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Es wohnt [das]1 Mädchen Wunderhold Mitten im Walde; Was da webet und grünt und blüht, Gehorcht ihr balde. Und tritt sie früh aus ihrer Thür Auf leichten Füßen, Flattern die Vögel um sie her, Die blauen Blumen grüßen. Das fleckige Rehlein hält ihr still, Lässet sich streicheln mit Nicken; Sie hat gezähmt den jungen Wolf Mit ihren holdseligen Blicken. Singend über das tauige Moos Schreitet die Holde, Die Morgensonne wirft ihr um Den Mantel von Golde. O wär' ich dann der klare Brunn, Den sie zum Spiegel wählet! Sie lacht hinein mit rotem Mund, Wenn ihr Haar sie strählet. Sie lacht hinein und singt dazu: "O lustig Schweifen! Mein Sinn ist wie der Wind, Wind, Wind, Wer kann ihn greifen! Und wie ein Schrein so ist mein Herz, Nur fester, feiner. Wo liegt der Schlüssel? ich weiß es wohl, Doch find't ihn keiner."
Confirmed with Juniuslieder von Emanuel Geibel, Zehnte Auflage, Stuttgart und Tübingen: J.G. Cotta'scher Verlag, 1854, pages 43-44.
1 Holstein: "ein"; further changes may exist not shown above.Text Authorship:
- by Emanuel von Geibel (1815 - 1884), "Melusine", appears in Juniuslieder, in Lieder [author's text checked 2 times 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 Wilhelm Reinhard Berger (1861 - 1911), "Melusine", op. 16 (Drei Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 3, published 1885 [ soprano and piano ], Bremen, Praeger & Meier [sung text not yet checked]
- by Johannes Hager (1822 - 1898), "Melusine", op. 14 no. 4, published 1857 [ voice and piano ], from Acht Gedichte von Geibel, no. 4, Wien: Spina [sung text not yet checked]
- by Franz von Holstein (1826 - 1878), "Melusine", op. 25 (Sechs Lieder und Romanzen für zwei Frauenstimmen mit Pianoforte) no. 4, published 1892 [ vocal duet for 2 female voices with piano ], Leipzig, Fritzsch [sung text not yet checked]
- by Ferdinand Sieber (1822 - 1895), "Melusine", op. 124 (Fünf heitere Lieder für Mezzo-Sopran mit Pianofortebegleitung) no. 4, published 1881 [ mezzo-soprano and piano ], Magdeburg, Heinrichshofen Verlag [sung text not yet checked]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in English, a translation by Mary Grant Carmichael (1851 - 1935) ; composed by Mary Grant Carmichael.
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Melusine", copyright © 2025, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Mélusine", copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2011-07-23
Line count: 28
Word count: 144
[The]1 maiden Wunderhold lives In the middle of the forest; All that moves and grows green and blooms, Quickly obeys her. And when she steps out of her door in the early morning Upon light feet, The birds flutter about her, The blue flowers greet her. The spotted fawn holds still for her, With nodding, it submits to her stroking; She has tamed the young wolf With her fair glances. Over the dewy moss with singing Strides the lovely one, The morning sun casts about her A mantle of gold. Oh, were I then the clear well That she chooses as her mirror! She laughs into it with her red lips When she combs her hair. She laughs into it and sings the while: "Oh merry rambling! My spirit is like the wind, wind, wind, Who can catch it! And my heart is like a shrine, Only more secure, more fine. Where lies the key? I know it well, But no one shall find it."
1 Holstein: "A"; further changes may exist not shown above.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2025 by Sharon Krebs, (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.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Emanuel von Geibel (1815 - 1884), "Melusine", appears in Juniuslieder, in Lieder
This text was added to the website: 2025-03-09
Line count: 28
Word count: 166