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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.

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by Aloys Wilhelm Schreiber (1761 - 1841)
Translation © by Emily Ezust

Meister Oluf, der Schmied auf Helgoland
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  CAT ENG ITA
Meister Oluf, der Schmied auf Helgoland, 
Verläßt den Amboß um Mitternacht.
Es heulet der Wind am Meeresstrand,
Da pocht es an seiner Türe mit Macht:

"Heraus, heraus, beschlag' mir mein Roß,
Ich muß noch weit, und der der Tag ist nah!"
Meister Oluf öffnet der Türe Schloß,
Und ein stattlicher Reiter steht vor ihm da.

Schwarz ist sein Panzer, sein Helm und Schild;
An der Hüfte hängt ihm ein breites Schwert.
Sein Rappe schüttelt die Mähne gar wild 
Und stampft mit Ungeduld die Erd'!

"Woher so spät? Wohin so schnell?"
"In Norderney kehrt' ich gestern ein.
Mein Pferd ist rasch, die Nacht is hell,
Vor der Sonne muß ich in Norwegen sein!"

"Hättet Ihr Flügel, so glaubt' ich's gern!"
"Mein Rappe, der läuft wohl mit dem Wind.
Doch bleichet schon da und dort ein Stern,
Drum her mit dem Eisen und mach' geschwind!"

Meister Oluf nimmt das Eisen zur Hand,
Es ist zu klein, da dehnt es sich aus.
Und wie es wächst um des Hufes Rand,
Da ergreifen den Meister Bang' und Graus.

Der Reiter sitzt auf, es klirrt sein Schwert:
"Nun, Meister Oluf, gute Nacht!
Wohl hast du beschlagen Odin's Pferd';
Ich eile hinüber zur blutigen Schlacht."

Der Rappe schießt fort über Land und Meer,
Um Odin's Haupt erglänzet ein Licht.
Zwölf Adler fliegen hinter ihm her;
Sie fliegen schnell, und erreichen ihn nicht.

About the headline (FAQ)

Text Authorship:

  • by Aloys Wilhelm Schreiber (1761 - 1841) [author's text not yet checked 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 Michael Brough (b. 1960), "Odins Meersritt", op. 8 (Elf Lieder) no. 8 (1995-6) [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
  • by Carl Loewe (1796 - 1869), "Odins Meeres-Ritt", subtitle: "Der Schmied auf Helgoland", op. 118 (1851) [sung text checked 1 time]

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

  • CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "Odin's sea-ride", copyright ©
  • ITA Italian (Italiano) (Amelia Maria Imbarrato) , "La cavalcata di Odino", copyright © 2006, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 32
Word count: 226

Odin's sea‑ride
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch) 
 Master Oluf, the smith of Helgoland,
 leaves his anvil in the middle of the night.
 The wind is howling at the seashore,
 and there is a powerful knocking at his door:
 
 "Come out, come out, shoe my steed,
 I have far to go and day is near!"
 Master Oluf unlocks the door
 and an impressive rider stands before him.
 
 Black is his armor, helmet and shield;
 and at his hip hangs a broadsword.
 His black steed tosses its mane wildly
 and stamps the earth with impatience!
 
 "Where do you go so late? Why so fast?"
 "In Norderney I stayed yesterday.
 My horse is swift, the night is bright,
 and I must be in Norway before the sun!"
 
 "If you had wings, then I'd gladly believe it!"
 "My black steed runs like the wind.
 But the stars are growing pale,
 so come with the shoe and make it quick!"
 
 Master Oluf takes the shoe in his hand,
 and it is too small, but it begins to grow.
 And as it grows into the hoof,
 he is seized by fear and dread.
 
 The rider mounts and his sword clanks:
 "Now, Master Oluf, good night!
 Well have you shoed Odin's steed;
 I hurry now to bloody battle."
 
 The black steed darts forth over land and sea,
 and around Odin's head light glows.
 Twelve eagles fly behind him,
 and they fly swiftly, but do not reach him.

Text 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

    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 Aloys Wilhelm Schreiber (1761 - 1841)
    • Go to the text page.

 

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 32
Word count: 234

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This website began in 1995 as a personal project by Emily Ezust, who has been working on it full-time without a salary since 2008. Our research has never had any government or institutional funding, so if you found the information here useful, please consider making a donation. Your help is greatly appreciated!
–Emily Ezust, Founder

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