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Under a spreading chestnut-tree The village smithy stands; The smith, a mighty man is he, With large and sinewy hands; And the muscles of his brawny arms Are strong as iron bands. His hair is crisp, and black, and long, His face is like the tan; His brow is wet with honest sweat, He earns whate'er he can, And looks the whole world in the face, For he owes not any man. Week in, week out, from morn till night, You can hear his bellows blow; You can hear him swing his heavy sledge, With measured beat and slow, Like a sexton ringing the village bell, When the evening sun is low. And children coming home from school Look in at the open door; They love to see the flaming forge, And hear the bellows roar, And catch the burning sparks that fly Like chaff from a threshing-floor. He goes on Sunday to the church, And sits among his boys; He hears the parson pray and preach, He hears his daughter's voice, Singing in the village choir, And it makes his heart rejoice. It sounds to him like her mother's voice, Singing in Paradise! He needs must think of her once more, How in the grave she lies; And with his hard, rough hand he wipes A tear out of his eyes. Toiling, -- rejoicing, -- sorrowing, Onward through life he goes; Each morning sees some task begin, Each evening sees it close; Something attempted, something done, Has earned a night's repose. Thanks, thanks to thee, my worthy friend, For the lesson thou hast taught! Thus at the flaming forge of life Our fortunes must be wrought; Thus on its sounding anvil shaped Each burning deed and thought.
Text Authorship:
- by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807 - 1882), "The Village Blacksmith", appears in Ballads and Other Poems, first published 1842 [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 Thomas Anderton (1836 - 1903), "The Village Blacksmith", published 1898, cantata, also set in German (Deutsch) [sung text not yet checked]
- by Michael William Balfe (1808 - 1870), "The Village Blacksmith", published 186-? [ voice, piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by William Henry Berwald (1864 - 1948), "The Village Blacksmith", published 1917 [ mixed chorus and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by John Blockley (1800 - 1882), "The Village Blacksmith", published 1857 [ voice, piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Dudley Buck (1839 - 1909), "The Village Blacksmith", published 1893 [ baritone or bass, piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Herbert Daykin , "The Village Blacksmith" [ voice, piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Samuel Richards Gaines (1869 - 1945), "The Village Blacksmith", published 1925 [ soprano, baritone, mixed chorus, and piano or orchestra ], cantata [sung text not yet checked]
- by William Edwin Haesche (1867 - 1929), "The Village Blacksmith", op. 34, published 1911 [ tenor, men's chorus, and piano or orchestra ], cantata, also set in German (Deutsch) [sung text not yet checked]
- by John Liptrot Hatton (1809 - 1886), "The Village Blacksmith", published 1870? [ SATB chorus or ATBB chorus ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Charles F. Heuberer , "The Village Blacksmith", published 1848 [ voice, piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by T. L. Jephson , "The Village Blacksmith", published c1870 [ baritone, piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Richard Kountz (1896 - 1950), "The Village Blacksmith", published 1924 [ SSA chorus and piano or orchestra ], cantata [sung text not yet checked]
- by William Harold Neidlinger (1863 - 1924), "The Village Blacksmith", published 1918 [ SATB chorus and piano or organ ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by George Balch Nevin (1859 - 1933), "The Village Blacksmith", published 1893 [ baritone or bass, piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Charles F. Noyes , "The Village Blacksmith", published 1898 [ mixed chorus, piano, organ, and anvil ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by George Peabody , "The Village Blacksmith", published 1890 [ baritone or bass, piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Carl Reinhardt , "The Village Blacksmith", published 186-? [ voice, piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by W. Rhys-Herbert , "The Village Blacksmith" [ voice, piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Carl Wagner , "The Village Blacksmith" [ voice, piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by David A. Warden , "The Village Blacksmith", published 1867/72 [ voice, piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Willoughby Hunter Weiss (1820 - 1867), "The Village Blacksmith", published 1851 [ medium voice, piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Willy Kastner ; composed by Thomas Anderton.
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Alice Mattullath ; composed by William Edwin Haesche.
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- GER German (Deutsch) (Linda Godry) , "Unter einem verzweigten Kastanienbaum", copyright © 2007, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- SPA Spanish (Español) (Miguel Antonio Caro) , "El herrero de la aldea", appears in Traducciones poéticas, Bogotá, Librería Americana, calle XIV, n. 77, 79, first published 1889
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2004-05-08
Line count: 48
Word count: 286
Unter einem verzweigten Kastanienbaum Steht der Dorfschmied; Der Schmied ist ein gar kräftiger Mann, mit großen sehnigen Händen; und die Muskeln seiner starken Arme sind so stark wie eiserne Bande. Sein Haar ist kraus, schwarz und lang, sein Gesicht braun gebrannt; ehrlicher Schweiß steht ihm auf der Stirn, er plagt sich recht, und sieht jedem grad ins Gesicht, denn er bleibt niemandem etwas schuldig. Tag ein, Tag aus, von früh bis spät, hört man seine Blasebälge fauchen; seinen Vorschlaghammer nieder gehen, mit beherrschter Kraft und Ruhe, so, wie ein Küster im Dorf die Abendglocke läutet, Die Kinder, nach der Schule Schau'n herein zur offenen Tür; Wie gebannt vom glühenden Schmiedefeuer, vom Fauchen der Blasebälge, und versuchen die Funken zu fangen, die auffliegen wie Spreu auf dem Dresch-Boden(der Tenne). Des Sonntags geht er zur Kirche, und sitzt in der Bank mit seinen Söhnen; Er hört dem Priester zu, der betet und predigt, hört die Stimme seiner Tochter, die im Kirchenchor singt, und freut sich seines Lebens. Ihrer Stimme Klang erinnert ihn an deren Mutter, die nun im Paradiese singt! Er denkt an sie, die sie Nun im Grabe liegt; Und mit seinen harten, rauen Händen Wischt er sich eine Träne aus den Augenwinkeln. Arbeit, Freude, Kummer, Und immer weiter geht das Leben; Jeder Morgen bringt neue Aufgaben, jeden Abend sind sie erledigt; Manches begonnen, manches geschafft, so kommt die Nachtruhe verdient. Dank, Dank dir, mein guter Geselle, für die Lehre die du erteilt! Im glühenden Schmiedefeuer des Lebens Müssen wir uns unser Glück schmieden; Auf seinem Amboss zurechtbiegen Jeden drängenden Wunsch, jede Tat.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from English to German (Deutsch) copyright © 2007 by Linda Godry, (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:
- a text in English by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807 - 1882), "The Village Blacksmith", appears in Ballads and Other Poems, first published 1842
This text was added to the website: 2007-09-21
Line count: 48
Word count: 262