The sandman | I wear a fine pair of boots

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by (Gustav) Hermann Kletke (1813 - 1886)

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Der Sandmann

(Sung text for setting by L. Blech)

See original

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: CAT DUT ENG FRE

  Zwei feine Stieflein hab ich an 
Mit wunderweichen Söhlchen dran,
Ein Säcklein hab ich hinten auf,
Husch! trippl' ich rasch die Trepp' hinauf;
Und wenn ich in die Stube tret,
Die Kinder beten das Abendgebet,
Von meinem Sack zwei Körnelein
Streu ich auf ihre Äugelein, 
 ... 
Den frommen Kindern soll gar schön
Ein froher Traum vorübergehn. 
Nun risch und rasch mit Sack und Stab
Die Treppe risch und rasch hinab,
Ich kann nicht länger müßig stehn,
Ich muß noch heut zu Vielen gehn, --
Da nicken sie schon und lachen im Traum,
Und öffnete doch mein Säcklein kaum!

Composition:

Leo Blech

Acht Liedchen großen und kleinen Kindern vorzusingen, Dritte Folge

Text Authorship:

by (Gustav) Hermann Kletke (1813 - 1886), "Der Sandmann", appears in Phantasus, appears in Gedichte, in 4. Aus dem Sagen- und Märchenwald, first published 1841

See other settings of this text.

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "L’esperit de la son", copyright © 2020, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "De zandman", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "The sandman", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Le marchand de sable", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Research team for this page: John Versmoren , Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 20
Word count: 127

The sandman

(Sung text translation for setting by L. Blech)

See original

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

I wear a fine pair of boots
with wondrously soft soles,
I carry a sack upon my back!
Hush, I scamper quickly up the stairs.
And when I enter the chamber
The children are saying their prayers:
Two little grains of my sand
I scatter into their eyes,
Then they sleep the whole night
Watched over by God and the angels.
Two little grains of my sand
I scattered into their eyes:
The good little children should be visited
By a beautiful dream.
Now rapidly and swiftly with my sack and my stick
back down the stairs!
I can no longer stand around idly,
I must still visit many children tonight.
There you are already nodding off and laughing in your dreams,
And I barely opened my little sack.

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2010 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.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net

Based on:

a text in German (Deutsch) by (Gustav) Hermann Kletke (1813 - 1886), "Der Sandmann", appears in Phantasus, appears in Gedichte, in 4. Aus dem Sagen- und Märchenwald, first published 1841
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This text was added to the website: 2010-06-16
Line count: 20
Word count: 129