Erlkönig

"Erlkönig" is a poem by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. It depicts the death of a child assailed by a supernatural being, the Erlking, a king of the fairies. It was originally written by Goethe as part of a 1782 Singspiel, Die Fischerin.

This article is about the poem by Goethe. For the German legend on which this poem is based, see Erlking. For Schubert's composition, see Erlkönig (Schubert). For the novel by Michel Tournier, see The Erl-King (novel). For the piano arrangement by Liszt of Schubert's composition, see Erlkönig (Liszt).

"Erlkönig" has been called Goethe's "most famous ballad". The poem has been set to music by several composers, most notably by Franz Schubert.

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