Es ritt ein Ritter
Language: German (Deutsch)
Our translations: CAT DUT ENG FRE ITA
Es ritt ein Ritter wohl durch das Ried,
er fing es an ein neues Lied,
gar schöne tät er singen,
daß Berg und Tal erklingen.
Das hört des Königs sein Töchterlein,
in ihres Vaters Lustkämmerlein,
sie flocht ihr Haar in Seiden,
mit dem Ritter wollt sie reiten.
Und da sie in den Wald raus kam'n,
viel heiße Träne sie fallenließ.
Er schaut ihr wohl unter die Augen,
warum weinet ihr, schöne Jungfraue?
Warum sollt ich nicht weinen,
ich bin ja des Königs sein Töchterlein;
hätt ich meinem Vater gefolget,
Frau Kaiserin wär ich worden.
Er nahm sein Rößlein wohl bei dem Zaum
und band es an einen Weidenbaum,
hier steh mein Rößlein und trinke,
mein jungfrische Herze muß sinken.
Text Authorship:
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Johannes Brahms (1833 - 1897), "Es ritt ein Ritter", WoO. 32 no. 24 (1858), published 1926 [ voice and piano ], from Deutsche Volkslieder, no. 24, Leipzig, Breitkopf & Härtel [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Johannes Brahms (1833 - 1897), "Es ritt ein Ritter", WoO. 33 no. 10, published [1894], from Deutsche Volkslieder, no. 10, Berlin, N. Simrock [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Un cavaller cavalcava", copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Er reed een ridder al door het riet", copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Laura Prichard) , "A knight rode straight", copyright © 2023, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Un chevalier chevauchait dans le marais", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "Un cavaliere andava a cavallo", copyright © 2012, (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: 20
Word count: 119
A knight rode straight
Language: English after the German (Deutsch)
A knight rode straight through the reeds,
he began to sing a new song,
completely beautiful ones, he sang,
so that the mountain and valley resounded.
This was heard by the young daughter of the king,
deep inside her father's armory chamber,
she wove silk into her hair,
with the knight, she hoped to ride away.
And when they, in the forest, met together,
many hot tears were shed by er.
He looked deeply into her eyes, [asking]
“Why do you cry, beautiful maiden?"
“Why shouldn’t I cry?
I’m the king’s younger daughter;
had I followed my father’s wishes,
the next Empress would I be."
He took his mount by the bridle
and tied it to a willow tree,
“Here stands my steed and drinks;
my youthful heart is broken.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2023 by Laura Prichard, (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:
This text was added to the website: 2023-10-08
Line count: 20
Word count: 130