In 1823, a puppet theatre performed Carl Maria von Weber’s Freischütz at the Hauptwache square in Frankfurt. After
its premiere in 1821, the “Romantic opera” quickly became a hit. Commenting on the bridesmaids’ song “We Wind Round Thee the Bridal Wreath”, Heinrich Heine quipped: “Even dogs are barking it in the streets.” In Eichendorff’s tale, the song appears in the comic final scene, in which the protagonist is surprised to find himself at his own wedding.