The forest birdlet | The little forest birdlet

Attention! Some of this material is not in the public domain.

It is illegal to copy and distribute our copyright-protected material without permission. It is also illegal to reprint copyright texts or translations without the name of the author or translator.

To inquire about permissions and rates, contact Emily Ezust at licenses@email.lieder.example.net

If you wish to reprint translations, please make sure you include the names of the translators in your email. They are below each translation.

Note: You must use the copyright symbol © when you reprint copyright-protected material.

by Paul Heyse (1830 - 1914)

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Das Waldvöglein

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG FRE

Das kleine Waldvöglein 
Das fliegt wohl durch die Lande. 
Zur Schönsten fliegt es hin 
Und sitzt am Fensterrande. 

Dort hebt's zu singen an 
Ein Lied von lauter Liebe. 
Die Schöne hört ihm zu, 
Das Herz wird ihr so trübe. 

Sie seufzet tief und schwer, 
Dann bricht sie aus in Klagen: 
Vöglein, schöns Vögelein, 
Du hast von Glück zu sagen. 

Du fliegst nach deiner Lust 
Und suchst dir deine Stätte. 
Ich bin gebunden hier 
Mit einer großen Kette. 

Vermählt seit gestern erst, 
Muß ich's schon heut bereuen; 
Nur wer in Freiheit ist, 
Mag sich des Lebens freuen.

Confirmed with Paul Heyse, Italienisches Liederbuch, Berlin: Verlag von Wilhelm Hertz (Bessersche Buchhandlung), 1860, pages 142-143.

Text Authorship:

by Paul Heyse (1830 - 1914), "Das Waldvöglein", appears in Italienisches Liederbuch, in Volksballaden [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 Theodor Winkelmann , "Das Waldvöglein", subtitle: "Italienische Ballade", op. 15, published 1889 [ high voice and piano ], Stettin: Simon [sung text not yet checked]

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "The forest birdlet", subtitle: "Italian ballad", copyright © 2021, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Le petit oiseau de la forêt", copyright © 2021, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2021-01-16
Line count: 20
Word count: 96

The forest birdlet

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

The little forest birdlet,
Indeed it flies through the lands.
It flies to the most beautiful woman
And sits on her window-sill.

There it begins to sing
A song of pure love.
The beautiful woman listens to it,
Her heart grows so bleak.

She sighs deeply and heavily,
Then she bursts into lamentations:
Birdlet, lovely birdlet,
You may speak of happiness.

At your whim you fly
And seek yourself your place.
I am bound here
With great fetters.

Married only since yesterday,
I must already rue it today;
Only those who live in freedom
May rejoice in life.

Subtitle: "Italian ballad"

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2021 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 Paul Heyse (1830 - 1914), "Das Waldvöglein", appears in Italienisches Liederbuch, in Volksballaden
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2021-01-16
Line count: 20
Word count: 98