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Weit draußen, einsam in ödem Raum Steht ein uralter Weidenbaum Noch aus den Heidenzeiten wohl, Verknorrt und verrunzelt, gespalten und hohl. Keiner schneidet ihn, keiner wagt Vorüberzugehn, wenns nicht mehr tagt, Kein Vogel singt ihm im dürren Geäst, Raschelnd nur spukt drin der Ost und West, Doch wenn am Abend die Schatten düstern, Hörst dus wie Sumsen darin und Flüstern. Und nahst du der Weide um Mitternacht, Du siehst sie von grauen Kindlein bewacht: Auf allen Ästen hocken sie dicht, Lispeln und wispeln und rühren sich nicht. Das sind die Seelchen, die weit und breit Sterben gemußt, eh die Tauf sie geweiht: Im Särglein liegt die kleine Leich, Nicht darf das Seelchen ins Himmelreich. Und immer neue - siehst es du? - In leisem Fluge huschen dazu. Da sitzen sie nun das ganze Jahr, Wie eine verschlafene Käuzchenschar. Doch Weihnachts, wenn der Schnee rings liegt Und über die Länder das Christkind fliegt, Dann regt sichs, pludert sichs, plaudert, lacht, Ei, sind unsre Käuzlein da aufgewacht! Sie lugen aus, wer sieht was, wer? Ja freilich kommt das Christkind her! Mit seinem helllichten Himmelsschein Fliegts mitten zwischen sie hinein: "Ihr kleines Volk, nun bin ich da - Glaubt ihr an mich?" Sie rufen: "Ja!" Da nickts mit seinem lieben Gesicht Und herzt die Armen und ziert sich nicht. Dann klatschts in die Hände, schlingt den Arm Ums nächste - aufwärts schwirrt der Schwarm Ihm nach und hoch ob Wald und Wies' Ganz graden Weges ins Paradies.
Confirmed with Ferdinand Avenarius, Stimmen und Bilder. Neue Gedichte, Florenz und Leipzig: bei Eugen Diederichs, 1898, pages 164-165.
Authorship:
- by Ferdinand Avenarius (1856 - 1923), "Der Seelchenbaum" [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Anna Teichmüller (1861 - 1940), "Der Seelchenbaum", op. 11, published 1906, Berlin, Dreililien [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "The tree of little souls", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Ferdinando Albeggiani , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2008-04-09
Line count: 38
Word count: 245
Far outside [the city], solitary in the desolate landscape stands an ancient willow tree, likely still from heathen times, gnarly, wrinkled, split and hollow. No one prunes it, no one dares to walk past it after dark, no bird sings in its withered branches, only the east and west winds rustle spookily therein; but in the evening when the shadows lower, one hears within it a humming and a whispering. And if you approach the willow at midnight, you see that it is guarded by grey little children. Upon all the branches they crouch close together, they lisp and they whisper and they do not move. Those are the little souls, who near and far had to die before they were consecrated by baptism: In the little coffin lies the small corpse, the little soul is not allowed to enter the kingdom of heaven. And ever more new ones - do you see it? - in quiet flight they dart to join the others. There they sit now for the whole year like a sleepy group of owlets. But at Christmas, when the snow lies round about and the Christ-Child flies over the lands, then [in the tree] there is movement, a ruffling, chattering, laughter, ah, how our little owlets have woken up! They look about attentively, who sees something, who? Yea, truly, there comes the Christ-Child! With his brightly lit heavenly aura he flies into their midst: «You little people, now I am here - do you believe in me?» They call out: «Yes!» Then he nods with his dear face and embraces the poor things and is not shy about it. Then he claps his hands, casts his arm about the one beside him - the swarm flies upward following him high above forest and meadow straightaway into Paradise.
Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2013 by Sharon Krebs, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
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Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Ferdinand Avenarius (1856 - 1923), "Der Seelchenbaum"
This text was added to the website: 2013-11-12
Line count: 38
Word count: 301