To-Morrow’s Dawn
Sir Olaf he rideth west and east
To bid the folk to his bridal feast.
On the wold are dancing an elvish band,
And Erl-king’s daughter proffers her hand.
“Now welcome, Sir Olaf: what haste’s with thee ?
Step into our circle and dance with me.”
“To dance I neither will nor may,
To-morrow’s dawn is my bridal-day.”
Nay, stay, Sir Olaf, and dance with me,
And golden spurs will I give to thee.”
“To dance I neither will nor may,
To-morrow’s dawn is my bridal-day.”
“Nay, stay, Sir Olaf, and dance with me,
A heap of gold will I give to thee.”
“For all thy gold I will not stay,
And dance I neither will nor may.”
“Say that I hunt in the good greenwood,
With hound and horse as a good knight should.”
When scarce the dawn in heaven shone red,
Came the train with the bride Sir Olaf should wed.
They sat at meat, they sat at wine;
“Now where is Sir Olaf, bridegroom of mine ?”
“Sir Olaf rode out to the greenwood free,
With horse and hound to the hunt rode he.”
The bride she lifted a cloth of red:
Beneath, Sir Olaf was lying dead.
Johann Gottfried Herder : Sir Olaf
