by Elisabeth Ebeling (1828 - 1905)
Translation Singable translation by John Bernhoff (flourished 1890-1912)
Wiegenlied
Language: German (Deutsch)
Available translation(s): ENG
Es schaukeln die Winde das Nest in der Linde, da schließen sich schnell die Äugelein hell. Da schlafen vom Flügel der Mutter gedeckt die Vögelchen süß bis der Morgen sie weckt. Bei Mütterlein liegen die Lämmer und schmiegen ans Fell sich so dicht und regen sich nicht. Sie atmen so leise und werden erst wach beim Zwitschern der Schwalben hoch oben am Dach. Nur einzig die Sterne am Himmel so ferne, ob groß oder klein, sie schlafen nicht ein, sie schließen die strahlenden Augen nicht zu, sie legen sich nicht mit den andern zu Ruh'. Wenn aber mit Lachen die Kinder erwachen, das Lämmchen sich reckt, der Vogel sich streckt, dann müssen die Sterne, ob groß oder klein, sie müssen in's himmlische Bettchen hinein. Dann der darf nicht singen am Morgen und springen, wer während der Nacht herum tollt und wacht. Drum schlaf nur, mein Liebling, schlaf selig und fest, wie's Lämmchen im Stall, wie der Vogel im Nest!
Authorship:
- by Elisabeth Ebeling (1828 - 1905) [author's text not yet checked 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 Engelbert Humperdinck (1854 - 1921), "Wiegenlied", 1900, from Vier Kinderlieder [text verified 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Malcolm Wren) , title 1: "Lullaby", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English [singable] (John Bernhoff) , title 1: "Cradle Song"
Researcher for this page: Malcolm Wren [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2008-03-11
Line count: 30
Word count: 159
Cradle Song
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch)
Soft nest in the willow, No cover, no pillow; The gentle winds rock, In slender treetop, Six birdies beneath their mother's warm wings, All fast asleep till the sun daylight brings. On soft grassy meadow, Beneath the oak's shadow, Lies each snow-white lamb, Beside its own dam. They're all fast asleep and they will not awake Till swallows 'gin chatt'ring and day 'gins to break. The stars are not sleeping, In heav'n vigil keeping, They watch thro' the night, With soft silv'ry light. They peep thro' the cloudlets that float o'er the moon. They'll not go to bed till the day has begun; Till daylight is breaking The children are waking; The lambkins do bleat And birdies sing sweet. The stars then must go to their heavenly bed As soon as the sun his bright radiance doth shed. If others but knew it, How night-prowlers rue it, They'd all go to sleep When stars 'gin to peep; Then sleep, baby darling, on mother's soft breast, Like lambkins in fold, like the bird in its nest.
From the Humperdinck score.
Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
Authorship:
- Singable translation by John Bernhoff (flourished 1890-1912), "Cradle Song" [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Elisabeth Ebeling (1828 - 1905)
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 ]
Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2009-07-10
Line count: 30
Word count: 175