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Will ich in mein Gärtlein gehn,
Will ich meine Zwiebeln gießen;
Steht ein bucklicht Männlein da,
Fängt als an zu niesen.
Will ich in mein Küchel gehn,
Will mein Süpplein kochen;
Steht ein bucklicht Männlein da,
Hat mein Töpflein brochen.
Will ich in mein Stüblein gehn,
Will mein Müßlein essen;
Steht ein bucklicht Männlein da,
Hat schon halber gessen.
...
Setz ich mich ans Rädlein hin,
Will mein Fädlein drehen;
Steht ein bucklicht Männlein da,
Läßt mirs Rad nicht laufen.
Geh ich in mein Kämmerlein,
Will mein Bettlein machen;
Steht ein bucklicht Männlein da,
Fängt als an zu lachen.
Wenn ich an mein Bänklein knie,
Will ein wenig beten;
Steht ein bucklicht Männlein da,
Fängt als an zu reden.
Liebes Kindlein, ach ich bitt,
Bet' für's bucklicht Männlein mit!
Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-3,6-9 of the original text.
Composition:
- Set to music by Alexander Zemlinsky (1871 - 1942), "Das bucklichte Männlein", op. 22 (Sechs Lieder) no. 6 (1934), published c1977, stanzas 1-3,6-9 [ soprano and piano ], Hillsdale, N. Y. : Mobart Music Publications
Text Authorship:
- from Volkslieder (Folksongs) , "Das bucklige Männlein", appears in Des Knaben Wunderhorn
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "The hunchbacked little man", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English [singable] (Maurice Wright) , "The gnome", copyright ©
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Le p'tit bossu", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 34
Word count: 172
When I want to go into my garden
In order to water my onions,
There's a hunchbacked little man standing there
Who begins to sneeze.
When I want to go into my kitchen
In order to cook my soup,
There's a hunchbacked little man standing there
Who has broken my pot.
When I want to go into my parlour
In order to eat my cereal,
There's a hunchbacked little man standing there
Who has already eaten half of it.
...
If I sit down at my spinning wheel
In order to spin my thread,
There's a hunchbacked little man standing there
Who prevents my wheel from turning.
If I go into my chamber
In order to make my bed,
There's a hunchbacked little man standing there
Who begins to laugh.
When I kneel down beside my bench
In order to pray a bit,
There's a hunchbacked little man standing there
Who begins to speak:
"Dear little child, ah, I beg,
Pray as well for the little hunchbacked man."
Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-3,6-9 of the original text.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2009 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.
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) from Volkslieder (Folksongs) , "Das bucklige Männlein", appears in Des Knaben Wunderhorn
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This text was added to the website: 2009-10-13
Line count: 34
Word count: 220