by
Rudolph Baumbach (1840 - 1905)
Rührmichnichtan
Language: German (Deutsch)
Available translation(s): ENG
Plaudernd mit Müllers Töchterlein
Ging ich im Maiengrüne,
Und der Vater schritt hinterdrein
Mit bedenklicher Miene.
Plötzlich stand er stille am Bach,
Winkte mich näher heran und sprach:
Seh' Er, mein Freund, dies Kraut sich an,
Wächst nicht in allen Landen,
Ist geheissen Rührmichnichtan.
Hat Er mich recht verstanden?
Also sprach er mit ernstem Ton,
Hob den Finger und ging davon.
Sonnenschein rings auf den Büschen lag
Und auf zwei goldenen Zöpfchen --
Ob es wohl sticht? Ob es brennen mag?
Schüttelt die Kleine ihr Köpfchen.
Als ich es endlich berührte bang,
Rührmichnichtan mir entgegen sprang.
Confirmed with Rudolf Baumbach, Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen, Leipzig: Verlag von A. G. Liebeskind, 1882, page 27.
Authorship:
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Emil Hess , "Rührmichnichtan", published 1884 [ voice and piano ], from Drei Gesänge für 1 Singstimme mit Pianofortebegleitung, no. 3, Wien, Wetzler [sung text not yet checked]
- by Johannes Pache (1857 - 1897), "Rührmichnichtan", op. 30, published 1886 [ men's chorus a cappella ], Leipzig, Braun & Heynau [sung text not yet checked]
- by John Petersen (1860 - 1939), "Rührmichnichtan ", op. 2 (Vier Lieder für eine Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 3, published 1883 [ voice and piano ], Berlin: Paez [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Touch-me-not", copyright © 2020, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust
[Administrator] , Sharon Krebs
[Guest Editor] This text was added to the website: 2009-09-29
Line count: 18
Word count: 95
Touch‑me‑not
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch)
Chatting with the miller's daughter,
I walked in the May greenery,
And her father trod behind us
With a thoughtful mien.
Suddenly he stood still at the brook,
Beckoned me nearer to him and said:
Look, my friend, at this plant;
It does not grow everywhere;
It is called touch-me-not.
Do you understand me correctly?
Thus he spoke in a serious tone,
Lifted his finger and departed.
There was sunshine upon the bushes all around
And upon two golden braids --
Might it sting? Might it burn?
The little one shook her head.
When finally I anxiously touched it,
Touch-me-not sprang toward me.
Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2020 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:
This text was added to the website: 2020-10-17
Line count: 18
Word count: 102