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Das war der Zwerg Perkêo im Heidelberger Schloß, An Wuchse klein und winzig, an Durste riesengroß. Man schalt ihn einen Narren, er dachte: »Liebe Leut', Wärt ihr wie ich doch alle feuchtfröhlich und gescheut!« Und als das Faß, das große, mit Wein bestellet war, Da ward sein künftiger Standpunkt dem Zwergen völlig klar. »Fahr' wohl«, sprach er, »o Welt, du Katzenjammertal, Was sie auf dir hantieren, ist Wurst mir und egal! Um lederne Ideen rauft man manch heißen Kampf, Es ist im Grund doch alles nur Nebel, Rauch und Dampf. Die Wahrheit liegt im Weine. Beim Weinschlurf sonder End' Erklär' ich alter Narre fortan mich permanent.« Perkêo stieg zum Keller; er kam nicht mehr herfür Und sog bei fünfzehn Jahre am rheinischen Malvasier. War's drunten auch stichdunkel, ihm strahlte inneres Licht, Und wankten auch die Beine, er trank und murrte nicht. Als er zum Faß gestiegen, stand's wohlgefüllt und schwer, Doch als er kam zu sterben, klang's ausgesaugt und leer. Da sprach er fromm: »Nun preiset, ihr Leute, des Herren Macht, Die in mir schwachem Knirpse so Starkes hat vollbracht: Wie es dem kleinen David gegen Goliath einst gelang, Also ich arm' Gezwerge den Riesen Durst bezwang. Nun singt ein De Profundis, daß das Gewölb' erdröhnt, Das Faß steht auf der Neige, ich falle sieggekrönt.« ... Perkêo ward begraben. -- Um seine Kellergruft Beim leeren Riesenfasse weht heut noch feuchte Luft, Und wer als frommer Pilger frühmorgens ihr genaht: Weh' ihm! Als Weinvertilger durchtobt er nachts die Stadt.
Authorship:
- by Joseph Viktor von Scheffel (1826 - 1886), "Perkêo", appears in Gaudeamus. Lieder aus dem Engeren und Weiteren, in Heidelbergisch, no. 37, Stuttgart, first published 1867 [author's text checked 1 time 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 Jensen (1837 - 1879), "Perkêo", op. 40 no. 7, published 1871 [bass and piano], from Zwölf Lieder aus Scheffel's Gaudeamus für Bass, no. 7, Dresden, Hoffarth [ sung text checked 1 time]
- by Vinzenz Lachner (1811 - 1893), "Perkêo", op. 33 no. 1, published 1886 [bass or baritone and piano], from Scherz im Ernst und Ernst im Scherz. Cyklus von 13 Gesängen nach Gedichten von V. von Scheffel, für Bass (oder Bariton) mit Pianoforte, no. 1, Mainz, Schott [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Iain Sneddon) , "Perkêo", copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Iain Sneddon [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2011-07-17
Line count: 28
Word count: 247
There was a dwarf, Perkêo, in the Heidelberg Castle, Small and short on stature but huge in thirst. Everyone made a fool of him, he thought; "Dear people, Would that you, like me, were all happily drunk and spurned!" And when the barrel of wine, which was large, was ordered, Then the dwarf’s prospective standpoint became perfectly clear. "Goodbye," he said, "oh World, you depressing valley, You tease and make mincemeat of me, and don’t care! For dry, old ideas, you get many wound up to fight, It's really just fog, smoke and steam. Truth lies in wine. For inebriation without end Clearly I, the old jester, henceforth must make it permanent." Perkêo went to the cellar; he did not return, For fifteen years he supped Rhenish Malmsey. It was very dark downstairs but he radiated an inner light, And although his legs staggered, he drank and did not grumble. When he first climbed into the barrel, it was well-filled and heavy, But when he came to die, it sounded drained and empty. Then he piously said: "Now everyone, praise the power of the Lord, Although teased for my weakness, he has given me strength: How little David triumphed against Goliath, So I, a poor little dwarf, overcame the giant Thirst. Now sing a De Profundis until the vault is booming, The barrel is running low, I fall but am crowned victorious." ... Perkêo was buried. - In his cellar crypt Damp vapours still blows around the giant’s cup today And whoever, as a pious pilgrim, approaches it in the early morning: Woe to him! Throughout the wine region he will riot through the city at night.
Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2019 by Iain Sneddon, (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 Joseph Viktor von Scheffel (1826 - 1886), "Perkêo", appears in Gaudeamus. Lieder aus dem Engeren und Weiteren, in Heidelbergisch, no. 37, Stuttgart, first published 1867
This text was added to the website: 2019-02-26
Line count: 28
Word count: 277