# Something in german

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-in-german/147758>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [January 10, 2003, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-in-german/147758 "2003-01-10T16:02:39Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 12\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![grex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/2bfe46/32.png) [@grex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grex)\
**Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-in-german/147758/1 "2003-01-10T16:02:39Z")

</div>

Der Ringträger

by Johann Wolfgang Goethe  
Wer reitet so spät durch Mordor und Bree?  
Es ist der Frodo sein Herz tut ihm weh;  
Er hat den Ring wohl in dem Arm,  
Er fasst ihn sicher, er hält ihn warm.  
Mein Frodo, was birgst du so bang dein Gesicht? -  
Siehst Gandalf, du den Sauron nicht?  
Den Finstren mit Kron und Schweif? -  
Mein Frodo, es ist ein Nebelstreif. –  
»Du lieber Hobbit, komm, gib ihn mir!  
Gar schöne Spiele spiel ich mit dir;  
Manch bunte Blumen sind an dem Strand,  
Mein Sauroman hat manch weiß Gewand.«

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\
**Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-in-german/147758/2 "2003-01-10T16:40:57Z")

</div>

_etwas_

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![k61](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3d9bf3/32.png) [@k61](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k61)\
**Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-in-german/147758/3 "2003-01-10T16:47:51Z")

</div>

ich verstehe nicht

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Vinnie\_Virginslayer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/53a042/32.png) [@Vinnie\_Virginslayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vinnie_Virginslayer)\
**Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-in-german/147758/4 "2003-01-10T17:00:24Z")

</div>

Doesn’t SDMB policy state that all posts must be in English? **SCHWEINHUND!** 😃

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\
**Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-in-german/147758/5 "2003-01-10T17:06:54Z")

</div>

Gee. Three replies and no **jarbabyj** yet?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\
**Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-in-german/147758/6 "2003-01-10T18:24:20Z")

</div>

Methinks someone hit New Thread instead of Post Reply in the “LOTR by other authors” thread.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![panamajack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/47e85d/32.png) [@panamajack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panamajack)\
**Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-in-german/147758/7 "2003-01-10T18:28:04Z")

</div>

It’s a (nicely done) parody of a very famous German poem by Goethe, _Der Erlkoenig_ (I mean the title of the poem, not that that was Goethe’s title). The original is a very chilling ballad about a father and son riding in a dark night. (Here’s a page that also has an English translation – [Der Erlkoenig](http://www.moonfairye.com/library/Erlkoenig/erlkoeni.htm))

In the parody, if it’s not eminently clear, the father and son are replaced by Gandalf & Frodo; the king is replaced by Sauron. Had I more time and talent, I’d attempt to continue it.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Suspenderzzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@Suspenderzzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suspenderzzz)\
**Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-in-german/147758/8 "2003-01-10T18:54:46Z")

</div>

“Ach, um Himmel’s Willen!!”  
(my mother when my son asked her if she and my stepfather, after 30 years of marriage, were still “doing it”. Haven’t quite figured out if that was a yes or a no.)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Zweistein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/54ee81/32.png) [@Zweistein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zweistein)\
**Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-in-german/147758/9 "2003-01-10T23:17:16Z")

</div>

not a very good parody of the erlkönig.  
It expresses the mere genius of Goethe.

read and understand,

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 sobang dein Gesicht?« -  
»Siehst, Vater, du den Erlkönig nicht?  
Den Erlenkönig mit Kron und Schweif?«  
»Mein Sohn, es ist ein Nebelstreif.«

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 verspricht?«  
»Sei ruhig, bleibe ruhig, mein Kind:  
In dürren Blättern säuselt der Wind.«  
The wind through dried leaves is rustling so fine."  
\>Willst, feiner Knabe, du mit mir gehn?  
Meine Töchter sollen dich warten schön;  
Meine Töchter führen den nächtlichen Reihn  
Und wiegen und tanzen und singen dich ein.\<  
»Mein Vater, mein Vater, und siehst du nicht dort  
Erlkönigs Töchter am düstern Ort?«  
»Mein Sohn, mein Sohn, ich seh 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.\<  
»Mein Vater, mein Vater, jetzt faßt er mich an!  
Erlkönig hat mir ein Leids getan!«

Dem Vater grauset’s, er reitet geschwind,  
Er hält in Armen das ächzende Kind,  
The gasping child in his arms he caresses;  
In seinen Armen das Kind war tot.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\
**Post date:** [January 11, 2003, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-in-german/147758/10 "2003-01-11T02:37:30Z")

</div>

> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Suspenderzzz \*  
> \*\*“Ach, um Himmel’s Willen!!” \*\*

Neither a yes **nor** a no, **Suspenderzzz** , but a nice evasion/reaction to your question, akin to an “Oh my God!” and a shaking of the head as the person addressed walks away, bemused.

Thanks for the smile. Hadn’t heard that exclamation in some time!  
😃

Quasi

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Lodrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@Lodrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lodrain)\
**Post date:** [January 11, 2003, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-in-german/147758/11 "2003-01-11T05:07:34Z")

</div>

A translation (very liberal, done by none other than me):

The Ring-Bearer

by Johann Wolfgang Goethe

Who rides so late through Mordor and Bree?  
It’s Frodo, and his heart is in pain;  
He has the Ring clasped in his arm;  
It binds him securely, it holds him warm.

My Frodo, what makes you so long in the face?  
Does Gandalf not see Sauron?  
The Dark Ones with crown and train [long, trailing garment]?-  
My Frodo, it’s a battle in the fog. -

»You dear hobbit, come, give it to me!  
I’ll play beautiful games with thee;  
Some beautiful flowers, there on the shore,  
My Saruman, in his white vestement.«

Feel free to critique, since my Germanese is and I could use the help.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![BrightEyes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/2acd7d/32.png) [@BrightEyes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrightEyes)\
**Post date:** [January 11, 2003, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-in-german/147758/12 "2003-01-11T05:15:17Z")

</div>

Ja.