Guten Nacht
I'll be dead before dawn
Kind, mein Sohn
I'll be dead before dawn
And though your eyes appear wry and withdrawn
I'll be dead before dawn
I'll be dead before dawn
Father! Father! I fear for the night
When the Erl King comes to collect us
Father! Father! I fear for my soul as you should
Father! Father! Make sense of the right
Let's turn back our horse
And flee from this unsightly terror
That is trembling through these woods
My son, you must be pacified
These scenes of dreams are only imagination
My son, you must be satisfied
I'll keep you safe from fancy apparitions
My dear young one with eyes so wild
Be still my son, you waggish child
I'll hold your head and keep you warm
There's nothing here to harm you
Child, you're beautiful
Come lie with the Erl King
Child, you're beautiful
Come quiet, come willing
The gifts I could give to you--
The wind and the wild river spring
Child, you're beautiful
Come quiet, come willing
Father! Father, can you hear his cries?
When the Erl King comes to collect us?
Father! Father! I fear for my soul
As you should
Father! Father! Make sense of the right
Let's turn back our horse
And flee from this unsightly terror
That is trembling through these woods
My dear young one, I hear it clear
A hooing owl burrows near
No Tophet trolls or urchin fears
There's nothing here to harm you
Child, you're beautiful
Come lie with the Erl King
Child, you're beautiful
Come quiet, come willing
The gifts I could give to you--
The wind and the wild river spring
Child, you're beautiful
Come quiet, come willing
Father gallops frantically
Trembling with dread
For when he reached the weeping hearth
The child was dead
