No. X.

THE ERL-KING'S DAUGHTER.

DANISH.

M. G. LEWIS.

The Original is in the Kiampe-Viiser.

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

'Tis night, and arriving where sports 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 listen, Sir Oluf! oh! listen to me! "Two spurs of fine silver thy guerdon shall be; "A shirt too of silk 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 must away."

"Now listen, 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 sake.".

-"And deigns not Sir Oluf my partner to be?
“Then curses and sickness I give unto thee;
"Then curses and sickness thy steps shall

pursue :

"Now ride to thy lady, thou lover so true."

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

Swift spurr'd he his steed till he reach'd his own door,
And there stood his mother his castle before.

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

Why look'st thou, my dearest, so wan and so white?"— "How should I not, mother, look wan and look white?

"I have seen the Erl-King's cruel daughter to-night.

&

"She cursed me! her hand to my bosom she press'd; "Death follow'd the touch, and now freezes my breast! “She cursed me, and said, “ To your lady now ride;" "Oh! ne'er shall my lips press the lips of my bride."

"Now riddle me, Oluf, and what shall I say, "When here comes the lady, so fair and so gay?"for awhile to the wood,

"Oh! say, I am gone "To prove if my hounds and my coursers are

good.".

Scarce dead was Sir Oluf, and scarce shone the day,
When in came the lady, so fair and so gay;
And in came her father, and in came each guest,
Whom the hapless Sir Oluf had bade to the feast.

They drank the red wine, and they ate the good cheer; "Oh! where is Sir Oluf! oh, where is my dear?"-"Sir Oluf is gone for awhile to the wood, "To prove if his hounds and his coursers are good."

Sore trembled the lady, so fair and so gay;

She eyed the red curtain; she drew it

away;

But soon from her bosom for ever life fled,

For there lay Sir Oluf, cold, breathless, and dead.

WITH gentle murmur flow'd the tide,
While by its fragrant flowery side
The lovely maid, with carols gay,
To Mary's church pursued her way.

The Water-Fiend's malignant eye
Along the banks beheld her hie;
Straight to his mother-witch he sped,
And thus in suppliant accents said:

"Oh! mother! mother! now advise,

"How I may yonder maid surprise : "Oh! mother! mother! now explain, "How I may yonder maid obtain."

The witch she

gave him armour white;
She form'd him like a gallant knight:
Of water clear next made her hand
A steed, whose housings were of sand.

The Water-King then swift he went;
To Mary's church his steps he bent:
He bound his courser to the door,

And paced the churchyard three times four.

His courser to the door bound he,

And paced the churchyard four times three;
Then hasten'd up the aisle, where all
The people flock'd, both great and small.

The priest said, as the knight drew near,

-"And wherefore comes the white chief here ?"

The lovely maid she smiled aside;

-"Oh! would I were the white chief's bride!'

He stepp'd o'er benches one and two;

“Oh! lovely maid, I die for

you!"

He stepp'd o'er benches two and three;

-"Oh! lovely maiden, go with me!"