Der Erlkönig

"Der Erlkönig" is a ballad by Goethe that tells of a father riding through the night with his son. The boy is frightened by the mysterious, enchanting figure of the Erlkönig, who symbolizes death or danger. As the father reassures him, the boy's fear intensifies, and ultimately, the boy succumbs, symbolizing the collision between innocence and inevitable mortality. The poem explores themes of fear, death, and the power of imagination, and has been famously set to music by composer Franz Schubert, highlighting its emotional intensity and haunting atmosphere.