Fugitive Poetry. 1600–1878/Sir Olaff and the Erl-King's Daughter

Sir Olaff and the Erl-King's Daughter.

A Danish Ballad.

We learn that the original of this capital specimen of the traditions of the legendary North appeared in the "Kiämpe-Vüser," published upwards of a century ago at Copenhagen. It was translated into German, together with two other pieces by Herder, and included by him in his "Volksleider"—"The Voices of the Nations in Song." Matthew Gregory Lewis has translated the three Danish ballads, translated by Herder, into his collection. Lewis's translation of "The Erl-King's Daughter" in "The Tales of Wonder," is paraphrastic, whereas the following version is made direct from the German translation, and is as close as the nature of the two languages will permit, preserving not only the metre, but the spirit of the original.

i.Late rideth Sir Olaff—fast fadeth the west,To his wedding he biddeth the priest and the guest.

ii.The Elves are all dancing along the lone stand;And the Erl-King's daughter holds out her white hand.

iii."Oh, welcome, Sir Olaff! why haste thee to flee?Come join the gay ring—dance a measure with me!"

iv."Nay, lead thee a measure, nor will I nor may—To-morrow, at dawning, breaks my wedding-day!"

v."Oh! hear me, Sir Olaff, and dance here with me—The gold spurs of knighthood I'll give unto thee!

vi."And a shirt of the. silk, so fine and so white,That my mother hath bleached in the full moonlight."

vii."Nay, dance with thee, fair one, nor will I nor may,To-morrow, at dawning, wakes my wedding-day."

viii."Oh! hear me, Sir Olaff, and dance here with me,A heap of red gold I will give unto thee."

ix."The heap of red gold were right welcome to me,—But I cannot, I dare not dance, lady, with thee."

x."Thou wilt not? Then happy thy bride shall be never,Sickness and sorrow shall follow thee ever!"

xi.Lightly she touched both his breast and his brow—In anguish he shrank from the death-giving blow.

xii.She raised him, all fainting and pale, on his steed—"Home! home to thy maid with a doomed lover's speed!"

xiii.Home, home rode Sir Olaff; he reached his own gate,Where alone stood his mother, disconsolate.

xiv."Tell, oh! tell me, dear Olaff—my child,Why so pale is thy cheek, and thine eyes so wild?"

xv."And should not my cheek wear the paleness of death?The Court of the Erl-King I've seen on the heath."

xvi."And oh! tell me," she said, "my heart's only pride,What, what shall I say to thy sorrowing bride?"

xvii."Say her Olaff is gone to the dark pine wood,To try his staunch sleuth-hound, and charger good."

xviii.The day it is dawning—red blusheth the east,The bride and the bridal-train come to the feast.

xix.They drink the gold mead, and they drink the red wine,"But where is Sir Olaff—dear bridegroom of mine?"

xx."He is gone, he is gone to the dark pine wood,To try his staunch sleuth-hound, and charger good!"

xxi.But the faltering young bride drew the curtain red,And there lay Sir Olaff, cold, pallid, and dead!