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: : : An Irish or Scottish poem about the Earl King. It was mythical and he was believed to come and steal an infant's soul. "When he looked at the child, the baby was dead" : : I was just looking for that same poem, I remember it was published in a paperback in the 70's with other scary stories. It starts... : : "Who rides so late on a night so wild : : A Father is riding with his child..." : : the boy tries to tell his father that he sees the Earl King, "with his crown and his shroud, yes that is he" and the father replies, "my son, it's only the wind in the trees." The poem goes on with the Earl King talking to the little boy,saying that if the boy will join him, his daughters will play with him and give him presents. It ends with his father trying to make a mad dash for their home, with the final line, "there, in his arms, the boy lies dead." : : If you find the entire poem, I hope you'll let me know! deb : : Here it is, it's one of my favorites. : Lon : The Erl-King : Who rides there so late through the night dark and drear? : The father it is, with his infant so dear; : He holdeth the boy tightly clasp'd in his arm, : He holdeth him safely, he keepeth him warm. : "My son, wherefore seek'st thou thy face thus to hide?" : "Look, father, the Erl-King is close by our side! : Dost see not the Erl-King, with crown and with train?" : "My son, 'tis the mist rising over the plain." : "Oh, come, thou dear infant! oh come thou with me! : Full many a game I will play there with thee; : On my strand, lovely flowers their blossoms unfold, : My mother shall grace thee with garments of gold." : "My father, my father, and dost thou not hear : The words that the Erl-King now breathes in mine ear?" : "Be calm, dearest child, 'tis thy fancy deceives; : 'Tis the sad wind that sighs through the withering leaves." : "Wilt go, then, dear infant, wilt go with me there? : My daughters shall tend thee with sisterly care. : My daughters by night their glad festival keep, : They'll dance thee, and rock thee, and sing thee to sleep." : "My father, my father, and dost thou not see, : How the Erl-King his daughters has brought here for me?" : "My darling, my darling, I see it aright, : 'Tis the aged grey willows deceiving thy sight." : "I love thee, I'm charm'd by thy beauty, dear boy! : And if thou'rt unwilling, then force I'll employ." : "My father, my father, he seizes me fast, : Full sorely the Erl-King has hurt me at last." : The father now gallops, with terror half wild, : He grasps in his arms the poor shuddering child; : He reaches his courtyard with toil and with dread, : The child in his arms finds he motionless, dead. : -- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe :

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