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Es waren zwei Ratten mit rauhem Schwanz, Ruschimuschikuschifidibum! Die wollten zusammen zum Kirchweihtanz, Ruschimuschikuschifidibum! Sie zogen sich an ihren Sonntagsstaat Und freuten sich über die reiche Wat, Sie dachten, es könnte sie Keiner, Und jede dünkte sich feiner. Sie krochen dem Bauer ins Wagenstroh, Ruschimuschikuschifidibum! Und fuhren umsonst zur Kirchweih so, Ruschimuschikuschifidibum! Und als der Bauer am Kruge hielt, Da ward im Saale schon aufgespielt, Sie kletterten vom Gefährte Und kräuselten sich die Bärte. Der Dudelsack und der Sumber klang, Ruschimuschikuschifidibum! Dem Fiedler die erste Saite sprang, Ruschimuschikuschifidibum! Die Ratten wurden da sehr geehrt Und wären doch lieber gleich umgekehrt, Sie konnten sich kaum gewöhnen An all das Summen und Dröhnen. Nun traten sie aber zum Tanzen an, Ruschimuschikuschifidibum! Die eine als Weib, die andre als Mann, Ruschimuschikuschifidibum! Aus einmal hieß es mitten im Tanz: Das sieht ja aus wie ein Rattenschwanz, Ruft doch den Herbergsvater, Der hat einen schwarzen Kater. Der Kater sprang: jetzt kriegt ihr den Lohn! Ruschimuschikuschifidibum! Hilf Himmel! Herr Kater, wir gehen ja schon! Ruschimuschikuschifidibum! Der Kater aber biß zweimal zu, Da hatten die Ratten vom Tanzen Ruh, Man hing sie an den Schwänzen, Die Stallthür zu bekränzen.
Authorship:
- by Julius Wolff (1834 - 1910), "Die zwei Ratten", appears in Singuf: Rattenfängerlieder, first published 1881 [author's text checked 2 times against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Gustav Borchers (1865 - 1913), "Die zwei Ratten ", op. 17 no. 3, published 1896 [ medium voice and piano ], from Drei humoristische Rattenfängerlieder aus Julius Wolff's "Singuf", no. 3, Leipzig, Rieter-Biedermann [sung text not yet checked]
- by Heinrich Karl Johann Hofmann (1842 - 1902), "Die zwei Ratten", op. 59 no. 2, published 1882 [ men's voice(s?) (and piano?) ], from Drei Lieder aus Julius Wolff's "Singuf", no. 2, Leipzig, Br. & Härtel [sung text not yet checked]
- by Hans August Friedrich Zincke genannt Sommer (1837 - 1922), "Die zwei Ratten ", op. 4 no. 20 (1882/83), published 1884 [ voice and piano ], from Hunold Singuf. Rattenfängerlieder nach Julius Wolff's Dichtungen, no. 20, Braunschweig, H. Litolff [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Les dues rates", copyright © 2024, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "The two rats", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2010-02-24
Line count: 40
Word count: 192
There were two rats with rough tails, Ruschimuschikuschifidibum!1 Together they wanted to attend the dance at the parish fair, Ruschimuschikuschifidibum! They put on their Sunday best And looked forward to a rich wallowing; They thought that no one would recognize them, And each thought he looked finer than the other. They crept into the straw on the farmer’s wagon, Ruschimuschikuschifidibum! And without paying a cent they rode to the parish fair, Ruschimuschikuschifidibum! And when the farmer halted at the tavern, The music had already started in the hall, They clambered from the wagon And curled their beards. The bagpipes and the string drum rang out, Ruschimuschikuschifidibum! The first string of the fiddler snapped, Ruschimuschikuschifidibum! The rats were highly honoured there But would rather have turned around and gone home, They simply could not accustom themselves To all the buzzing and droning. Then they themselves began to dance, Ruschimuschikuschifidibum! One as a woman, the other as a man, Ruschimuschikuschifidibum! Suddenly in the middle of the dance someone said: Hey, that looks like a rat’s tail, Call the innkeeper, He has a black tomcat. The tomcat leapt: now you shall get your just deserts! Ruschimuschikuschifidibum! Heaven help us! Mr. Cat, we’re already leaving! Ruschimuschikuschifidibum! But the tomcat bit down twice, Then the rats were done with dancing; By their tails they were hung Above the stable door as a decoration.
1 untranslatable nonsense syllables, passim.
Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2014 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 Julius Wolff (1834 - 1910), "Die zwei Ratten", appears in Singuf: Rattenfängerlieder, first published 1881
This text was added to the website: 2014-06-22
Line count: 40
Word count: 228