violent philosophy that required nothing less than the wholesale destruction of the society around him. He felt that those in power, whom he never managed to identify with certainty, were determined to retain their elevated status and maintain a system that ensured that no member of the race of dwarfs could ever gain a position of influence. The inertia of his fellow dwarfs was unhelpful to his cause but this he considered to be the result of years of neglect and subtle propaganda that ensured that dwarfs were incapable of improvement. Alberich reached the conclusion that it was necessary for oppressed races to rise up, take control and build a society in which all had their allocated proper work and position and all would receive fulfilment in accordance with their needs. Nothing less than a conflagration of the works of men and the Gods was necessary to achieve these aims.¹ After this event, love, mutual respect and equality between the races are all that would be required.

But love had eluded Alberich.

As he grew older he had come to realise with great bitterness that his perfect society would never come about, just as his own quest for love would never be satisfied. His ambitions became warped, more personal and many thought evil. Why should a dwarf with his abilities be denied a position of power? He began to consider himself as a valid alternative to Wotan and was convinced that he would be able to manage the world in a rather more ordered and efficient manner. His bitterness warped even his appreciation of nature. To see the Rhine covered in dwarfish industrial enterprise, factories and smoke, all of them working for his own advancement was more in keeping with his desires. He regretted that there were still things he did not understand enough to challenge the world successfully. Take that swell in the river as he walked along. It seemed to be following him and Alberich did not doubt that it was related to his own thoughts. But it was not his magic and not under his control. Under whose control was it? Wotan’s? Something deeper than Wotan?

Suddenly he became stock-still and stared at the river, his only movement a slow waggle of his beard. Two Rhinemaidens² were cavorting in the water, riding the swell and singing. Their naked shoulders flashed out of the water, their hair floated behind them, almost the same length as their bodies. He saw they were laughing at a third companion who was scolding them, apparently for not doing their work properly.

Alberich was helplessly drawn by their magic lure. Totally seduced, he forgot his rather repulsive appearance and offered, almost joyously, to join them cavorting in the river. At first the Rhinemaidens were frightened but once they saw Alberich they were amused. One by one each of them encouraged him with lewd suggestions and gestures but, as soon as he began to scramble over the rocks and through the river towards them, they laughed and swam out of his reach making cruel jokes about his appearance, calling him names like hairy humpbacked horror and swarthy, scaly, sulphurous dwarf. Alberich finally realised that, once again, he was being teased and he was not going to seduce one of these creatures. Why should these desirable fish with human skin be allowed to make fun of him? He was furious. Suddenly he realised that his fury was the key required to disturb the Gods. Finally he would show the world that he was not a figure of fun. With spider-like agility he ran over the rocks and through the water, grabbing at the Rhinemaidens and occasionally almost catching them. Madly he roared.

Through all my frame what passionate fires rage and longings burn and glow, turning me to madness. Though you may laugh and lie, lustfully I long for you and one of you shall yield to me.

Perhaps in response to his fury, the sun’s rays rose over the hills, dispersing the mists and lighting up a glittering warm reflection in the water. Immediately the impetuous Rhinemaidens forgot Alberich and with the sun’s rays reflecting on their tails they began leaping in the water like dolphins and singing.

"Rhinegold, Rhinegold.

What radiant joy.

Your glistening beams dance over the waves.

What games we shall play."

What is it my glossy ones? Cried Alberich.

The Rhinemaidens laughed, surprised that Alberich did not know about the gold. In their excitement two of them told Alberich its secret.

"Only he who renounces love may have the gold and only he who gains the magic to forge a ring from the gold may rule the world.

Therefore we are secure and free from care, for all that live will love and no-one from love’s fetters would be free, least of all love sick gnomes! Come, enjoy the gold, bask in its radiance and laugh with us."

The swell on the water rose several metres. The third Rhine-maiden was horrified and warned the others.

"Remember Father warned us to guard the gold against those who would steal it..

But she was too late.

To renounce love is a terrible act but for Alberich love was rare indeed. Had he not just offered love to the Rhinemaidens, only to be rebuffed once again? If he could not have love, could he not obtain pleasure by might? This, he knows, is his chance. He hesitates only briefly before using his immense dwarfish strength to dive against the rising swell of the river to the gold. His lust for the Rhinemaidens is forgotten in his seething desire for gold and power. No longer interested in their swirling bodies he brushes aside the screaming mermaids, telling them to flirt in the dark in future. Rapaciously he tears the gold from its resting place, gathering up huge handfuls to drag down through the mud to where the Rhinemaidens cannot follow. Repeatedly he shouts foul blasphemies, cursing and forswearing love.

"My hand quenches your light, as I wrest your gold from