A simple ring with a single stone, To the vulgar eye no stone of price: Whisper the right word, that alone -- Forth starts a sprite, like fire from ice, And lo, you are lord (says an Eastern scroll) Of heaven and earth, lord whole and sole Through the power in a pearl. A woman ('tis I this time that say) With little the world counts worthy praise Utter the true word -- out and away Escapes her soul: I am wrapt in blaze, Creation's lord, of heaven and earth Lord whole and sole -- by a minute's birth -- Through the love in a girl!
About the headline (FAQ)
Authorship:
- by Robert Browning (1812 - 1889), "A pearl, a girl", appears in Asolando: Fancies and Facts, first published 1889 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Granville Ransome Bantock, Sir (1868 - 1946), "A pearl, a girl", 1920, published 1921 [ voice and piano ], from Dramatic Lyrics Set II, no. 3 [sung text not yet checked]
- by George Waring Stebbins (1869 - 1930), "The heart of a pearl" [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- GER German (Deutsch) (Richard Flatter) , "Zauberkraft", appears in Die Fähre, Englische Lyrik aus fünf Jahrhunderten, first published 1936
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2009-02-26
Line count: 14
Word count: 102
Ein simpler Ring, ein einfacher Stein, Fürs Aug des Volks kein Stein von Wert – Flüstre das Wort, das eine allein: Aufspringt ein Geist, wie der Blitz herfährt, Und Herr bist du – so sagt eine Mär – Über Erde, Welt, nach Herzens Begehr – Durch den Zauber, den dir der Stein beschert. Ein Mädchen – diesmal bin ich´s, der es sagt – Kein Mensch bisher hat mit ihr geprahlt – Sag es, das Wort! Und aufgejagt Regt sie die Seele: ich steh umstrahlt, Der Herr der Schöpfung, des Himmels, der Welt, Hoch über alle und alles gestellt – Durch die Liebe, die eine Frau gewährt.
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Confirmed with Die Fähre, Englische Lyrik aus fünf Jahrhunderten Übersetzt von Richard Flatter, Walter Krieg Verlag, Wien-Bad Bocklet-Zürich, 1954, 2nd edition (1st edition 1936), page 173.
Authorship:
- by Richard Flatter (1891 - 1960), "Zauberkraft", appears in Die Fähre, Englische Lyrik aus fünf Jahrhunderten, first published 1936 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in English by Robert Browning (1812 - 1889), "A pearl, a girl", appears in Asolando: Fancies and Facts, first published 1889
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- [ None yet in the database ]
Researcher for this page: Volkmar Henschel
This text was added to the website: 2021-02-25
Line count: 14
Word count: 106