Character of the Month: Marach
There are few details in the texts about Marach, but he is noteworthy for his allegiances and his descendants, who would become pivotal to the history of Middle-earth and the eventual defeat of Morgoth and Sauron.
Zogen sieben junge Elben
stolz und kühn zum Kampf hinaus.
„Sing, sing, was geschah?“
Keiner kehrte mehr nach Haus.
Zog einst eine wilde Schwänin,
Schwanfrau leuchtend weiß und schön.
„Sing, sing, was geschah?“
Sie ward allhier nie mehr gesehn.
Wuchs allhier ein weisser Baum
alt und morsch am Teichesrand.
„Sing, sing, was geschah?“
Er einst in Frucht und Blüte stand.
Aufwuchs eine Elbentochter
schlank und schön am Bruinen-Strand.
„Sing, sing, was geschah?“
Sie doch zuletzt den Brautkranz wand!
The adaptation retains the rhymes, but not the syllable count, so this version does not work as a filk.
In the original, all four stanzas end unhappily.
The English translation also explains the references in the adapted version, if anything should be unclear.