A supernatural elf-like figure from Germanic folklore who lures children away into the forest or to their doom.
From German 'Erlkönig,' possibly a mistranslation or reinterpretation of 'Elf-king' or 'Alder-king' (from 'Erle,' alder tree), which became famous through Goethe's 1782 poem and later musical adaptations.
Goethe's poem about the Erlking inspired Schubert to write one of the most spine-tingling art songs ever composed—the same creepy folklore figure appears across European cultures with different names, showing how human fears about dark forests unite our stories.
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