Attention! Some of this material is not in the public domain.
It is illegal to copy and distribute our copyright-protected material without permission. It is also illegal to reprint copyright texts or translations without the name of the author or translator.
To inquire about permissions and rates, contact Emily Ezust at licenses@email.lieder.example.net
If you wish to reprint translations, please make sure you include the names of the translators in your email. They are below each translation.
Note: You must use the copyright symbol © when you reprint copyright-protected material.
Willst du nicht das Lämmlein hüten? Lämmlein ist so fromm und sanft, Nährt sich von des Grases Blüthen, Spielend an des Baches Ranft? »Mutter, Mutter, laß mich [gehen]1, Jagen nach des Berges [Höhen]2!« Willst du nicht die Heerde locken Mit des Hornes munterm Klang? Lieblich tönt der Schall der Glocken In des Waldes Lustgesang. »Mutter, Mutter, laß mich [gehen]1, Schweifen auf den wilden [Höhen]2!« Willst du nicht der Blümlein warten, Die im Beete freundlich stehn? Draußen ladet dich kein Garten, Wild ist's auf den wilden Höh'n! »Laß die Blümlein, laß sie [blühen]3, Mutter, Mutter, laß mich [ziehen]4!« Und der Knabe ging zu jagen, Und es treibt und reißt ihn fort, Rastlos fort mit blindem Wagen An des Berges finstern Ort, Vor ihm her mit Windesschnelle Flieht die zitternde Gazelle. Auf der Felsen nackte Rippen Klettert sie mich leichtem Schwung, Durch den Riß [geborstner]5 Klippen Trägt sie der gewagte Sprung, Aber hinter ihr verwogen Folgt er mit dem Todesbogen. Jetzo auf den schroffen Zinken Hängt sie, auf dem höchsten Grat, Wo die Felsen jäh versinken, Und verschwunden ist der Pfad. Unter sich die steile Höhe, Hinter sich des Feindes Nähe. Mit des Jammers stummen Blicken Fleht sie zu dem harten Mann, Fleht umsonst, denn loszudrücken, Legt er schon den Bogen an. Plötzlich aus der Felsenspalte Tritt der Geist, der Bergesalte. Und mit seinen Götterhänden Schützt er das gequälte Thier. »Mußt du Tod und Jammer senden,« Ruft er, »bis herauf zu mir? Raum für alle hat die Erde, Was verfolgst du meine Heerde?«
Confirmed with Gedichte von Friederich Schiller, Zweiter Theil, Zweite, verbesserte und vermehrte Auflage, Leipzig, 1805, bei Siegfried Lebrecht Crusius, pages 335-337.
First published in a slightly different version in Becker's Taschenbuch zum geselligen Vergnügen 1805, see below.
1 Proch: "geh'n"2 Proch: "Höh'n"
3 Proch: "blüh'n"
4 Proch: "zieh'n"
5 Schubert (Alte Gesamtausgabe), and Schiller (Becker's Taschenbuch): "gespaltner"
Authorship:
- by Friedrich von Schiller (1759 - 1805), "Der Alpenjäger", written 1804, first published 1804 [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 Heinrich Proch (1809 - 1878), "Der Alpenjäger", op. 13, published 1836 [ voice and piano ], Wien, Diabelli und Co. [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Johann Friedrich Reichardt (1752 - 1814), "Der Alpenjäger", published 1809? [sung text not yet checked]
- by Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828), "Der Alpenjäger", op. 37 (Zwei Lieder) no. 2, D 588 (1817), published 1825, first performed 1825 [ voice, piano ], Cappi & Co., VN 71, Wien [sung text checked 1 time]
Another version of this text exists in the database.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "El caçador dels Alps", copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "De Alpenjager", copyright © 2007, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "The alpine hunter", copyright ©
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Le chasseur des Alpes", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Amelia Maria Imbarrato) , "Il cacciatore in montagna", copyright © 2005, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Richard Morris , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor] , Johann Winkler
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 48
Word count: 251
Will you not watch the little lamb? - the little lamb is so innocent and tender, feeding on the blossoming grasses, playing by the edge of the brook. "Mother, mother, let me go, to hunt in the mountain heights!" Will you not summon the herd with the horn's cheerful notes? Sweetly do the bells toll in the wood's hearty song. "Mother, mother, let me go, to wander on the wild heights!" Will you not tend the little flowers, standing with such friendliness in their beds? Out there welcomes no such garden; it is wild on the wild heights! "Leave the little flowers - let them bloom! Mother, mother, let me leave!" And the boy left to hunt, driven and yanked forward, restless with blind daring, to the mountain's dark place: ahead of him with the speed of wind flees the trembling gazelle. On the cliff's naked ribs she climbs with an easy leap, through the gaps of split rocks does her daring spring take her, but behind her, audacious, he follows with his deadly bow. Now, to the precipitous teeth does she cling, on the highest ridge, where the cliffs drop sheer below and the path disappears. Beneath her the steep drop; behind her the approaching foe. With a mute expression of despair she entreats the cruel man, but she pleads in vain, for he is about to fire: he is already aiming his bow. Suddenly from a rocky cleft steps the Spirit of the Mountain. And with his divine hands he protects the tormented creature. "Must you send death and anguish," he calls, "Even up here to me? The earth has room for all - why do you persecute my herd?"
Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Emily Ezust
Emily Ezust permits her translations to be reproduced without prior permission for printed (not online) programs to free-admission concerts only, provided the following credit is given:
Translation copyright © by Emily Ezust,
from the LiederNet Archive -- https://www.lieder.net/For any other purpose, please write to the e-mail address below to request permission and discuss possible fees.
licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Friedrich von Schiller (1759 - 1805), "Der Alpenjäger", written 1804, first published 1804
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 48
Word count: 283