The song "Der Tod und das Mädchen," in its own peculiar way, follows the format just described,providing an early example, since Schubert wrote it in 1817. In order to achieve this format, the musictakes on a life of its own, generating something that the original poetic text by Matthias Claudius cannot.Schubert used Claudius's text without any alterations, unlike his settings of some other poems, andClaudius's text clearly has two parts, with the Maiden as speaker in the first strophe, followed by Deathin the second: "The Maiden: 'It's all over! Alas, it's all over now. Go, savage man of bone! I am still young-- go, devoted one! And do not molest me.' Death: 'Give me your hand, you fair and tender form! I ama friend; I do not come to punish. Be of good cheer! I am not savage. You shall sleep gently in my arms'"(Trans. Emily Ezust ) ("Das Mädchen: 'Vorüber! Ach, vorüber! Gehwilder Knochenmann! Ich bin noch jung, geh Lieber! Und rühre mich nicht an.' Der Tod: 'Gib deine Hand,du schön und zart Gebild! Bin Freund, und komme nicht, zu strafen. Sei gutes Muts! Ich bin nicht wild,Sollst sanft in meinen Armen schlafen!'") (). As a two-part form,things progress clearly from the Maiden's anxiety and devastation in contemplating death to theconvincing assurances by Death of friendship and comfort.