New Year's Eve The village is quiet, quiet is the night, sleeping
The mother, the daughter wakes up,
you set the table, it covers for two, and bring about the longed
midnight.
Who is the balance? whom the hurry?
mitternächtge Who is the guest?
Whether she asks her, she does not know
you know is what the legend says. The
says: If where a girl wakes up at twelve
New Year's Eve,
And when they set the table for two,
she saw who her Künftger. 'd
And him never saw the girl,
And were he a hundred miles,
He enters and prepares to
And eat and drink, and then separates.
Twelve beats the clock, she listens frightened
you wish that it would table 'unfunded,
It falls on them fear and dread,
you will not behold the bridegroom.
continues his run of the hands,
Nobody enters, she breathes,
you no longer stares at the door,
God, as he sits next to her.
His eye is glow, his face pale,
you saw him all her life long not
He glared at, and one Bestow,
And says: "Tonight you're still my.
I am a violent society ', I choose
fast and free fast
I am the bridegroom, you the bride,
And am the priest who trusts us. "
It holds about them, One single cry ,
The mother hears it and come to it;
Too late, the wine is spilled,
Tot is the daughter and - alone.
Theodor Fontane [first edition 1851]