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Goldkäferlein, du stolzer Mann Hast ja ein goldnes Röcklein an; Was laufst du denn so schnelle zu, Und hast nicht Rast und hast nicht Ruh? Sag mir's nur unverholen, Du hast es dir gestohlen! Goldkäferlein, gib Antwort mir: Was willst du mit der Zange hier In deinem Maul, und laufst so schnell? -- Du bist wohl gar ein Schmied'gesell, Und mußt zur Schmiede springen Und flugs den Hammer schwingen! Herr Goldschmied, ei so eile dich, Und schmiede hurtig auch für mich Vom feinsten Gold ein Ringelein, Und mach es nur recht fein und klein; Es soll nicht sein dein Schaden, Ich geb' dir zwei Dukaten!
Confirmed with G.C. Dieffenbach, Kinder-Lieder, Mainz: Verlag von C.G. Kunze, [1854], page 54.
Text Authorship:
- by Georg Christian Dieffenbach (1822 - 1901), "Der Goldkäfer", appears in Kinder-Lieder, in 2. Lieder und Bilder aus der Natur, no. 57 [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 Hans Michael Schletterer (1824 - 1893), "Der Goldkäfer", op. 60 (Zehn Chorduette für Sopran- und Altstimmen mit Pianoforte zum Gebrauch in vorgerückten Gesangsklassen) no. 7, published 1886 [ sa chorus and piano ], Leipzig: Kistner [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "The golden rose chafer", copyright © 2025, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2025-02-11
Line count: 18
Word count: 105
Little golden rose chafer, you proud man, You wear a golden jacket; Why do you run about so quickly, And have no rest and have no peace? Just tell me openly, You stole [the gold] for yourself! Little golden rose chafer, give me an answer: What do you want here with the pincers In your mouth, and run so quickly? -- I guess you are a blacksmith’s apprentice, And must leap off to the smithy And swing the hammer straightaway! Mr. Goldsmith, ah, so make haste And quickly forge for me as well A little ring of the finest gold, And only make it quite delicate and small; You shall not suffer a loss thereby, I shall give you two ducats!
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2025 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 Georg Christian Dieffenbach (1822 - 1901), "Der Goldkäfer", appears in Kinder-Lieder, in 2. Lieder und Bilder aus der Natur, no. 57
This text was added to the website: 2025-02-13
Line count: 18
Word count: 121