[German Lyrics]
Wer reitet so spät durch Nacht und Wind?
Es ist der Vater mit seinem Kind;
Er hat den Knaben wohl in dem Arm
Er faßt ihn sicher, er hält ihn warm

Mein Sohn, was birgst du so bang dein Gesicht? –
Siehst, Vater, du den Erlkönig nicht?
Den Erlenkönig mit Kron' und Schweif? –
Mein Sohn, es ist ein Nebelstreif

"Du liebes Kind, komm, geh mit mir!
Gar schöne Spiele spiel' ich mit dir;
Manch' bunte Blumen sind an dem Strand
Meine Mutter hat manch gülden Gewand." –

Mein Vater, mein Vater, und hörest du nicht
Was Erlenkönig mir leise verspricht? –
Sei ruhig, bleibe ruhig, mein Kind;
In dürren Blättern säuselt der Wind. –

"Willst, feiner Knabe, du mit mir gehn?
Meine Töchter sollen dich warten schön;
Meine Töchter führen den nächtlichen Reihn
Und wiegen und tanzen und singen dich ein." –
Mein Vater, mein Vater, und siehst du nicht dort
Erlkönigs Töchter am düstern Ort? –
Mein Sohn, mein Sohn, ich seh' es genau:
Es scheinen die alten Weiden so grau. –

"Ich liebe dich, mich reizt deine schöne Gestalt;
Und bist du nicht willig, so brauch' ich Gewalt." –
Mein Vater, mein Vater, jetzt faßt er mich an!
Erlkönig hat mir ein Leids getan! –

Dem Vater grauset's; er reitet geschwind
Er hält in Armen das ächzende Kind
Erreicht den Hof mit Mühe und Not;
In seinen Armen das Kind war tot


[English Translation]
Who rides, so late, through night and wind?
It is the father with his child
He has the boy well in his arm
He holds him safely, he keeps him warm

My son, why do you hide your face in fear? –
Father, do you not see the Elf-king?
The Elf-king with crown and cape? –
My son, it is a streak of fog. –
"You dear child, come, go with me!
(Very) beautiful games I play with you;
Many colorful flowers are on the beach
My mother has many a golden robe." –

My father, my father, and do you not hear
What the Elf-king quietly promises me? –
Be calm, stay calm, my child;
Through dry leaves the wind is sighing. –

"Do you, fine boy, want to go with me?
My daughters shall wait on you finely;
My daughters lead the nightly dance
And rock and dance and sing to bring you in." –

My father, my father, and don't you see there
The Elf-king's daughters in the gloomy place? –
My son, my son, I see it clearly:
There shimmer the old willows so grey. –

"I love you, your beautiful form excites me;
And if you're not willing, then I will use force." –
My father, my father, he's touching me now!
The Elf-king has done me harm! –

It horrifies the father; he swiftly rides on
He holds the moaning child in his arms
Reaches the farm with great difficulty;
In his arms, the child was dead

[Edgar Alfred Bowring's Translation]
Who rides there so late through the night dark and drear?
The father it is, with his infant so dear;
He holdeth the boy tightly clasp'd in his arm
He holdeth him safely, he keepeth him warm

My son, wherefore seek'st thou thy face thus to hide? –
Look, father, the Erl-King is close by our side!
Dost see not the Erl-King, with crown and with train? –
My son, 'tis the mist rising over the plain. –

"Oh, come, thou dear infant! oh come thou with me!
For many a game I will play there with thee;
On my strand, lovely flowers their blossoms unfold
My mother shall grace thee with garments of gold." –

My father, my father, and dost thou not hear
The words that the Erl-King now breathes in mine ear? –
Be calm, dearest child, 'tis thy fancy deceives;
'Tis the sad wind that sighs through the withering leaves. –

"Wilt go, then, dear infant, wilt go with me there?
My daughters shall tend thee with sisterly care;
My daughters by night their glad festival keep
They'll dance thee, and rock thee, and sing thee to sleep." –

My father, my father, and dost thou not see
How the Erl-King his daughters has brought here for me? –
My darling, my darling, I see it aright
'Tis the aged grey willows deceiving thy sight. –

"I love thee, I'm charm'd by thy beauty, dear boy!
And if thou'rt unwilling, then force I'll employ." –
My father, my father, he seizes me fast
For sorely the Erl-King has hurt me at last. –

The father now gallops, with terror half wild
He grasps in his arms the poor shuddering child;
He reaches his courtyard with toil and with dread, –
The child in his arms finds he motionless, dead