the sleigh in the night

poem by Christian Morgenstern

translated and recreated by Ruth Salles

It's exactly midnight.
Two wolves come from the woods.

From the woods the wolves come.
Get a sled too.

Two wolves side by side,
all over hair!

The driver shakes,
and the whip cracks!

“Two wolves, driver!
Go faster, please!”

And the driver, attentive,
the reins loose in the wind.

The bells ring.
Horses almost fly.

“Two wolves, oh, help!”
And the little train goes up the hill.

And get down on the other side,
slide shot,

and passes over the lake
luckily frozen.

The ice is breaking!
Glad the margin is coming...

and the house – after all! –
of the ranger,

who makes the greeting
to swing your lantern.

Oh, how much, how much peace!
The wolves stay behind.

The sky, all starry,
moonlit glow.

****