Der falsche Ritter am Weg (Volkslieder (Folksongs), set by (Benjamin Britten)) (The LiederNet Archive: Texts and Translations to Lieder, mélodies, canzoni, and other classical vocal music)

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from Volkslieder (Folksongs)

Translation © by Bertram Kottmann

The False Knight upon the road

Language: English

Available translation(s): FRE GER

The knight met the child in the road.
O where are you going to?
said the knight in the road.
I am going to my school,
said the child as he stood.
He stood and he stood and it's well because he stood.
I am going to my school,
said the child as he stood.

O what are you going there for?
said the knight in the road.
For to learn the Word of God,
said the child as he stood.
He stood and he stood and it's well because he stood.
For to learn the Word of God,
said the child as he stood.

O what have you got there?
said the knight in the road.
I have got my bread and cheese,
said the child as he stood.
He stood and he stood and it's well because he stood.
I have got my bread and cheese,
said the child as he stood.

O won't you give me some?
said the knight in the road.
No, ne'er a bite nor crumb,
said the child as he stood.
He stood and he stood and it's well because he stood.
No, ne'er a bite nor crumb,
said the child as he stood.

I wish you was on the sands,
said the knight in the road.
Yes, and a good staff in my hands,
said the child as he stood.
He stood and he stood and it's well because he stood.
Yes, and a good staff in my hands,
said the child as he stood.

I wish you was in the sea,
said the knight in the road.
Yes, and a good boat under me,
said the child as he stood.
He stood and he stood and it's well because he stood.
Yes, and a good boat under me,
said the child as he stood.

I think I hear a bell,
said the knight in the road.
Yes, and it's ringing you to hell,
said the child as he stood.
He stood and he stood and it's well because he stood.
Yes, and it's ringing you to hell,
said the child as he stood.

Authorship

from Volkslieder (Folksongs) [author's text not yet checked 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 (Edward) Benjamin Britten (1913 - 1976), "The False Knight upon the road", 1976 [voice and harp], from 8 Folk Song Arrangements, no. 7. [
text verified 1 time
]

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

FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , title 1: "Le perfide chevalier sur la route", copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
GER German (Deutsch) [singable] (Bertram Kottmann) , title 1: "Der falsche Ritter am Weg", copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this text: Virginia Knight

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 50
Word count: 352

Der falsche Ritter am Weg

Language: German (Deutsch) after the English

Am Weg traf der Ritter das Kind.
O, wo geht es denn hin,
sprach der Ritter zum Kind.
Zur Schule geht’s geschwind,
sprach am Wege das Kind.
Es stand, und es stand, es war gut, weil es stand.
Zur Schule geht’s geschwind,
sprach am Wege das Kind.

Warum geht’s zur Schule geschwind,
sprach der Ritter zum Kind.
Weil Gottes Wort ich dort find’,
sprach am Wege das Kind.
Es stand, und es stand, es war gut, weil es stand.
Weil Gottes Wort ich dort find’,
sprach am Wege das Kind.

O, was hast du denn da,
sprach der Ritter zum Kind.
Ich habe Käse und Brot,
sprach am Wege das Kind.
Es stand, und es stand, es war gut, weil es stand.
Ich habe Käse und Brot,
sprach am Wege das Kind.

O, gibst du mir davon,
sprach der Ritter zum Kind.
Keinen Bissen davon,
sprach am Wege das Kind.
Es stand, und es stand, es war gut, weil es stand.
Keinen Bissen davon,
sprach am Wege das Kind.

Ich wünsche, du wärst im Sand,
sprach der Ritter zum Kind.
Ja, mit ’nem Stock in der Hand,
sprach am Wege das Kind.
Es stand, und es stand, es war gut, weil es stand.
Ja, mit ’nem Stock in der Hand,
sprach am Wege das Kind.

Ich wünsche, du wärst im Meer,
sprach der Ritter zum Kind.
Auf ’nem Schiff wär das kein Beschwer,
sprach am Wege das Kind.
Es stand, und es stand, es war gut, weil es stand.
Auf ’nem Schiff wär das kein Beschwer,
sprach am Wege das Kind .

Ich mein’, es läutet hier,
sprach der Ritter zum Kind.
Ja, es läutet zur Hölle dir,
sprach am Wege das Kind.
Es stand, und es stand, es war gut, weil es stand.
Ja, es läutet zur Hölle dir,
sprach am Wege das Kind.

Authorship

Singable translation from English to German (Deutsch) copyright © 2015 by Bertram Kottmann, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you must ask the copyright-holder(s) directly for permission. If you receive no response, you must consider it a refusal.
Bertram Kottmann. Contact: BKottmann (AT) t-online.de
If you wish to commission a new translation, please contact:

Based on

a text in English from Volkslieder (Folksongs)

This text was added to the website: 2015-09-09
Line count: 50
Word count: 305