Věje větřieček s kniežeckých lesóv, běže zmilitka ku potoku, nabiera vody v kovaná vědra. Po vodě k děvě kytice plyje, kytice vonná z viol a róží. I je sě děva kyticu loviť, spade, ach! spade v chladnú vodicu. Kdabych věděla, kytice krásná! kto tebe v kyprú zemicu sáze, tomu bych dala prstének zlatý. Kdabych věděla, kytice krásná, kto tebe lýkem hebúčkým sváza: tomu bych dala jehlicu z vlasóv. Kdabych věděla, kytice krásná, kto tě po chladnej vodici pusti: tomu bych dala vienek svój z hlavy.
Confirmed with Rukopis královédvorský. Nejprvnější ilustrované vydání, Praha, I. L. Kober, 1873, page 60. Note: from the Rukopis královédvorský, or the Dvůr Králové Manuscript, claimed by Hanka to be a 13th-century manuscript he had discovered but regarded by modern scholars as an elaborate forgery by him.
Text Authorship:
- by Václav Hanka (1791 - 1861), "Kytice", first published 1818 [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 Antonín Dvořák (1841 - 1904), "Kytice", op. 7 no. 1, B. 30 no. 1, published 1872, from Písně z rukopisu Královédvorského, no. 1, also set in German (Deutsch) [sung text not yet checked]
- by Zdenko Antonín Václav Fibich (1850 - 1900), "Kytice", H. 204 (1875), published 1876 [sung text not yet checked]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832) , "Das Sträuschen", subtitle: "Alt böhmisch", appears in Goethe's Werke. Vollständige Ausgabe, letzter Hand, Band III, in 7. Aus fremden Sprachen [an adaptation] ; composed by Adalbert von Goldschmidt, Karl Friedrich Zelter.
- Also set in German (Deutsch), [adaptation] ; composed by Antonín Dvořák.
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English [singable] (Natalie Macfarren) , "The flowery message"
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2008-01-25
Line count: 16
Word count: 85
Tenderly bloweth a breeze from the woodland, swift a maiden flies to seek the brook, and in her pail draw its limpid water. Lo, on its wave glides adown the streamlet a fair bunch of roses and odorous violets. The maid puts forth her white hand to seize it, but ah, but ah, in the shallow tide she fell! If I knew, o ye fair blooming flowers, who in so shifting a garden did plant ye, my golden ring I would gladly give him; if I knew, oh ye blooming flowers, whose hand with azure ribbon hath tied ye, ah, I would give him the silver arrow that fastens my ebon tresses! If I knew, if I but knew, oh ye flowers, who sent ye floating o'er the waters, oh I would give him my myrtle garland, I'd give to him, (nought else have I,) my myrtle garland!
Text Authorship:
- Singable translation by Natalie Macfarren (1826 - 1916), "The flowery message" [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in Czech (Čeština) by Václav Hanka (1791 - 1861), "Kytice", first published 1818
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- [ None yet in the database ]
Researcher for this page: Harry Joelson
This text was added to the website: 2011-05-18
Line count: 17
Word count: 148