Die Wasserschlange
Language: German (Deutsch)
Available translation(s): ENG
Zeus hatte nunmehr den Fröschen einen anderen König gegeben;
anstatt eines friedlichen Klotzes eine gefräßige Wasserschlange.
"Willst du unser König sein", schrien die Frösche,
"warum verschlingst du uns?" -
"Darum", antwortete die Schlange, "weil ihr um mich gebeten habt." -
"Ich habe nicht um dich gebeten!" rief einer von den Fröschen,
den sie schon mit den Augen verschlang. -
"Nicht?" sagte die Wasserschlange. "Desto schlimmer!
So muß ich dich verschlingen,
weil du nicht um mich gebeten hast."
Authorship:
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Gary Bachlund) , "The Water Snake", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [
Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2009-03-14
Line count: 10
Word count: 77
The Water Snake
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch)
Zeus had not ever given frogs another king;
instead on a quiet log there was a gluttonous water snake.
"Perhaps you could be our king," cried a frog,
"but why do you devour us?" --
"For the reason that, " answered the snake, "you have asked for this."
"But I haven't asked you," cried one of the frogs,
that was being devoured with the snake's eyes.
"No?" said the water snake. "That's even worse.
So I have to devour you,
because you haven't asked me to."
Authorship:
Based on:
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [
Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2009-03-14
Line count: 10
Word count: 85