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Ein Veilchen auf der Wiese stand, Gebückt in sich und unbekannt; Es war ein herzigs Veilchen. Da kam eine junge Schäferin Mit leichtem Schritt und muntrem Sinn Daher, daher, Die Wiese her, und sang. Ach! denkt das Veilchen, wär ich nur Die schönste Blume der Natur, Ach, nur ein kleines Weilchen, Bis mich das Liebchen abgepflückt Und an dem Busen matt gedrückt! Ach nur, ach nur Ein Viertelstündchen lang! Ach! aber ach! das Mädchen kam Und nicht in Acht das Veilchen nahm, Ertrat das arme Veilchen. Es sank und starb und freut' sich noch: Und sterb' ich denn, so sterb' ich doch Durch sie, durch sie, Zu ihren Füßen doch.
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View text with all available footnotesNote for Stanza 1, line 5: "muntrem" is often modernized to "munterm"
Text Authorship:
- by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832), "Das Veilchen", appears in Erwin und Elmire [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 21
Word count: 114
A little violet stood upon the meadow, Lowly, humble, and unknown; It was a dear little violet. There came a young shepherdess With a light step and a merry spirit Along, along, Along the meadow, and sang. Ah! thinks the violet, if I only were The most beautiful flower in nature, Ah, only for a little while, Until the darling had picked me And pressed me to her bosom until I became faint, Ah only, ah only A quarter of an hour long! Alas! but alas! the maiden came And paid no heed to the little violet, She trampled the poor violet. It drooped and died and yet rejoiced: And if I must die, yet I die Through her, through her, Yet I die at her feet.
About the headline (FAQ)
View text with all available footnotesTranslated titles:
"Das Veilchen" = "The little violet"
"Romanze" = "Romance"
"Aus Erwin und Elmire" = "From [the Goethe play] Erwin and Elmire"
"Das Veilchen auf der Wiese" = "The little violet upon the meadow"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2015 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 Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832), "Das Veilchen", appears in Erwin und Elmire
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This text was added to the website: 2015-01-26
Line count: 21
Word count: 128