I know why Lellig has
Dug in so close to the water:
Too constrained by her
Mama Against a treacherous world!
You must not my Lellig
Play too close to the water,
For the stream, little one,
Is deep and treacherous.
You must not Lellig
Warm too much the toes of your sock
For the fire my child
Is extremely treacherous.
You must not Lellig
Climb high in the bough,
The trees’ branches my bird
Are brittle and treacherous.
When she went with her straw
To sip some sweet cider:
Not too much! … my Lellig,
Sweet cider is treacherous.
You must not Lellig,
Believe in the mirror,
The mirror, my pretty,
Is deceptive and treacherous.
You must not Lellig
Listen too much to fine words,
For men, my daughter,
Are fickle and treacherous.
Lellig became too suspicious
Of a treacherous World:
She remained all alone,
With neither spouse nor friend.
One day Lellig will die
No regrets or tears,
But in the other World the poor girl
Will find a Friend.
Translated by Lenora Timm
