Lord Oluf rides late and far

Lord Oluf rides late and far

to summon his wedding guests.

Elves are dancing on a green bank,

and the Erlking's daughter offers him her hand.

"Welcome, Lord Oluf, come dance with me

and I will give you two golden spurs."

"I cannot dance, I do not wish to dance -

for tomorrow is my wedding-day."

"Come closer, Lord Oluf, come dance with me,

and I will give you a shirt of silk,

a shirt of silk so white and fine -

my mother bleached it with moonbeams!"

"I may not dance, I do not wish to dance -

for tomorrow is my wedding-day."

"Come closer, Lord Oluf, come dance with me

and I will give you a heap of gold."

"A heap of gold I would gladly take,

but I cannot and should not dance with you."

"If you will not dance with me, Lord Oluf,

then plague and sickness will follow you!"

She dealt him a blow to the heart,

and all his life he had never felt such pain.

Then she heaved him up upon his horse:

"Ride home to your worthy lady then!"

And when he came to the door to his house,

his mother, trembling, stood before him.

"Tell me, my son, and tell me true,

Why are you so pale and sick?"

"And should I not be pale and sick?

I was in the Erlking's realm."

"Tell me, my son, so dear,

What should I tell your bride?"

"Tell her that I rode to the wood just now,

To test my horse and hound."

At early morning when day had hardly dawned,

his bride arrived with the wedding crowd.

They poured mead and wine:

"Where is Lord Oluf, my bridegroom?"

"Lord Oluf rode to the wood just now,

To test his horse and hound."

The bride lifted up the cloth scarlet red,

And there lay Lord Oluf: he was dead.