This charming little ballad about a giant girl who mistakes a farmer for a toy is a classic in classrooms throughout German-speaking regions. It has many different aspects: technical aspects such as rhymes or the emphasis on rhythm when reading.
Other notable aspects include the changing in word choice or how they are writing in comparison to nowadays, the historical context of the region where the story is set, the deeper meaning in the story line to the father-daughter relationship, to the importance of respect towards other people.
Burg Niedeck ist im Elsaß der Sage wohl bekannt,
Die Höhe, wo vor Zeiten die Burg der Riesen stand;
Sie selbst ist nun verfallen, die Stätte wüst und leer,
Du fragest nach den Riesen, du findest sie nicht mehr.
Der Elsaß (Alsace)
The very first words of this ballad grab the reader’s attention: unlike other stories or poems where there aren’t any specific references to the location, e.g., in a « distant kingdom » or in a « village in the Alps », etc.
Alsace (Elsaß) is a border region between France and Germany that has belonged to both countries at different times. When this poem was written, the region, which is now part of France, belonged to Germany.
In addition, the ruins of Niedeck Castle (Burg Niedeck) can still be visited – after a challenging hike up the hill.