Es flog ein munteres Vögelein
Language: German (Deutsch)
Es flog ein munteres Vögelein
Im Sonnenschein,
Und sang, daß Alles wiederhallt:
"Der Wald, der Wald,
Der ganze Wald ist mein!"
Da kam ein Vogelsteller fein,
Und fing es ein,
Und trug es mit sich stumm und kalt,
Fort aus dem Wald,
Als wär' es rechtlich sein.
Nahm eine Schöne zart und rein
Das Vögelein,
Und vor der lieblichen Gestalt
Vergaß es Wald
Und Luft und Sonnenschein.
Ein seid'ner Faden stark und fein
Hielt ihm das Bein.
Und sucht es Freyheit auch und Wald,
Der zög' es bald
Zum Fenster doch herein.
About the headline (FAQ)
Confirmed with Gedichte von Fridr. Baron de la Motte-Fouqué, Neueste Auflage, Wien: Bey B. Ph. Bauer, 1816, pages 67-68
Text Authorship:
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs
[Guest Editor] This text was added to the website: 2015-12-13
Line count: 20
Word count: 92
A jaunty little bird was flying
Language: English after the German (Deutsch)
A jaunty little bird was flying
In the sunshine,
And sang so that it echoed from all sides:
"The forest, the forest,
The whole forest is mine!"
Along came a skillful bird-catcher
And caught it,
And carried it off, mute and cold,
Out of the forest,
As if it were his by rights.
A beautiful woman, delicate and pure,
Took the little bird,
And seeing her beautiful image
It forgot the forest
And breeze and sunshine.
A silken thread, strong and true,
Was attached to its leg.
And even should the bird seek freedom and forest,
[The thread] would soon pull it
Back in through the window.
About the headline (FAQ)
Translated titles:
"Lied" = "Song"
"Es flog ein munteres Vögelein" = "A jaunty little bird was flying"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2015 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:
This text was added to the website: 2015-12-13
Line count: 20
Word count: 107