I know a cosy little spot
Deep in the beechwood forest,
There I recently found my darling
Who was sleeping softly in the greenery.

Her lovely little head lay
Upon a soft pillow of moss,
Through the foliage, like golden rain,
Poured the shimmer of the sun.

And sparkling lights played
About her elf-like form,
And rustling breezes blew coolly,
And the woods soughed dreamily.

Her cheeks quite glowed in sleep,
Her breath came and went so fervently
And whispering words sounded
Quietly from her lips.

I knelt down to eavesdrop
Upon the oracle of love in her dream,
How the soughing round about disturbed me!
I hardly dared to breathe.

A cuckoo called loudly,
So treacherously loudly in the bush.
My darling started up quickly
And was gone in a moment.

A water-spring flowed in the forest,
It was a dark spot,
There we soon met
And exchanged glances and words.

I hung upon her lips,
The cuckoo called in the foliage --
But at that hour we
Were deaf to all calls. --