Lord Olaf I | By the church two men are standing

Translation by Alma Strettell (1856 - 1939)

Vor dem Dome stehn zwei Männer

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: FRE

Vor dem Dome stehn zwei Männer,
Tragen beide rote Röcke,
Und der Eine ist der König
Und der Henker ist der Andre.

Und zum Henker spricht der König:
"Am Gesang der Pfaffen merk ich,
Daß vollendet schon die Trauung
Halt bereit dein gutes Richtbeil."

Glockenklang und Orgelrauschen,
Und das Volk strömt aus der Kirche;
Bunter Festzug, in der Mitte
Die geschmückten Neuvermählten.

Leichenblaß und bang und traurig
Schaut die schöne Königstochter;
Keck und heiter schaut Herr Olaf,
Und sein roter Mund, der lächelt.

Und mit lächelnd rotem Munde
Spricht er zu dem finstern König:
"Guten Morgen, Schwiegervater,
Heut ist Dir mein Haupt verfallen.

Sterben soll ich heut - O, laß mich
Nur bis Mitternacht noch leben,
Daß ich meine Hochzeit feire
Mit Bankett und Fackeltänzen.

Laß mich leben, laß mich leben,
Bis geleert der letzte Becher,
Bis der letzte Tanz getanzt ist -
Laß bis Mitternacht mich leben!"

Und zum Henker spricht der König:
"Unserm Eidam sei gefristet
Bis um Mitternacht sein Leben -
Halt bereit dein gutes Richtbeil."

About the headline (FAQ)

Confirmed with Heinrich Heine, Neue Gedichte, Hoffmann und Campe, 1844, page 182

Text Authorship:

by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856), no title, appears in Neue Gedichte, in Romanzen, in 10. Ritter Olaf, no. 1 [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 Sigizmund Mikhailovich Blumenfel'd (1852 - 1920), "Vor dem Dome stehn zwei Männer", op. 9 no. 1, published 1896 [ baritone and piano ], from Ritter Olaf, no. 1, Leipzig, Belaieff [sung text not yet checked]
by Charles Braun (1868 - ?), "Vor dem Dome stehn zwei Männer", op. 2 no. 1, published 188-? [ tenor, bass, chorus, and orchestra ], also set in English [sung text not yet checked]
by Felix (August Bernhard) Draeseke (1835 - 1913), "Vor dem Dome stehn zwei Männer", op. 19 no. 1, published 1882 [ baritone or mezzo-soprano and piano ], from Ritter Olaf, no. 1, Dresden, Hoffarth [sung text not yet checked]
by Don Forsythe (1932 - 2015), "Ritter Olaf I", 2008, published c2008 [ high voice and piano ], from Romanzen, no. 10a [sung text not yet checked]
by Carl Nicola (1797 - 1875), "Vor dem Dome stehn zwei Männer", op. 17 (Ritter Olaf : Ballade von Heine) no. 1 [sung text not yet checked]
by August Ferdinand Riccius (1819 - 1886), "Die Trauung (Vor dem Dome stehn zwei Männer)", op. 4 (Ritter Olaf = Herr Olaf : Ballade in drei Abteilungen von H. Heine) no. 1 [sung text not yet checked]
by Eugen Schmitz (1882 - 1959), "Vor dem Dome stehn zwei Männer", op. 4 (Herr Olaf : Ballade ) no. 1 [sung text not yet checked]

Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:

Also set in English, a translation by Edward Breck (1861 - 1929) and by Francis Prange ; composed by Charles Braun.

Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

ENG English (Alma Strettell) , "Lord Olaf I", appears in Poems Selected from Heinrich Heine, ed. by Kate Freiligrath Kroeker, London: Walter Scott, Limited, pages 215-216, first published 1887
FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Pierre Mathé [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2007-05-10
Line count: 32
Word count: 166

Lord Olaf I

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

By the church two men are standing
Both arrayed in red apparel:
One of them the king -- the other,
See, the other is the headsman.

And to him the king is speaking:
"By the singing I can tell thee
That the wedding soon is over,
Therefore let thine axe be ready."

Bells and organ now are pealing,
From the church the crowd is streaming;
In the midst of the procession,
All adorned, come bride and bridegroom.

Pale as death, and sad and anxious,
Is the fair princess -- yet by her
Walks Lord Olaf, bold and merry,
Proudly his red mouth is smiling.

And he speaks, his red mouth smiling,
To the monarch stern and gloomy:
"Father of my bride, good morrow,
Now to thee my life is forfeit.

"I must die to-day -- but let me,
Only let me live till midnight,
Give me time to keep my wedding,
With the marriage feast and dances.

Let me live, O king, I pray thee,
Till the last cup I have emptied,
Till the last dance shall be ended,
Only let me live till midnight."

To the headsman then the monarch
Turns and speaks: "His prayer be granted,
Let his life be spared till midnight,
Then let thy good axe be ready."

Text Authorship:

by Alma Strettell (1856 - 1939), "Lord Olaf I", appears in Poems Selected from Heinrich Heine, ed. by Kate Freiligrath Kroeker, London: Walter Scott, Limited, pages 215-216, first published 1887 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]

Based on:

a text in German (Deutsch) by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856), no title, appears in Neue Gedichte, in Romanzen, in 10. Ritter Olaf, no. 1
- Go to the text page.

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

[ None yet in the database ]

Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2012-12-15
Line count: 32
Word count: 209