80.—3. SCHLEIER, of mist.
5. HERBSTKRÄFTIG, full of autumnal vigor; GEDÄMPFT, because the mists and the haze have softened all sharpness of outline and color.
81.—1. BLAUES BAND, metaphorical for blue sky.
7. HARFENTON, the symphony of spring, the heard and unheard stirring of new life.
82. The stanza form is an adaptation of a famous Lutheran hymn: Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern.
83. Of the character of the Feuerreiter, a creation of Mörike, only this much is clear: he fights fire and has often used sinfully (freventlich) holy means (des heil'gen Kreuzes Span) to charm fire. Finally, however, he becomes a victim of the infernal powers.
21. DER ROTE HAHN, the symbol of fire.
26. FEIND, Satan.
40. As the refrain in the preceding stanzas has depicted the tolling of the bell, so the sudden break here depicts the ceasing.
42. MÜßEN, old weak dative.