Translation by Alexander Gray (1882 - 1968)
Die Alte und die Junge
Language: German (Deutsch)
Als ich ein jung Geselle war, Nahm ich ein steinalt Weib; Ich hatt sie kaum drei Tage, Ti, Ta, Tage, Da hat's mich schon gereut. Da ging ich auf den Kirchhof, Und bat den lieben Tod: „Ach! lieber Tod von Basel, Bi, Ba, Basel, Hol' mir mein' Alte fort.“ Und als ich wieder nach Hause kam, Mein' Alte Alte war schon todt; Ich spannt die Roß' an'n Wagen, Wi, Wa, Wagen, Und fuhr mein' Alte fort. Und als ich auf den Kirchhof kam, Das Grab war schon gemacht: „Ihr Träger, tragt fein sachte si, sa, sachte, Daß d'Alte nit erwacht. Scharrt zu, scharrt zu, scharrt immerzu, Das alte böse Weib, Sie hat ihr Lebetage, Ti, Ta, Tage, Geplagt mein jungen Leib.“ Und als ich wieder nach Hause kam, All' Winkel war'n mir zu weit; Ich wart'te kaum drei Tage, Ti, Ta, Tage, Und nahm eine junges Weib. Das junge Weibel, das ich nahm, Das schlug mich alle Tag; „Ach! lieber Tod von Basel, Bi, Ba, Basel, Hätt' ich mein' Alte noch!“
Confirmed with Die Volksharfe: Sammlung der schönsten Volkslieder aller Nationen, Fünftes Bändchen (Volume 5), Stuttgart, Franz Heinrich Köhler, 1838, page 104.
Text Authorship:
- from Volkslieder (Folksongs) , "Die Alte und die Junge" [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):
- [ None yet in the database ]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in Scottish (Scots), a translation by Alexander Gray (1882 - 1968) ; composed by Francis George Scott.
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2019-06-18
Line count: 28
Word count: 171
The Deil o' Bogie
Language: Scottish (Scots) after the German (Deutsch)
When I was young and ower young, I wad a deid aud wife; But ere three days had gane by, Gi Ga Gane by, I rued the sturt and strife. Sae to the kirk-yaird furth I fared, And to the Deil I prayed: “O, muckle Deil o’ Bogie, Bi Ba Bogie, Come tak the rankled jade”. When I got hame the soor auld bitch Was deid, ay, deid enough. I yokkit the mare to the dung-cairt, Ding Dang Dung-cairt, And drove her furth and leuch! And when I cam to the place o’ peace, The grave was howk’d, and snod: “Gae canny wi’ the corp, lads, Ci Ca Corp, lads; You’ll wauk her up, b’ God. Ram in, ram in the bonnie, bonnie yird Up on the ill-daein wife When she was hale and herty, Hi Ha Herty, She plagued me o’ my life.” But when I gat me hame again, The hoose seemed toom and wide. For juist three days I waited, Wit Wat Waited, Syne took a braw young bride. In three short days my braw young wife Had ta’en to lound ‘rin me. Gie’s back dear Deil o’ Bogie, Bi Ba Bogie, My auld calamitie.
Text Authorship:
- by Alexander Gray (1882 - 1968) [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) from Volkslieder (Folksongs) , "Die Alte und die Junge"
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Francis George Scott (1880 - 1958), "The Deil o' Bogie", 1948, published 1949 [ voice and piano ], from 35 Scottish Lyrics and other Poems, no. 29, Bayley & Ferguson for The Saltire Society, Glasgow, page 111 [sung text checked 1 time]
Researcher for this page: Iain Sneddon [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2019-06-17
Line count: 29
Word count: 198