If I were a little bird

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by Georg Friedrich Treitschke (1776 - 1842)

Translation © by Gary Bachlund (b. 1947)

Ruf vom Berge

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG FRE

Wenn ich ein Vöglein wär'
Und auch zwei Flüglein hätt',
Flög ich zu dir!
Weils aber nicht kann sein,
Bleib ich allhier.

Wenn ich ein Sternlein wär'
Und auch viel Strahlen hätt',
Strahlt' ich dich an.
Und du säh'st freundlich auf,
Grüßtest hinan.

Wenn ich ein Bächlein wär'
Und auch viel Wellen hätt',
Rauscht' ich durch's Grün.
Nahte dem kleinen Fuß,
Küßte wohl ihn.

Würd' ich zur Abendluft,
Nähm' ich mir Blütenduft,
Hauchte dir zu.
Weilend auf Brust und Mund,
Fänd' ich dort Ruh'.

Geht doch kein' Stund der Nacht,
Ohn' daß mein Herz erwacht
Und an dich denkt.
Wie du mir tausendmal
Dein Herz geschenkt.

Wohl dringen Bach und Stern,
Lüftlein und Vöglein fern,
Kommen zu dir.
Ich nur bin festgebannt,
Weine allhier.

Confirmed with Musen-Almanach für das Jahr 1808, ed. by August Kuhn and [Georg] Friedrich Treitschke, Wien: in Verlag bey J. B. Wallishausser, 1808, pages 26 - 28.

Note: the first stanza is from a Volkslied, and the fifth stanza also has an analog in that text (stanza 3).

Text Authorship:

by Georg Friedrich Treitschke (1776 - 1842), "Ruf vom Berge" [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 Gary Bachlund (b. 1947), "Ruf vom Berge", 2009 [ medium voice and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
by Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827), "Ruf vom Berge", WoO. 147 [sung text checked 1 time]

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

ENG English (Gary Bachlund) , copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Appel de la montagne", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Melanie Trumbull

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 30
Word count: 124

If I were a little bird

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

If I were a little bird
And had two little wings,
I would fly to you!
But as that cannot be,
I remain here.

If I were a little star
And could shine brightly,
I would shine upon you!
And you would look lovingly up,
And be thus greeted.

If I were a little brook
And had also many ripples,
I would rush through the green.
Nearing your little foot,
I would kiss it.

If I were the evening breeze,
I would carry blossom scents,
As breaths surround you.
Lingering on breast and mouth,
I would find such peace.

There is not one hour of the night
Without these my heart awakens
And I think of you.
As you a thousand times
Give me your heart.

While the stream and star,
Breeze and distant bird
Come to you,
I am held away,
Here to weep awhile.

About the headline (FAQ)

Text Authorship:

by Gary Bachlund (b. 1947), copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]

Based on:

a text in German (Deutsch) by Georg Friedrich Treitschke (1776 - 1842), "Ruf vom Berge"
- Go to the text page.

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2009-11-24
Line count: 30
Word count: 146