Sang wohl, sang das Vögelein,
Und verstummte.
Ward dem Herzen Freude kund,
Und vergessen
Vöglein, das so gerne singt,
Warum schweigt es?
Herz, was ist mit dir geschehen,
Daß du traurig?
Ach, das Vöglein tödtete
Rauher Schneesturm,
Und das Herz des Burschen brach
Böses Reden.
Wär' das Vöglein gern geflohn
Fort zum Meere,
Wär' der Bursche gern entflohen
In die Wälder.
In dem Meere treibt die Flut,
Doch nicht Schneesturm --
Wilde Thiere birgt der Wald,
Doch nicht Menschen.
Ach! In dem Meer kein Schneesturm,
Ach! Im Walde keine Menschen. Ja!
Composition:
Text Authorship:
Based on:
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "[It] sang, [it] sang, the little bird", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust
[Administrator] , Sharon Krebs
[Senior Associate Editor]This text was added to the website: 2009-09-22
Line count: 20
Word count: 85
It sang, it sang, the little bird,
And fell silent.
My heart received tidings of joy,
And And forgot them.
Little bird that sings so gladly,
Why has it fallen silent?
Heart, what has happened to you
That you are sad?
Ah! The little bird was killed
By a harsh snowstorm,
And the heart of the lad was broken
By evil gossip.
The little bird would gladly have fled
Away to the sea,
The lad would gladly have fled
Into the woods.
In the sea are driving tides,
But no snowstorms --
The forest conceals wild animals,
But not people
Ah! In the sea no snowstorms,
Ah! In the woods no people. Yes!.
