Translation by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807 - 1882)
Ich weiß mir'n Mädchen hübsch und fein
Language: German (Deutsch)
Ich weiß [mir'n Mädchen]1 hübsch und fein,
hüt du dich!
Es kann wohl falsch und freundlich sein,
hüt du dich!
Vertrau ihr nicht, sie narret dich!
Sie hat zwei Äuglein, die sind [braun]2,
hüt du dich!
Sie werd'n dich überzwerch anschaun,
hüt du dich!
Vertrau ihr nicht, sie narret dich!
Sie hat ein licht goldfarbenes Haar,
hüt du dich!
Und was sie red't, das ist nicht wahr,
hüt du dich!
Vertrau ihr nicht, sie narret dich!
[ ... ]
J. Brahms sets stanzas 1-3, 5 in (at least) one setting - see below for more information
J. Brahms sets stanzas 1-3, 5 in (at least) one setting - see below for more information
H. Haßler sets stanza 1
H. von Herzogenberg sets stanzas 1-3, 5
C. Elling sets stanzas 1-3, 5
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)1 Hassler: "ein Meidlein" ; Hiller: "ein Maidlein"; Herzogenberg: "ein Maidlein weiss"
2 Herzogenberg: "blau"
3 Herzogenberg: "giebt dir's Körblein"
Text Authorship:
- from Volkslieder (Folksongs) , appears in Des Knaben Wunderhorn
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Je connais une fille exquise et jolie", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Andrew Schneider [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2004-01-12
Line count: 25
Word count: 130
Language: English after the German (Deutsch)
I know a maiden fair to see,
Take care!
She can both false and friendly be,
beware! beware!
Trust her not, she is fooling thee!
She has two eyes, so soft and brown,
take care!
She gives a side-glance and looks down,
beware! beware!
Trust her not, she is fooling thee!
And she has hair of a golden hue,
take care!
And what she says, it is not true,
beware! beware!
Trust her not, she is fooling thee!
...
Composition:
- Set to music by Charles Gounod (1818 - 1893), "Beware!", CG 338 (1870), published 1871, stanzas 1-3 [ voice and piano ], also set in French (Français)
Text Authorship:
- by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807 - 1882), "Beware!", appears in Voices of the Night, first published 1839
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) from Volkslieder (Folksongs) , appears in Des Knaben Wunderhorn
See other settings of this text.
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2004-01-12
Line count: 25
Word count: 132