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Mir war ein Weh geschehen, Und da ich durch die Felder ging, Da sah ich einen Schmetterling, Der war so weiß und dunkelrot, Im blauen Winde wehen. Oh du! In Kinderzeiten, Da noch die Welt so morgenklar Und noch so nah der Himmel war, Da sah ich dich zum letztenmal Die schönen Flügel breiten. Du farbig weiches Wehen, Das mir vom Paradiese kam, Wie fremd muß ich und voller Scham Vor deinem tiefen Gottesglanz Mit spröden Augen stehen! Feldeinwärts ward getrieben Der weiß' und rote Schmetterling, Und da ich träumend weiterging, War mir vom Paradiese her Ein stiller Glanz geblieben.
Please note: this text, provided here for educational and research use, is in the public domain in Canada and the U.S., but it may still be copyright in other legal jurisdictions. The LiederNet Archive makes no guarantee that the above text is public domain in your country. Please consult your country's copyright statutes or a qualified IP attorney to verify whether a certain text is in the public domain in your country or if downloading or distributing a copy constitutes fair use. The LiederNet Archive assumes no legal responsibility or liability for the copyright compliance of third parties.
Confirmed with Hermann Hesse, Sämtliche Werke, herausgegeben von Volker Michels, Band 10 Die Gedichte, bearbeitet von Peter Huber, Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp Verlag, 2002, page 199.
Text Authorship:
- by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962), "Der Schmetterling", written 1904 [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 Adolf Emil Fecker (1901 - ?), "Der Schmetterling" [ voice, violin, and piano ], from Drei Lieder mit Violine und Klavierbegleitung, no. 1 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Heinz-Otto Hoffmann (b. 1902), "Der Schmetterling", 1932-47 [ voice and piano ], from 21 Lieder, no. 1 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Maria Rudloff , "Der Schmetterling ", <<1919 [ voice and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Karl Franz Schwarz , "Der Schmetterling ", 1948 [ voice and piano (or orchestra?) ], from Musik des Einsamen, no. 12 [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "La papallona", copyright © 2024, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "The butterfly", copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2009-05-05
Line count: 20
Word count: 100
I had suffered a hurt, And as I walked through the fields, I saw a butterfly That was so white and dark red, Wafting in the blue breeze. Oh you! In the times of childhood When the world was still so wreathed in the limpidity of morning, And Heaven was still so near, That was the last time I saw you Spreading your beautiful wings. You colourful, soft wafting That came to me from Paradise, How alien and full of shame Must I stand before your profound divine radiance With downcast eyes. The white and red butterfly Was driven across the fields, And as I continued dreamily on my way, A quiet radiance from paradise Remained with me.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2016 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 Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962), "Der Schmetterling", written 1904
This text was added to the website: 2016-11-30
Line count: 20
Word count: 118