The Stealing of the Gold

A long, long time ago mighty gods and goddesses, and giants, too, wandered on the face of the earth. Beneath the earth, in its deepest bowels, was the Underworld, Nibelheim, where Nibelung dwarves lived and worked, crafting precious jewelry and fine objects out of the ore they mined. Far above them, on top of the highest mountains, soaring over the treetops and cotton-white clouds, stood the newly built castle which would be home of the gods.

One sunny day, in the depths of the cool, calm, and undulating waters of the winding Rhine River, three beautiful nymph sisters called Rhine daughters swam happily. They were the mermaid-like daughters of the Rhine King and guardians of a golden treasure that sat at the bottom of the river.

That day was like every other day for the carefree sisters. As was their daily ritual, they laughed and sang as they circled a craggy, submerged rock atop which was the river’s precious gold, the Rhinegold.

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