Die Schleiche singt ihr Nachtgebet,
die Waldgeiß staunend vor ihr steht.
Die Waldgeiß schüttelt ihren Bart
wie ein Magister hochgelahrt.
Sie weiß nicht, was die Schleiche singt,
sie hört nur, daß es lieblich klingt.
Die Schleiche fällt in Schlaf alsbald.
Die Geiß geht sinnend durch den Wald.
About the headline (FAQ)
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):
- by Gary Bachlund (b. 1947), "Geiß und Schleiche", 2013 [ tenor and piano ], from Zwölf Morgenstern-Lieder , no. 7 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Richard Farber (b. 1945), "Geiß und Schleiche", from Galgenlieder, no. 64 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Ralf Albert Franz (b. 1969), "Geiß und Schleiche", from Galgenlieder, no. 18 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Paul Hermann Franz Graener (1872 - 1944), "Geiß und Schleiche", op. 79 no. 9, from Nacht- und Spukgesänge. Galgenlieder nach Gedichten von Christian Morgenstern, no. 9 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Hans Krása (1899 - 1944), "Geiß und Schleiche", op. 1 (Vier Orchesterlieder) no. 1 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Alfred Schuster (1910 - 1980), "Geiß und Schleiche", 1947 [ voice and piano ], from Galgenlieder nach Gedichten von Christian Morgenstern, no. 9 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Rudi Spring (b. 1962), "Geiß und Schleiche", op. 19a (Galgenliederbuch, 1. Folge) no. 2 (1983/89), published 2003 [ voice and piano ], from Galgenliederbuch nach Gedichten von Christian Morgenstern, no. 2, München (Munich), Verlag vierdreiunddreissig [sung text not yet checked]
- by Ernest Vietor (flourished 1905-1930), "Geiß und Schleiche", op. 7 no. 9, from Galgenlieder, no. 9 [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Emily Ezust) , copyright © 2005
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Chèvre et lézard", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [
Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2004-07-07
Line count: 8
Word count: 47
The lizard sings its nightly prayer,
the forest goat stands astounded before it.
The goat shakes its beard
like some erudite scholar.
[The goat] does not know what the lizard is singing -
it is aware only that it sounds lovely.
The lizard falls asleep shortly.
The goat walks pensively through the forest.
