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Das kleine braune Hummelchen, Es macht ein Frühlingsbummelchen In diese schöne Welt. Es kneipt an allen Blümchen, Das kleine Ungethümchen, Und hat doch gar kein Geld. Es füllt sich voll sein [Leibechen]1 Zu seinem [Zeitvertreibechen]2, Und's kost't ihm keinen Deut! Bei mir macht's gleich ein Thälerchen, Das halt' ich für ein Fehlerchen. Es ist 'ne böse Zeit!
Confirmed with Gesammelte Schriften von Heinrich Seidel, XIV. Band, Die Augen der Erinnerung und Anderes, Leipzig: A.G. Liebeskind, 1897, page 76.
1 Bungert: "Leibchen"2 Bungert: "Zeitvertreibchen"
Text Authorship:
- by Heinrich Seidel (1842 - 1906), "Das Hummelchen", appears in Lieder eines alten Mannes (1895-1896), no. 13 [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 (Friedrich) August Bungert (1845 - 1915), "Das Hummelchen", op. 59 no. 6, published 1903 [ voice and piano ], from Am Wege : Zwölf Lieder, no. 6, Leipzig: C.F. Leede [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Gerard Bunk (1888 - 1958), "Das Hummelchen", op. 22 (Sechs Lieder nach Texten verschiedener Dichter) no. 2 (1906-8) [ medium voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Fritz Fuhrmeister , "Das Hummelchen", op. 4 (Sechs Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianofortebegleitung) no. 6, published 1900 [ voice and piano ], Berlin, Ries & Erler [sung text not yet checked]
- by Joseph Haas (1879 - 1960), "Das Hummelchen", op. 5 (Vier Lieder) no. 1 (1906) [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Lothar Kempter (1844 - 1918), "Das Hummelchen", 1919 [ voice and piano ], from Zwei Lieder, no. 2 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Max Thiede (1872 - 1932), "Das Hummelchen", op. 132 (Männerchöre) no. 2, published [1912] [ men's chorus ], Freiburg: Ruckmich [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "The little bumble bee", copyright © 2026, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor], Johann Winkler
This text was added to the website: 2020-04-20
Line count: 12
Word count: 60
The little brown bumble bee, It takes a little springtime [shopping] stroll In this beautiful world. It drinks at all the little flowers, The little monster, And yet it has no money. It fills its little body, By way of passing the time, And it does not cost it a farthing! When I go, it immediately costs me a shilling; I consider that a mistake. These are evil times!
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2026 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 Heinrich Seidel (1842 - 1906), "Das Hummelchen", appears in Lieder eines alten Mannes (1895-1896), no. 13
This text was added to the website: 2026-07-07
Line count: 12
Word count: 69