All choice morsels I'd dispense with, Table-flesh of priests neglect too, Sooner than renounce my lover, Whom, in Summer having vanquish'd, I in Winter tamed still longer.
1810.
GIPSY SONG.
IN the drizzling mist, with the snow high-pil'd, In the Winter night, in the forest wild, I heard the wolves with their ravenous howl, I heard the screaming note of the owl:
Wille wau wau wau!
Wille wo wo wo!
Wito hu!
I shot, one day, a cat in a ditch--The dear black cat of Anna the witch;
Upon me, at night, seven were-wolves came down, Seven women they were, from out of the town.
Wille wau wau wau!
Wille wo wo wo!
Wito hu!
I knew them all; ay, I knew them straight;First, Anna, then Ursula, Eve, and Kate, And Barbara, Lizzy, and Bet as well;And forming a ring, they began to yell:
Wille wau wau wau!
Wille wo wo wo!
Wito hu!
Then call'd I their names with angry threat:
"What wouldst thou, Anna? What wouldst thou, Bet?"At hearing my voice, themselves they shook, And howling and yelling, to flight they took.
Wille wau wau wau!
Wille wo wo wo!
Wito hu!
1772.
THE DESTRUCTION OF MAGDEBURG.
[For a fine account of the fearful sack of Magdeburg, by Tilly, in the year 1613, see SCHILLER's History of the Thirty Years'
War.]
OH, Magdeberg the town!
Fair maids thy beauty crown, Thy charms fair maids and matrons crown;Oh, Magdeburg the town!
Where all so blooming stands, Advance fierce Tilly's bands;O'er gardens and o'er well--till'd lands Advance fierce Tilly's bands.
Now Tilly's at the gate.
Our homes who'll liberate?
Go, loved one, hasten to the gate, And dare the combat straight!
There is no need as yet, However fierce his threat;Thy rosy cheeks I'll kiss, sweet pet!
There is no need as yet.
My longing makes me pale.
Oh, what can wealth avail?
E'en now thy father may be pale.
Thou mak'st my courage fail.
Oh, mother, give me bread!
Is then my father dead?
Oh, mother, one small crust of bread!
Oh, what misfortune dread!
Thy father, dead lies he, The trembling townsmen flee, Adown the street the blood runs free;Oh, whither shall we flee?
The churches ruined lie, The houses burn on high, The roofs they smoke, the flames out fly, Into the street then hie!
No safety there they meet!
The soldiers fill the Street, With fire and sword the wreck complete:
No safety there they meet!
Down falls the houses' line, Where now is thine or mine?
That bundle yonder is not thine, Thou flying maiden mine!
The women sorrow sore.
The maidens far, far more.
The living are no virgins more;
Thus Tilly's troops make war!
FAMILIAR SONGS.
-What we sing in company Soon from heart to heart will fly.
THE Gesellige Lieder, which I have angicisled as above, as several of them cannot be called convivial songs, are separated by Goethe from his other songs, and I have adhered to the same arrangement.The Ergo bibamus is a well-known drinking song in Germany, where it enjoys vast popularity.
ON THE NEW YEAR.
[Composed for a merry party that used to meet, in 1802, at Goethe's house.]
FATE now allows us,'Twixt the departingAnd the upstarting, Happy to be;And at the call ofMemory cherish'd,Future and perish'd Moments we see.
Seasons of anguish,--Ah, they must everTruth from woe sever, Love and joy part;Days still more worthySoon will unite us,Fairer songs light us, Strength'ning the heart.
We, thus united,Think of, with gladness,Rapture and sadness, Sorrow now flies.
Oh, how mysteriousFortune's direction!
Old the connection,New-born the prize!
Thank, for this, Fortune, Wavering blindly!
Thank all that kindly Fate may bestow!
Revel in change'sImpulses clearer,Love far sincerer, More heartfelt glow!
Over the old one,Wrinkles collected,Sad and dejected, Others may view;But, on us gentlyShineth a true one,And to the new one We, too, are new.
As a fond couple'Midst the dance veering,First disappearing, Then reappear, So let affectionGuide thro' life's mazyPathways so hazy Into the year!
1802.
ANNIVERSARY SONG.
[This little song describes the different members of the party just spoken of.]
WHY pacest thou, my neighbour fair,The garden all alone?
If house and land thou seek'st to guard,I'd thee as mistress own.
My brother sought the cellar-maid,And suffered her no rest;She gave him a refreshing draught,A kiss, too, she impress'd.
My cousin is a prudent wight,The cook's by him ador'd;He turns the spit round ceaselessly,To gain love's sweet reward.
We six together then beganA banquet to consume, When lo! a fourth pair singing came,And danced into the room.
Welcome were they,--and welcome tooWas a fifth jovial pair.
Brimful of news, and stored with talesAnd jests both new and rare.
For riddles, spirit, raillery,And wit, a place remain'd;A sixth pair then our circle join'd,And so that prize was gain'd.
And yet to make us truly blest,One miss'd we, and full sore;A true and tender couple came,--We needed them no more.
The social banquet now goes on,Unchequer'd by alloy;The sacred double-numbers thenLet us at once enjoy!
1802.
THE SPRING ORACLE.
OH prophetic bird so bright, Blossom-songster, cuckoo bight!
In the fairest time of year, Dearest bird, oh! deign to hear What a youthful pair would pray, Do thou call, if hope they may:
Thy cuck-oo, thy cuck-oo.
Ever more cuck-oo, cuck-oo!
Hearest thou? A loving pair Fain would to the altar fare;Yes! a pair in happy youth, Full of virtue, full of truth.
Is the hour not fix'd by fate?
Say, how long must they still wait?
Hark! cuck-oo! hark! cuck-oo!
Silent yet! for shame, cuck-oo!
'Tis not our fault, certainly!
Only two years patient be!
But if we ourselves please here, Will pa-pa-papas appear?
Know that thou'lt more kindness do us, More thou'lt prophesy unto us.
One! cuck-oo! Two! cuck-oo!
Ever, ever, cuck-oo, cuck-oo, coo!
If we've calculated clearly, We have half a dozen nearly.
If good promises we'll give, Wilt thou say how long we'II live?
Truly, we'll confess to thee, We'd prolong it willingly.
Coo cuck-oo, coo cuck-oo, Coo, coo, coo, coo, coo, coo, coo, coo, coo!
Life is one continued feast--(If we keep no score, at least).
