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Wie treiben die Wolken so finster und schwer [Dort]1 über die liebliche Leuchte daher! Wie rasseln die Tropfen auf Fenster und Dach! Wie treibet's da draußen so wütig und jach, Als trieben sich Geister in Schlachten! Und Wunder! Wie plötzlich die Kämpfenden ruhn, Als bannten [itzt]2 Gräber ihr Treiben und Thun! Und über die Haide, und über den Wald - Wie weht es [herüber so öde,]3 so kalt! So schaurig vom schimmernden Felsen! O Edgar! wo schwirret dein Bogengeschoß? Wo flattert dein Haarbusch? wo tummelt dein Roß? Wo schnauben die schwärzlichen Doggen um dich? Wo spähst du am Felsen [der]4 Beute für mich? Dein harret das liebende Mädchen! Dein harret, o Jüngling! [in jeglichem]5 Laut, Dein harret so schmachtend die zagende Braut; Es dünkt ihr zerrissen das liebliche Band, Es dünkt ihr so blutig [dein]6 Jägergewand - Wohl minnen die Todten uns nimmer! Noch hallet den moosigen Hügel entlang Wie Harfengelispel [der]7 Minnegesang. Was frommt es? Schon blinken die Sterne der Nacht Hinunter zum Bette von Erde gemacht, Wo eisern die Minnenden schlafen! So klagt sie; und leise tappt's draußen umher, Es winselt so innig, so schaudernd und schwer; Es [greift]8 sie Entsetzen, sie wanket zur Thür, Bald schmiegt sich die schönste der Doggen vor ihr, Der Liebling des harrenden Mädchens; Nicht, wie sie noch gestern mit kosendem Drang, Ein Bote des Lieben, zum Busen ihr sprang - Kaum hebt sie vom Boden den trauernden Blick, Schleicht [wieder]9 zum Pförtchen, und kehret zurück, Die schreckliche Kunde zu deuten. Minona folgt schweigend mit bleichem Gesicht, Als ruft es die Arme vor's hohe Gericht - Es leuchtet so düster der nächtliche Strahl - Sie folgt ihr durch Moore, durch Haiden und Thal Zum Fuße des schimmernden Felsen. »Wo weilet, o schimmernder Felsen, der Tod? Wo schlummert der Schläfer, [von]10 Blute so roth?« Wohl war es zerrissen das liebliche Band, Wohl hatt' ihm, geschleudert von tückischer Hand, Ein Mordpfeil den Busen durchschnitten. Und als sie nun nahet mit ängstlichem Schrei, Gewahrt sie den Bogen des Vaters dabei. »O Vater, o Vater, verzeih es dir Gott! Wohl hast du mir heute mit frevelndem Spott So schrecklich den Dräuschwur erfüllet! Doch soll ich zermalmet von hinnen [itzt]2 gehn? Er schläft ja so lockend, so wonnig [und]11 schön! Geknüpft ist [nun]12 ewig das eherne Band; Und Geister der Väter im Nebelgewand Ergreifen die [silberne Harfe]13.« Und plötzlich entreißt sie mit sehnender Eil Der Wunde des Lieben den tödenden Pfeil; [Sie]14 stößt ihn, ergriffen von [Freuden und]15 Weh, Mit Hast in den Busen, so blendend als Schnee, Und [sinket]16 am schimmernden Felsen.
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)Confirmed with Taschenbuch zum geselligen Vergnügen, Achtzehnter Jahrgang 1808. Herausgegeben von W.G.Becker. Leipzig in der Niemannschen Buchhandlung, pages 228-230.
1 omitted by Schubert2 Schubert: "jetzt"
3 Schubert: "so öde, wie weht es"
4 omitted by Schubert
5 Schubert: "im jeglichen"
6 Schubert: "das"
7 Schubert: "ihr"
8 Schubert: "faßt"
9 Schubert: "nieder"
10 Schubert: "vom"
11 Schubert: ", so"
12 Schubert: "auf"
13 Schubert: "silbernen Harfen"
14 Schubert: "Und"
15 Schubert: "innigem"
16 Schubert: "sinkt"
Authorship:
- by Friedrich Anton Franz Bertrand (1757 - 1830), "Minona oder die Kunde der Dogge", written 1806, first published 1808 [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 Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828), "Minona", D 152 (1815), published 1894 [ voice, piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Minona o el missatge de l’alà", copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Minona ofwel De boodschap van de dog", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Malcolm Wren) , "Minona or the mastiff's message", copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Minona ou le message du dogue", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Richard Morris , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 60
Word count: 425
The clouds are hurrying by, so dark and heavy, Obstructing the beloved lamp! The raindrops are rattling against the window and the door! How furiously it is coming down out there, As if spirits were hurrying into battle! What a miracle! How suddenly the combatants calm down, As if ordered by the graves to stop what they were doing! Across both the heath and the forest - How barren and cold are the breezes! The cliffs are gleaming - so gruesome! Oh Edgar! Where is your bow-shot whirring? Where is the bush of your hair fluttering? Where is your horse romping? Where are your blackish mastiffs sniffing around you? Whereabouts on the rocks are you sniffing out game for me? This loving girl is waiting for you! Waiting for you, young man! With each sound, The apprehensive bride is waiting for you so anxiously; It seems to her that the tie of love has been broken, It seems to her that your hunting outfit is covered in blood- For the dead can never love us! Across the mossy hill you can still hear the echo Of their love song, like the lisping of a harp. To what end? The night stars are already looking Down onto their bed made of earth, Where the lovers are fast asleep! This is her lament: something is moving about gently outside, There is such a restrained whimpering, so awful, you shudder to think of it; It grips her with horror, she staggers to the door, The most beautiful of the mastiffs immediately snuggles up to her, This is the waiting girl's favourite; It was not like yesterday, when, with affectionate pressure, It jumped to her breast as a messenger of love - It can barely raise its sorrowful eyes from the floor, It creeps towards the door and then returns, In order to suggest the terrible tidings. Minona follows in silence with a pale face, As if the poor girl had been called before the High Court - The lights of night-time shine so gloomily - She follows the dog through bogs, heaths and valleys And comes to the foot of the shimmering rocks. "Oh shimmering cliffs, where does death dwell? Where is the sleeper slumbering, still red with blood?" The loving tie had indeed been broken; It was true that a spiteful hand had slung A murderous arrow and pierced his breast. And as she now approaches with an anxious cry, She becomes aware of her father's bow lying there. "Oh father, oh father, may God forgive you! Today, with sinful mockery, you have indeed Carried out the terrible threatening oath against me!" But , crushed as I now am, do I have to go away from here? He is so appealing in his sleep, so happy, so beautiful! The iron hoop has been sealed for ever; And, clothed in mist, the spirits of our ancestors Reach for their silver harps." And suddenly, with a longing hurry, she Snatches the deadly arrow from her lover's wound; And, seized with inner torment, she drives it With great haste into her breast, as dazzling as snow, And sinks onto the shimmering rocks.
Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2016 by Malcolm Wren, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
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Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Friedrich Anton Franz Bertrand (1757 - 1830), "Minona oder die Kunde der Dogge", written 1806, first published 1808
This text was added to the website: 2016-09-11
Line count: 60
Word count: 527