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Die Fürstin zog zu Walde Mit Jägern und Marschalk; Da sah sie reiten balde Ein junger Edelfalk. Er sprach: „Wie klirrt dein Bügel; Wie glänzt Agraff' und Tress'; Wie locker hängt dein Zügel, Holdselige Prinzess! Wie sitzest du zu Pferde So königlich und schlank! Wie weht zur grünen Erde Dein Schleier weiß und lang! Wie nickt dein Hutgefieder Vom flücht'gen, wilden Ritt! Wie zieret deine Glieder Das knappe Jagdhabit! O, könnt' ich deinen Reizen Allzeit ein Diener sein! Den Reiher wollt' ich beizen, Herrin, für dich allein! Ich wollte mit ihm ringen, Dein starkes Federspiel, Bis er, mit blut'gen Schwingen, Zu deinen Füßen fiel'!“ Bezwungen von Verlangen, Duckt er ins Haideland; Er läßt sich willig fangen Von eines Pagen Hand. Der bietet ihn der Holden Dar, mit [gebog'nem]1 Knie; Mit einem Ringe golden Schmückt den Gefangnen sie. Nun muß er sie begleiten; Mit seiner krummen Klau' [Muß er]2 für sie bestreiten Den Reiher, silbergrau. Er trägt eine Lederkappe, Sie nimmt ihn mit aufs Pferd. Burgherr und Edelknappe Hält ihn des Neides werth.
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)Confirmed with Gedichte von Ferdinand Freligrath, Dritte, vermehrte AUflage, Stuttgart und Tübingen, J. G. Cotta'scher Verlag, 1840, pages 85-87.
1 Loewe: "gebogenem"2 Loewe: "Er muß"
Text Authorship:
- by Ferdinand Freiligrath (1810 - 1876), "Der Falk" [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 Carl Loewe (1796 - 1869), "Der Edelfalk", op. 68 no. 2 (1839), published 1839 [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Garrett Medlock) , "The noble falcon", copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Amelia Maria Imbarrato) , "Il girifalco", 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: 40
Word count: 174
The princess traveled toward the woods with hunters and marshals; there she soon saw riding a young noble falcon. He said: “How your stirrup clinks, how [your] brooch and braid shine; how loose your reins hang, sweet, lovely princess! How you sit on horseback, so regal and slim! How your veil flutters to the green Earth white and long! How your hat’s plumage nods from the flying, wild ride! How your tight hunting habit adorns your limbs! Oh, could I always be a servant [to] your charms! I would hunt the heron, Lady, for you alone! I would wrestle with him, your strong falcon, until he, with bloodstained pinions, to your feet fell!” Conquered by desire, he cowers in the heathland; he allows himself to be captured willingly by a page’s hand. He offers him to the lovely one, with bended knee; with a golden ring she adorns the captive. Now he must accompany her with his [hooked] talon; he must challenge for her the heron, silvery gray. He wears a leather hat, she takes him with [her] on her horse. Lords and noble squires hold him worthy of [their] envy.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2019 by Garrett Medlock, (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 Ferdinand Freiligrath (1810 - 1876), "Der Falk"
This text was added to the website: 2019-08-20
Line count: 40
Word count: 191