Under der linden


"Under der linden" is a well-known poem written by the medieval German lyric poet Walther von der Vogelweide. It is written in Middle High German. The song may have originally been sung to the surviving melody of an old French song, which matches the meter of the poem.

Manuscripts and melody

The four strophes of the song are preserved in only two manuscripts:
Neither manuscript contains melodies, and the melody of the song is therefore unknown.
The melody of an anonymous Old French folk song "En mai au douz tens novels" fits the metre of the lyric, suggesting that "Under der linden" might be a contrafactum of a French original.

Text

Full Poem:

Original Middle High German
1. Under der linden
2. Ich kam gegangen
3. Dô hete er gemachet
4. Daz er bî mir læge,
Modern English free translation by Raymond Oliver
1. Under the lime tree
2. I came to meet him
3. There he had fashioned
4. If any knew

*Tándaradéi is the sound of the nightingale.