Wolf Fenris first his chain shall break,
And on mankind his fury w reak,
Ere walks a king in Hacho's trace,
Or fills fo well his vacant place.

Since to the gods the king hath fled,
Heroes and valiant hofts have bled:
The bones of friends have ftrow'd the fand;
Ufurping tyrants fway the land;

And many a tear for Hacho brave
Still falls upon his honour'd grave.

No.

No. IX.

THE ERL-KING.

GERMAN.M. G. LEWIS.

Though founded on a Danish tradition, this Ballad was originally written in German, and is the production of the celebrated Goethe, author of Werter, &c.

WHO is it that rides through the forest so fast,

While night frowns around him, while fhrill roars the blast? The father, who holds his young fon in his arm,

And close in his mantle has wrapp'd him up warm.

"Why trembles my darling? why fhrinks he with fear?""Oh, father! my father! the Erl-King is near ! "The Erl-King, with his crown and his beard long and white !"

-"Oh! your eyes are deceived by the vapours of night.

Come,

"Come, baby, fweet baby, with me go away "Fine clothes you fhall wear, we will play a fine play; Fine flowers are growing, white, fcarlet, and blue, "On the banks of yon river, and all are for you."—

-"Oh! father! my father! and doft thou not hear, "What words the Erl-King whifpers low in mine ear?". -"Now hufh thee, my darling, thy terrors appease; "Thou hear'ft, 'mid the branches, where murmurs the breeze."

66

"Oh! baby, sweet baby, with me go away!

My daughter fhall nurfe you, fo fair and fo gay; “My daughter, in purple and gold who is drefs'd, "Shall tend you, and kifs you, and fing you to reft!"

-"Oh! father! my father! and doft thou not fee

“The Erl-King and his daughter are waiting for me ?”—--"Oh! fhame thee, my darling, 'tis fear makes thee blind: "Thou fee'ft the dark willows which wave in the wind.".

"I love thee! I doat on thy face so divine!

"I must and will have thee, and force makes thee mine !"My father! father! oh! hold me now faft!

my

"He pulls me! he hurts, and will have me at laft!"

The father he trembled, he doubled his fpeed;

O'er hills and through forefts he fpurr'd his black steed; But when he arrived at his own caftle door,

Life throbb'd in the fweet baby's bofom no more.

No. X.

THE ERL-KING'S DAUGHTER.

DANISH.

M. G. LEWIS.

The Original is in the Kiampe-Viifer.

O'ER mountains, through vallies, Sir Oluf he wends
To bid to his wedding relations and friends;

'Tis night, and arriving where fports the elf band,
The Erl-King's proud daughter presents him her hand.

-"Now welcome, Sir Oluf! oh! welcome to me!
"Come, enter our circle my partner to be."-
---“Fair lady, nor can I dance with you, nor may;
"To-morrow I marry, to-night must away.".

"Now liften, Sir Oluf! oh! liften to me! "Two spurs of fine filver thy guerdon fhall be;

"A fhirt

"A fhirt too of filk will I give as a boon, "Which my queen-mother bleach'd in the beams of the

moon.

"Then yield thee, Sir Oluf! oh! yield thee to me!
"And enter our circle my partner to be !"—
"Fair lady, nor can I dance with you, nor may;
"To-morrow I marry, to-night muft away.'

"Now liften, Sir Oluf; oh! listen to me! "An helmet of gold will I give unto thee !". -"An helmet of gold would I willingly take, "But I will not dance with you, for Urgela's fake."-

-"And deigns not Sir Oluf my partner to be?
"Then curfes and fickness I give unto thee;
"Then curfes and fickness thy fteps fhall pursue:
"Now ride to thy lady, thou lover so true."-

Thus faid fhe, and laid her charm'd hand on his heart;--
Sir Oluf, he never had felt such a smart;

Swift fpurr'd he his fteed till he reach'd his own door,
And there ftood his mother his castle before.

-"Now riddle me, Oluf, and riddle me right:

"Why look'ft thou, my deareft, fo wan and fo white ?”—-"How fhould I not, mother, look wan and look white? "I have feen the Erl-King's cruel daughter to-night.