Stolen Child

Stolen Child
By W.B.Yeats

Where dips the rocky highland
Of Sleuth wood in the lake
There lies a leafy island
Were flapping herons wake
The drowsy water- rats
There we’ve hid our fairy vats
Full of berries
And the reddest stolen cherries

Come away oh human child
To the waters and the wild
With a fairy hand in hand
For the world’s more full of weeping
Than you can understand

Where the wave of moonlight glosses
The dim grey sands with light
By far off furthest Rosses
We foot it all at the night
Weaving olden dances
Mingling hands and mingling glances
Till the moon has taken flight
To and fro we leap
And chase the frothy bubbles
Whilst the world is full of troubles
And is anxious in its sleep

Where the wandering water gushes
From the hills above Glen Car
In pools among the rushes
That scarce could bathe a star
We seek for slumbering trout
And whispering in their ear
Give them unquiet dreams
Leaning softly out
From ferns that drop their tears
Over the young streams.

Away with us he’s going
The solemn-eyed
He’ll bear no more the lowing
Of the calves on the warm hillside
Or the kettle on the hob
Sing peace into his breast
Or see the brown mice bob
Round and round the oatmeal chest.

For be com the human child
To the waters and the wild
With a faery hand in hand
For the world’s more full weeping
Than you can understand

***

Das gestohlene Kind
von W.B. Yeats

Wo das Mondeslicht erglänzen läßt
das fahle Grau des Sandes,
weit weg von Rosses Stränden,
tanzen wir die ganze Nacht,
drehn uns nach alten Reigen,
vereinend Hände und Blicke,
bis der Mond entflohen ist.
Wir hüpfen hin und her
und jagen den Schaumblasen nach,
und die Welt ist voller Kummer,
und besorgt in ihrem Schlaf.

Folge mir, du Menschenkind,
wo die Naturgewalten sind,
mit einer Elfe Hand in Hand,
denn die Welt ist weit mehr voll Trauer,

als fassen kann dein Verstand.