Body: Peacock Herl
Hackle: Brown or Black
Wing: Brown Mottled
Turkey
Head: Black
I had also collected information related to the Erlkonig, partially
overlapping some of the ones that were mentioned in the Pale Fire Notes
& references:found in the internet. As the one below:
Selected German
Verse by J.W. Goethe - Erlkönig/Erlking (1782) von Johann Wolfgang von
Goethe
In German and Scandinavian mythology, an “Erlkönig” is an evil spirit
that lurks about to threaten humans, especially children. It has often been
claimed that Goethe's term Erlkönig is a German mistranslation of the Danish
“ellerkonge” or “elverkonge” or “king of the elves,” but in fact this may not be
the case. In an interesting German article on the topic, Burkhard Schröder
claims that Goethe knew exactly what he was doing, and the term Erlkönig can be
traced back to an ancient Greek goddess of death (Todesgöttin) known as Alphito,
who became a female Erlkönigin as she moved north, and even the biblical Lilith.
(For more, see German Myth 9 in our Misnomers, Myths, and Misconceptions
section.)
Wer reitet so spät durch Nacht und Wind? Who
rides so late through the night and wind?
Es ist der Vater mit seinem
Kind;
It's the father with his child;
Er hat den Knaben wohl in dem
Arm, He has the boy safe in his
arm,
Er faßt ihn sicher, er hält ihn
warm. He
holds him secure, he holds him warm.
«Mein Sohn, was birgst
du so bang dein
Gesicht?»
–“My son, what makes you hide your face in fear?” –
Siehst,
Vater, du den Erlkönig
nicht?
Father, don't you see the Erlking?
Den Erlenkönig mit Kron und
Schweif?
–The Erlking with crown and flowing robe? –
«Mein Sohn, es ist ein
Nebelstreif.»
–“My son, it's a wisp of fog.” –
«Du liebes Kind,
komm, geh mit
mir!
“You dear child, come along with me!
Gar schöne Spiele spiel' ich mit
dir;
Such lovely games I'll play with you;
Manch bunte Blumen sind an dem
Strand,
Many colorful flowers are at the shore,
Meine Mutter hat manch
gülden
Gewand.»
My mother has many a golden garment.”
Mein Vater, mein
Vater, und hörest du
nicht,
My father, my father, and do you not hear
Was Erlenkönig mir leise
verspricht?
–What the Erlking promises me so softly? –
«Sei ruhig, bleibe ruhig,
mein
Kind;
“Be quiet, stay quiet, my child;
In dürren Blättern säuselt der
Wind.» –In
the dry leaves the wind is rustling.” –
«Willst, feiner
Knabe, du mit mir
gehn?
“Won't you come along with me, my fine boy?
Meine Töchter sollen dich
warten
schön;
My daughters shall attend to you so nicely.
Meine Töchter führen den
nächtlichen
Reihn,
My daughters do their nightly dance,
Und wiegen und tanzen und
singen dich
ein.»
And they'll rock you and dance you and sing you to sleep.”
Mein Vater, mein Vater, und siehst du nicht
dort
My father, my father, and do you not see over there
Erlkönigs
Töchter am düstern
Ort?
–Erlking's daughters in that dark place? –
«Mein Sohn, mein Sohn,
ich seh es
genau:
“My son, my son, I see it most definitely:
Es scheinen die alten
Weiden so
grau.»
It's the willow trees looking so grey.”
«Ich liebe dich,
mich reizt deine schöne
Gestalt;
“I love you; I'm charmed by your beautiful form;
Und bist du nicht
willig, so brauch ich
Gewalt.»
And if you're not willing, then I'll use force.”
Mein Vater, mein
Vater, jetzt faßt er mich
an!
My father, my father, now he's grabbing hold of me!
Erlkönig hat mir
ein Leids
getan!
–Erlking has done me harm! –
Dem Vater grausets, er
reitet
geschwind,
The father shudders, he rides swiftly,
Er hält in Armen das ächzende
Kind,
He holds in (his) arms the moaning child.
Erreicht den Hof mit Mühe
und
Not;
He reaches the farmhouse with effort and urgency.
In seinen Armen
das Kind war
tot.
In his arms the child was dead. (Translation by Hyde Flippo)