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Sonst wimmelte das Haslital Von niedlichen Zwerglein überall, Die halfen im Felde, die halfen im Wald Und trugen uns Holz ein, wurd' es kalt. Sagt an ihr Leute was ist geschehn: Es läßt sich keiner mehr da sehn?! Was ist geschehn? - Ein böser Streich! Sie wurden verlacht, - da floh'n sie gleich. Sie huschten so gern auf den Ahornbaum Und träumten da nickend den Mittagtraum. Da sägt ein Schelm den Ast entzwei Wo sie neulich gesessen in einer Reih. Und nun, den andern Mittag drauf, Huscht wieder das Zwergleinvolk hinauf, Sie hatten so fleißig gemäht das Gras, Es war Jedwedem sein Stirnlein [naß]1! Und, wie sie sich trocknen, so bricht der Ast, Zersägt wie er war, - von der vielen Last: Sie purzeln herunter und Alles lacht: Da haben sie sich davon gemacht! "O Himmel wie bist du hoch überall, Wie groß ist die Untreu im Haslital!" So riefen sie aus und schrieen sehr: "Einmal hieher und nimmermehr!"
1 Horn: "so naß"
Text Authorship:
- by August Kopisch (1799 - 1853), "Die Zwerge auf dem Baum", first published 1836 [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 Camillo Horn (1860 - 1941), "Die Zwerge auf dem Baum", op. 38 (Drei Gedichte mit begleitender Musik (Klavier)) no. 3 [ voice and piano ]
Score: IMSLP [external link] [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Iain Sneddon) , "The Dwarfs on the Tree", copyright © 2025, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Harry Joelson
This text was added to the website: 2011-10-28
Line count: 24
Word count: 157
Usually, the Haslital was teeming With cute dwarfs everywhere, They helped in the field, they helped in the forest And when we brought in wood, if it was cold. Tell everyone what has happened: None can be seen there anymore?! What happened? - A nasty prank! They were laughed at, - so they fled all at once. They loved to scurry up the maple tree And there, nodding, dreamed the midday dream. Then a rogue saws the branch in two Where they sat in a row yesterday. And now, the next noon, The dwarf folk scurry up again, They had mowed the grass so diligently Everyone's little forehead was so wet! And as they dry, so the branch breaks, Sawn as it was, - from the many burdens: They tumble down and everyone laughs: That's when they got away! "O heavens, how haughty you are everywhere, How great is the infidelity in the Haslital!" So they shouted, and cried out loudly: "Once here and never again!”
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2025 by Iain Sneddon, (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 August Kopisch (1799 - 1853), "Die Zwerge auf dem Baum", first published 1836
This text was added to the website: 2025-06-08
Line count: 24
Word count: 163