Songs

Seht, es war einmal ein König,
Behold, there was once a king
Dem die Schätze reich gedieh’n,
Who possessed rich treasures,
Und der beste, der ihm eigen,
And his best possession
Hieß mit Namen Irmelin.
Bore the name of Irmelin.
Irmelin Rose,
Irmelin Rose,
Irmelin Sonne,
Irmelin Sun,
Irmelin alles, was schön war.
Irmelin, everything beautiful.

Schier von jedem Ritterhelme
From every knight’s helmet
Wehte ihrer Farben Schein,
Her colours fluttered,
Und mit jedem Reim der Sprache
And with every rhyme in the language
Klang ihr Name überein:
Her name chimed:
Irmelin Rose,
Irmelin Rose,
Irmelin Sonne,
Irmelin Sun,
Irmelin alles, was schön war.
Irmelin, everything beautiful.

Freier kamen scharenweise
Throngs of suitors came,
Hergezogen zum Palast,
Drawn to the palace,
Und mit zärtlichen Gebärden
And with gentle gestures
Klang ihr Schmeicheln ohne Rast:
Their ceaseless flattery sounded:
Irmelin Rose,
Irmelin Rose,
Irmelin Sonne,
Irmelin Sun,
Irmelin alles, was schön ist.
Irmelin, everything beautiful.

Doch Prinzessin Stahlherz jagte
But the steely-hearted princess chased
All die Freier schnippisch fort,
All her suitors impertinently away,
Fand an jedem was zu tadeln,
Found some fault in all of them:
Hier die Haltung, da das Wort.
Here his bearing, there his language.
Irmelin Rose,
Irmelin Rose,
Irmelin Sonne,
Irmelin Sun,
Irmelin alles, was schön ist.
Irmelin, everything beautiful.