Erlking

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For the poem by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, see Der Erlkönig

In German and Scandinavian folklore, an erlking is a mischievous or malevolent sprite. Erlkings often exercise a fatal influence, especially on children by means of alluring promises or visions that led to destruction. The Erlking has been interpreted as being a singular being, rather than a collective term, and has also been equated with the devil. The Erlking is sometimes seen as a kind harbinger who is saddened by the news he brings.

The Erlkönig was introduced into German poetry in 1778 through the translation by Johann Gottfried von Herder of a Danish ballad. Herder mistranslated the title as "king of the alders" rather than "king of the elves." The word, meaning "elf king", derives from German "Erlkönig" and Danish "Ellekonge". In English the name became erlking.

Goethe wrote a ballad, "Der Erlkönig", which has been set to music by Franz Schubert, one of the most famous Romantic lieder. The ballad was translated into Russian by Vasily Zhukovsky.

In the anthology Nocturnes by Irish writer John Connolly, there is a short story entitled "The Erlking" that tells of how the creature tries to ensnare a young boy.

Angela Carter also wrote a short story called "The Erl-King." In her version, it is a human woman the elf enchants. She plots to murder her captor, even knowing that his death will only pull her deeper under his spell. The folk band Ghost Bees wrote a song on their demo Tasseomancy called Erl King>