Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
🎵 A famous song 👑 Elf king spirit
Erlking

Erlking

1 9.9
A magical king of elves in German stories who lures children away
  • proper noun
  • /ˈɜrlˌkɪŋ/
  • Literature
: Rey de los Elfos
  • The Erlking represents a powerful figure in German folklore.

Examples

  • In Goethe's poem, the Erlking lures children with his enchanting voice.

  • In Goethe's famous poem, the Erlking whispers to the frightened child riding through the night.

  • The legend of the Erlking has inspired many composers and writers in Europe.

  • Parents warned their children not to wander at night, fearing the Erlking would take them away.

  • In Goethe's poem, the Erlking is a chilling figure who lures children into the forest with his enchanting song.

  • The legend of the Erlking warns of a supernatural king who tempts innocent children away from their homes.

  • Parents tell stories of the Erlking to keep their children safe from wandering into the woods at night.

Surface Forms

Erlking main

Etymology

Erlking comes from the German Erlkönig, which originally meant 'elf-king' — a powerful spirit or ruler of elves who was said to lure children away. So the name fits the old story of a supernatural being that whispers to and takes a child.