The King

Todt zum König. HErr König Ewr G'walt hat ein End, Ich führ euch hie bey meiner Hend, An diesen dürren Brüder-Tantz, Da gibt man euch deß Todes-Kranß.	Death to The king Mr. King,your power has an end, I lead you here by my hand to this dance with dry brothers.(1) There they'll give you the death-garland.(2)

Der König. ICh hab gewaltiglich gelebt, Und in hohen Ehren geschwebt: Nun bin ich in deß Todtes Banden, Verstricket sehr in seinen Handen.	The king. I have lived powerfully and hovered in high honour. Now I'm in Death's bond, caught in his hands.

Footnotes: (1) (2)

Dry brothers. . .: This seems to be a new alteration. The dancing brothers are black brothers in Kleinbasel (»dise schwarchen broder dantz«) and in Heidelberg (»desir swarczen brudertancz«).

The question then is whether these "black brothers" are monks (benedictines and dominicans) or cadavers. In Heidelberg, the child calls Death »Eyn swarczer man«, but this black man has also become »Ein dürrer man« with the child in Basel.

death garland. . .: a garland that adorned the dead in the grave. See Merians Memento Mori - or compare with the nun in Dodendantz, who were hoping for a virgin crantz.