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Frau Holle klopft die Betten aus.
[Sankt]1 Peter guckt zum Thor hinaus:
"Nanu -- ?" und [Nasenrümpfen]2:
"[Jetzt]3 wird's mir schließlich doch zu toll,
Stäubt sie schon wieder alles voll -- ?
Heda!"
So hebt er an zu schimpfen.
"Das ist doch wirklich ein Skandal!
Bis in den Zwölfapostel-Saal
Die Federflocken fliegen;
Und rechts und links und weit und breit
Gewirr und Wust und dickverschneit!
Heda!
So Stern wie Himmelsstiegen!
Geh' sie doch weiter vor das Thor,
Und kommt mir das noch einmal vor,
So nehm' ich sie beim Schopfe.
's ist gar kein Reinemachen heut!
Wir haben [längst]4 schon Frühlingszeit,
Heda!
Was soll denn das Geklopfe?"
[Und]5 zankt und poltert mit Gebrumm --
Frau Holle dreht sich [lächelnd] 6 um
Mit ihrem Sack voll Flocken!
[Und]7 stülpt ihm, eh er's ahnt noch glaubt,
Die ganze Schneewulst übers Haupt:
"Heda!"
Da stand er [toterschrocken]8!
[Und]5 prustete [und spuckt']9 und stieß --
Die bösen Buben im Paradies,
Die [quietschten vor Vergnügen
Und tanzten um ihn Ringelreihn:]10
"[Sankt]1 Peter ist ein Schneemännlein,
Heda!
[Sankt]1 Peter, thu uns kriegen!"
Confirmed with Adolf Holst, Sternschnuppen: Gedichte, Berlin: G. Grote'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, 1902, pages 12-13.
1 Bungert: "Sant"2 Bungert: "Nase rümpfen"
3 Bungert: "Nun"
4 Bungert: "lang"
5 Bungert: "Er"
6 Bungert: "lachend"
7 Bungert: "Sie"
8 Bungert: "tot erschrocken"
9 Bungert: "und schimpft und spuckt"
10 Bungert: "tanzten vor Vergnügen; / Und laut erklangs im Ringelreihn,"
Text Authorship:
- by Adolf Holst (1867 - 1945), "Frau Holle", appears in Sternschnuppen; Gedichte, first published 1902 [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 (Friedrich) August Bungert (1845 - 1915), "Frau Holle", published 1903 [ voice and piano ], in the collection Im Volkston: moderne Volkslieder komponiert für Die Woche, Druck und Verlag von August Scherl G.m.b.H. Berlin [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Mother Hulda", copyright © 2021, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor] , Harry Joelson
This text was added to the website: 2012-02-22
Line count: 35
Word count: 183
Mother Hulda is shaking out the bedclothes.
Saint Peter looks out of the gate:
"Well I never -- ?" and a sniff:
"Now it is really getting to be too much,
Is she scattering dust everywhere again -- ?
Hey!
Thus he begins to scold.
"That is truly a scandal!
The feathers are flying all the way
Into the chamber of the twelve apostles;
And right and left and far and wide
Jumble and clutter and thickly snowed under!
Hey!
The stars as well as the stairs of heaven!
May she go farther outside the gate,
And if this happens once more
I shall grab her by the hair.
There is to be absolutely no cleaning today!
It has long been springtime already,
Hey!
What is the purpose of all that beating?"
[And]1 rages and blusters with grumbling --
With her sack full of flakes,
Mother Hulda turns around, [smiling]2!
[And]3 before he has any notion of it, she dumps
The whole lot of snow upon his head:
"Hey!"
There he stood, startled to death!
[And]1 snorts [and splutters]4 and shoves
The mischievous boys in paradise,
They [squealed with glee
And danced a roundelay about him:]5
"Saint Peter is a little snowman,
Hey!
Saint Peter, come catch us!"
1 Bungert: "He"
2 Bungert: "laughing"
3 Bungert: "She"
4 Bungert: "and scolds and splutters"
5 Bungert: "danced in glee; / And loudly one heard in the roundelay,"
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 Adolf Holst (1867 - 1945), "Frau Holle", appears in Sternschnuppen; Gedichte, first published 1902
This text was added to the website: 2021-06-25
Line count: 35
Word count: 210