In a little coat with much frou-frou

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 Erich Kurt Mühsam (1878 - 1934)

Translation © by Gary Bachlund (b. 1947)

Kind und Pfau

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG

Im Mäntelchen mit viel Besatz
und seidener Kapotte,
im Spitzenkragen und Seidenlatz,
so steht hier die Charlotte.
Da kommt daher ein stolzer Pfau,
mit Federn, vielen hundert,
der sieht die kleine Menschenfrau, -
und beide steh'n verwundert.
Die Lotte beugt sich staundend vor,
der Pfau beugt sich zurücke
und spreizt den blauen Federflor; -
so kreuzen sich die Blicke.
"Was ist das für ein schönes Tier!"
so denken alle beide.
Er deucht ihr ganz von Golde schier,
sie deucht ihm ganz von Seide.
- Sie seh'n sich fast die Augen blind
am Kleid und an den Daunen -
und wenn sie nicht gegangen sind,
steh'n sie wohl noch und staunen.

Text Authorship:

by Erich Kurt Mühsam (1878 - 1934) [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 Gary Bachlund (b. 1947), "Kind und Pfau", 2009 [soprano and piano] [ 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

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2009-12-04
Line count: 20
Word count: 106

In a little coat with much frou‑frou

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

In a little coat with much frou-frou
and silken cloak atop,
in lace collar and silken bib,
thus stands here Charlotte.
And along came a proud peacock,
with feathers, hundreds of them,
who saw the little human female, --
And the both stood astounded.
Lotte bowed, astonished,
the peacock bowed back
and spread his blue bloom of feathers; -
And their eyes met.
"What a beautiful creature!"
So thought them both.
He thought her all of gold,
She thought him all of silk.
They were almost blinded
By the costume and by the downiness --
So they did not go away
But stood there a while, flabbergasted.

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 Erich Kurt Mühsam (1878 - 1934)
- Go to the text page.

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2009-12-04
Line count: 20
Word count: 104