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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

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Note: You must use the copyright symbol © when you reprint copyright-protected material.

by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832)
Translation © by Ferdinando Albeggiani

Gutmann und Gutweib
Language: German (Deutsch)  after the English 
Our translations:  CAT ENG FRE ITA
Und morgen fällt Sankt Martins Fest,
Gutweib liebt ihren Mann;
Da knetet sie ihm Puddings ein
Und bäckt sie in der Pfann'.

Im Bette liegen beide nun,
Da saus't ein wilder West;
Und Gutmann spricht zur guten Frau:
Du riegle die Thüre fest.

Bin kaum erholt und halb erwarmt,
Wie käm' ich da zu Ruh;
Und klapperte sie ein hundert Jahr
Ich riegelte sie nicht zu.

Drauf eine Wette schlossen sie 
Ganz leise sich ins Ohr:
So wer das erste Wörtlein spräch'
Der schöbe den Riegel vor.

Zwei Wanderer kommen um Mitternacht
Und wissen nicht wo sie stehn,
Die Lampe losch, der Herd verglomm,
Zu hören ist nichts, zu sehn.

Was ist das für ein Hexen-Ort?
Da bricht uns die Geduld!
Doch hörten sie kein Sterbenswort,
Deß war die Thüre schuld.

Den weißen Pudding speis'ten sie,
Den schwarzen ganz vertraut.
Und Gutweib sagt sich selberviel,
Doch keine Silbe laut.

Zu Diesem sprach der Jene dann:
Wie trocken ist mir der Hals!
Der Schrank, der klafft, und geistig riechts's,
Da findet sich's allenfalls.

Ein Fläschen Schnapps ergreif' ich da,
Das trifft sich doch geschickt!
Ich bring' es dir, du bringst es mir,
Und bald sind wir erquickt.

Doch Gutmann sprang so heftig auf
Und fuhr sie drohend an:
Bezahlen soll mit theurem Geld
Wer mir den Schnapps verthan!

Und Gutweib sprang auch froh heran,
Drei Sprünge, als wär' sie reich:
Du, Gutmann, sprachst das erste Wort,
Nun riegle die Thüre gleich!

Confirmed with Goethe's sämmtliche Werke, Erster Band, Stuttgart und Tübingen, J. G. Cotta'scher Buchhandlung, 1854, pages 44-45.


Text Authorship:

  • by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832), "Gutmann und Gutweib" [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]

Based on:

  • a text in English from Volkslieder (Folksongs) , "Barring of the Door"
    • Go to the text page.

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

  • by Carl Loewe (1796 - 1869), "Gutmann und Gutweib", op. 9, Heft 8 no. 5 (1833) [sung text checked 1 time]
  • by Hugo Wolf (1860 - 1903), "Gutmann und Gutweib", 1888-9, published 1891 [ voice and piano ], from Goethe-Lieder, no. 13, Mainz, Schott [sung text checked 1 time]

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

  • CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "El bon home i la bona dona", copyright © 2021, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Knut W. Barde) , "Goodman and Goodwife", copyright © 2006, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Papa et Maman", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "Bravuomo e Bravadonna", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 44
Word count: 240

Bravuomo e Bravadonna
Language: Italian (Italiano)  after the German (Deutsch) 
Domani è la festa di Santo Martino,
Bravadonna al suo sposo vuol bene;
impasta per lui un bel budino
e lo cuoce dentro il tegame.

Poi vanno insieme a dormire,
c'è un vento assai forte che soffia:
Bravuomo dice allora alla moglie:
"Vai e serra ben bene la porta!"
 
"In dormiveglia e tremando,
non so come potrei riposarmi,
ma quand'anche sbattesse cent'anni,
non ce la faccio ad alzarmi".
 
Stringono allora un patto,
sussurandolo piano all'orecchio,
al primo che dirà una parola
toccherà alzarsi dal letto.
 
Due viandanti entrano a notte,
la strada l'hanno smarrita,
è spento ogni lume, il focolare è freddo
non un suono o un segno di vita.
 
Che posto di streghe è mai questo?
Da perdere ogni sopportazione!
Ma non si sente parola umana,
la colpa è del portone.
 
Mangiano allora il budino bianco,
poi quello scuro, presa confidenza,
Bravadonna parla con se stessa,
ma non pronuncia sentenza.
 
Poi uno dei due dice al compagno:
"Mi è venuta sete e la gola mi arde!
Quella credenza è aperta e sento odor di spirito,
qui troveremo quello che mi serve.
 
"Mi prenderò una bottiglia di acquavite,
capita proprio a fagiolo!
Un sorso a te, un sorso a me,
ben presto ci darà ristoro."
 
Ma Bravuomo balza su all'istante
e prende a minacciarli con voce irata:
"Deve pagare in denaro contante,
quello che la mia acquavite si è bevuta!"
 
Ed anche Bravadonna si alza tutta contenta,
e fa tre salti, come se fosse diventata ricca:
Marito mio, hai parlato per primo,
Quindi serrare la porta proprio a te tocca!

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to Italian (Italiano) copyright © 2009 by Ferdinando Albeggiani, (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 Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832), "Gutmann und Gutweib"
    • Go to the text page.

Based on:

  • a text in English from Volkslieder (Folksongs) , "Barring of the Door"
    • Go to the text page.

 

This text was added to the website: 2009-12-07
Line count: 44
Word count: 260

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This website began in 1995 as a personal project by Emily Ezust, who has been working on it full-time without a salary since 2008. Our research has never had any government or institutional funding, so if you found the information here useful, please consider making a donation. Your help is greatly appreciated!
–Emily Ezust, Founder

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