Der Erlkönig - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

German

English (US)

03 min 01 sec

Who is the Erl-King? "Der Erlkönig" is a poem by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. To find out more about this dramatic ballad watch this short animated movie. The ballad begins with the father and the son riding on a horse. The son is sick, and then he sees something... In this video lesson, suited for the Intermediate and Advanced levels, you will find out more about possessive pronouns, how to use them and how to decline them. How familiar are you with poetry or German poetry? If not, this is an opportunity for you to try to learn a poem in German. Don't forget to show this video to your friends so you can practice together by discussing it. Stay learning!

121 Unique Words (223 total)

Sort by Frequency

mein — my determiner

und — and coordinating conjunction

vater — father noun

mit — with adposition

er — he pronoun

den — the determiner

musik — Music noun

kind — Child noun

du — you pronoun

es — it pronoun

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100%

100% undetermined

[Music]

Who rides so late through night and wind?

It is the father with his child;

He probably has the boy in his arms,

He grips him securely, he keeps him warm.

My son, why are you hiding your face so anxiously?

Father, do you not see the Erl-King?

The Erl-King with crown and tail?

My son, it's a streak of mist.

[Music]

You dear child, come, go with me!

I will play beautiful games with you;

Many colorful flowers are on the beach;

My mother has many a golden robes.

My father, my father, and don't you hear,

What Erl-King quietly promises me?

Be quiet, stay calm, my child!

The wind whispers in dry leaves.

[Music]

Fine boy, would you like to go with me?

My daughters shall wait for you,

My daughters lead the nightly rhyme

And rock and dance and sing you in.

My father, my father, and don't you see there

Erl-KIng's daughters in the gloomy place?

My son, my son, I see it clearly,

The old willows seem so grey.

I love you, your beautiful figure appeals to me;

And if you're not willing, I'll use force.

[Music]

My father, my father, now he's touching me!

Erl-king has done me a pity!

[Music]

The father is horrified, he rides quickly,

He holds the groaning child in his arms,

Reaches the court with difficulty;

In his arms the child was dead.

[Musik]

Wer reitet so spät durch Nacht und Wind?

Es ist der Vater mit seinem Kind;

Er hat den Knaben wohl in dem Arm,

Er fasst ihn sicher, er hält ihn warm.

Mein Sohn, was birgst du so bang dein Gesicht?

Siehst, Vater, du den Erlkönig nicht?

Den Erlenkönig mit Kron' und Schweif?

Mein Sohn, es ist ein Nebelstreif.

[Musik]

Du liebes Kind, komm, geh mit mir!

Gar schöne Spiele spiel' ich mit dir;

Manch bunte Blumen sind an dem Strand;

Meine Mutter hat manch gülden Gewand.

Mein Vater, mein Vater, und hörest du nicht,

Was Erlenkönig mir leise promises

Sei ruhig, bleibe ruhig, mein Kind!

In dürren Blättern säuselt der Wind.

[Musik]

Willst, feiner Boy du mit mir gehen?

Meine Töchter sollen dich warten schön,

Meine Töchter führen den nächtlichen Reim

Und wiegen und tanzen und singen dich ein.

Mein Vater, mein Vater, und siehst du nicht dort

Erlkönigs Töchter am düsteren Ort?

Mein Sohn, mein Sohn, ich sehe es genau,

Es scheinen die alten Weiden so grau.

Ich liebe dich, mich reizt deine schöne Gestalt;

Und bist du nicht willig, so brauch' ich Gewalt.

[Musik]

Mein Vater, mein Vater, jetzt fasst er mich an!

Erlkönig hat mir ein Leid getan!

[Musik]

Dem Vater grauset's, er reitet geschwind,

Er hält in den Armen das ächzende Kind,

Erreicht den Hof mit Müh' und Not;

In seinen Armen das Kind war tot.