One of my fondest memories is listening to the Saturday afternoon radio broadcasts of the Metropolitan Opera. Among my favorite operas was Wagner's "Ring Cycle" of four operas. That's where I met Brunhilda.

She was the warrior goddess, daughter of the chief god, Wotan. Her job was to take slain warriors to Valhalla, to live with the gods.

One day she disobeys Wotan and saves a warrior's life. For this she was punished. She would be put into a magic sleep on a rock on a mountaintop surrounded by a ring of fire. Only a "man who knows no fear" can penetrate the fire and waken her. At this point, she would no longer be a goddess, but a mortal woman.

Now Brunhilda, secretly, had always yearned to be a feminine woman and wear laces, silks, velvets, and have pretty things instead of armor, helmet and shield. She loved flowers and bright colors.

She is wakened by a brave man, Siegfried. Now she is a mortal woman and can indulge her feminine side. She and Siegfried marry. Unfortunately, things do not end well for Brunhilda, but that is a different story.

This is Brunhilda's apron.

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