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Ich fürcht nit Gespenster, Keine Hexen und Feen, Und lieb's, in ihre tiefen Glühaugen zu sehn. Im Wald in dem grünen Unheimlichen See, Da wohnet ein Nachtweib, Das ist weiß wie der Schnee. Es haßt meiner Schönheit Unschuldige Zier; Wenn ich spät noch vorbeigeh, So zankt es mit mir. Jüngst, als ich im Mondschein Am Waldwasser stand, Fuhr sie auf ohne Schleier, Ohne alles Gewand. Es schwammen ihre Glieder In der taghellen Nacht; Der Himmel war trunken Von der höllischen Pracht. Aber ich hab entblößt Meine lebendige Brust; Da hat sie mit Schande Versinken gemußt!
Authorship
- by Gottfried Keller (1819 - 1890), "Ich fürcht nit Gespenster", appears in Neuere Gedichte, in Vermischte Gedichte, in Alte Weisen, no. 4 [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 Fritz Kögel , "Ich fürcht nit Gespenster", op. 7 (Sechs Gedichte von Gottfried Keller für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 4, published 1895 [ voice and piano ], Berlin, Ries & Erler [sung text not yet checked]
- by Arnold Mendelssohn (1855 - 1933), "Ich fürcht nit Gespenster", published 1900 [ voice and piano ], from Lieder und Gesänge, no. 27, Berlin, Ries & Erler [sung text not yet checked]
- by Hans Erich Pfitzner (1869 - 1949), "Ich fürcht' nit Gespenster", op. 33 no. 2 (1923), from Alte Weisen, no. 2 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Hermann Reutter (1900 - 1985), "Ich fürcht' nit Gespenster", op. 59 (Neun Lieder und Gesänge nach Gedichten von Gottfried Keller) no. 5 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Richard Schweizer (1868 - 1906), "Ich fürcht' nit Gespenster", op. 22 no. 8, from Alte Weisen, no. 8 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Christian Sinding (1856 - 1941), "Ich fürcht' nit Gespenster", op. 1 no. 3 (1885), published 1890 [ high voice and piano ], from Alte Weisen - Sechs Lieder, no. 3 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Felix Paul Weingartner (1863 - 1942), "Ich fürcht' nit Gespenster", op. 22 (Zwölf Gedichte von Gottfried Keller für 1 Singstimme mit Pianofortebegleitung) no. 3, published 1896 [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "I fear no ghosts", copyright ©
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Je ne crains pas les fantômes", 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: 24
Word count: 95
I fear no ghosts, no witches, no fairies - and love, in their deep glowing eyes to gaze. By the forest in the green eerie lake, there lives a night-witch who is as white as snow. She hates my beauty's innocent trappings; when I go past late at night, so she scolds me. Earlier, when in the moonlight I stood at the forest lake, she rose up without her veil, without all her robes. Her limbs were bathed in the day-bright night; heaven was drunk with hellish splendor. But I uncovered my living breast; and then, with shame, she had to sink!
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 -- https://www.lieder.net/For any other purpose, please write to the e-mail address below to request permission and discuss possible fees.
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Gottfried Keller (1819 - 1890), "Ich fürcht nit Gespenster", appears in Neuere Gedichte, in Vermischte Gedichte, in Alte Weisen, no. 4
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 24
Word count: 103