Weiß wie Schnee [English translation]

I’ve been given oh so many names

Perchta, Gode, Hel, and Frigg

I bestow life and take it away

Either one with just one look

You children know me as Mother Holle1

Which stems from Hold and Hölle2

My heart is delighted by well-behaved children

But the lazy ones I condemn

You fancy that I live upon the clouds

As does the fairy godmother in her song

And if a feather falls from its pillow

It dances down to earth as snow

White as snow is my hair

White as snow gleams my gown

White as snow deathly cold descends

In harsh nights upon the countryside

White as snow

White as snow

White as snow deathly cold descends

In harsh nights upon the countryside

For twelve nights in the twelfth month

I ride with the Wild Hunt3

At my side rides Servant Rupert4 5

Who asks each little child

If they were well-behaved or idle

While last year ran its course

The Dark Servant punishes with his cane

But I gobble lazy children up!

White as snow is my hair

White as snow gleams my gown

White as snow deathly cold descends

In harsh nights upon the countryside

White as snow

White as snow

White as snow deathly cold descends

In harsh nights upon the countryside

My castle is cold and dark

It lies at the foot of the World Tree6

In my kingdom there are no heroes

Only the end of a dream

White as snow is my hair

White as snow gleams my gown

White as snow deathly cold descends

In harsh nights upon the countryside

White as snow

White as snow

White as snow deathly cold descends

In harsh nights upon the countryside

1. See Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frau_Holle2. The name is thought to originate from 'huld,' meaning 'gracious,' 'sympathetic,' 'friendly.' 'Hölle' is more self-explanatory, meaning 'hell.'3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wild_Hunt4. Knecht Ruprecht has a few different names in English, one of them being Farmhand Rupert, which seemed a little unwieldy.5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knecht_Ruprecht6. Yggdrasil