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Halt, Schiffer, halt! Ich hab' noch einen Vater[;] Der wird mich nicht verlassen, verlassen, verlahn. Der Vater kam dahergegangen[.] Ach, Vater mein! Versetz er seinen braunen Rock Und rett mein junges Leben! Dein junges Leben rett ich nicht[;] Fahr, Schiffer, fahr! Halt, Schiffer, halt! Ich hab' noch eine Mutter, Die wird mich nicht verlassen, verlassen, verlahn. Die Mutter kam dahergegangen[.] Ach, Mutter mein! Versetz Sie Ihre goldne Kette Und rett mein junges Leben! Mein goldne Kett versetz ich nicht[.] Dein junges Leben rett ich nicht[;] Fahr, Schiffer, fahr! Halt, Schiffer, halt! Ich hab' noch einen Bruder, Der wird mich nicht verlassen, verlassen, verlahn. Der Bruder kam dahergegangen[.] Ach, Bruder mein! Versetz du deine silbern' Schnallen Und rett mein junges Leben! Mein silbern' Schnallen versetz ich nicht[.] Dein junges Leben rett ich nicht[;] Fahr, Schiffer, fahr! Halt, Schiffer, halt! Ich hab' noch eine Schwester Die wird mich nicht verlassen, verlassen, verlahn. Die Schwester kam dahergegangen[.] Ach, Schwester mein! Versetz du deinen weißen Platen Und rett mein junges Leben! Mein'n weißen Platen versetz ich nicht[.] Dein junges Leben rett ich nicht[;] Fahr, Schiffer, fahr! Halt, Schiffer, halt! Ich hab' noch einen Liebsten, Der wird mich nicht verlassen, verlassen, verlahn. Der Liebste kam dahergegangen, Ach, Liebster mein! Versetze du dein blankes Schwert Und rett mein junges Leben! Mein blankes Schwert versetz ich wohl, Dein junges Leben rett ich wohl[;] Halt, Schiffer, halt!
Confirmed with Idunna und Hermode. Eine Alterthumszeitung, dritter Jahrgang, ed. by Friedrich David Gräter, Schillingsfürst und Dinkelsbühl: Friedrich Walthr'sche Verlagshandlung, 1814, page 72. Appears in issue no. 19 [1814], in a memorial article to 'Werner Hanns Friedrich von Abrahamson' [Denmark] who had just died. Abrahamson is quoted as saying that he learned this lyric from his mother's serving maid when he was young. It is not clear if he learned the lyric in Danish and translated it, or if he is the collector of the German translation by an anonymous translator.
Notes to stanza 1: The first word in line 6 is incorrectly given as "Versetzt"; it has been corrected to "Versetz" above. Furthermore, there appears to be a line missing; the following line (likely "Mein braunen Rock versetz ich nicht") should be inserted before the last two lines.
Text Authorship:
- by Anonymous / Unidentified Author, "Rettung" [author's text checked 2 times against a primary source]
- possibly by Werner Hans Frederik Abrahamson (1744 - 1812), "Rettung" [author's text checked 2 times against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in Danish (Dansk) from Volkslieder (Folksongs) [text unavailable]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Walter von Goethe (1817 - 1885), "Rettung", op. 14 (Sechs Lieder für eine Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 1, published 1844? [ voice and piano ], Wien: Haslinger [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Rescue", copyright © 2025, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor], Melanie Trumbull
This text was added to the website: 2021-04-08
Line count: 49
Word count: 230
Stop, boatman, stop! I still have a father[;] He shall not desert, desert, desert me. The father came walking along[.] Ah, father of mine! Pawn your brown cloak And save my young life! I shall not save your young life[;] Row, boatman, row! Stop, boatman, stop! I still have a mother, She shall not desert, desert, desert me. The mother came walking along[;] Ah, mother of mine! Pawn your golden necklace And save my young life! I shall not pawn my golden necklace[.] I shall not save your young life[;] Row, boatman, row! Stop, boatman, stop! I still have a brother, He shall not desert, desert, desert me. The brother came walking along[.] Ah, brother of mine! Pawn your silver buckles And save my young life! I shall not pawn my silver buckles[.] I shall not save your young life[;] Row, boatman, row! Stop, boatman, stop! I still have a sister, She shall not desert, desert, desert me. The sister came walking along[.] Ah, sister of mine! Pawn your white apron And save my young life! I shall not pawn my white apron[.] I shall not save your young life[;] Row, boatman, row! Stop, boatman, stop! I still have a beloved, He shall not desert, desert, desert me. The beloved came walking along, Ah, beloved of mine! Pawn your shining sword And save my young life! I shall indeed pawn my shining sword, Your young life I shall surely save[;] Stop, boatman, stop!
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.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist , "Rettung" and possibly by Werner Hans Frederik Abrahamson (1744 - 1812)
Based on:
- a text in Danish (Dansk) from Volkslieder (Folksongs) [text unavailable]
This text was added to the website: 2025-11-22
Line count: 49
Word count: 244