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Kleine Gäste, kleines Haus. Liebe Mäusin oder Maus, [Stell]1 dich nur kecklich ein [Heut']2 nacht bei Mondenschein! Mach aber die Tür fein hinter dir zu, Hörst du? Dabei hüte dein Schwänzchen! Nach Tische singen wir, Nach Tische springen wir Und machen ein Tänzchen: Witt witt! Meine alte Katze tanzt wahrscheinlich mit.
The poem has this at the head: "(Das Kind geht dreimal um die Falle und spricht:)"
1 Wolf: "Stelle"
2 Wolf: "Heute"
Authorship
- by Eduard Mörike (1804 - 1875), "Mausfallen-Sprüchlein" [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), "Mausfallen-Sprüchlein", 2009 [ medium voice or high voice and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Hugo Distler (1908 - 1942), "Mausfallensprüchlein", op. 19 (Mörike-Chorliederbuch), Heft 2 no. 5 (1939) [ chorus ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Franz (Friedrich) von Holstein (1826 - 1878), "Mausfallen-Sprüchlein", op. 15 (Vierzehn Lieder für zwei weibliche Stimmen (im Freien zu singen)) no. 12, published 1864 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Robert von Hornstein (1833 - 1890), "Mausfallensprüchlein", op. 22 (2 Gedichte v. E. Mörike) no. 2, published 1862 [ alto or baritone and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by (Karl) Emil Kauffmann (1836 - 1909), "Mausfallensprüchlein", op. 13 (Vier Lieder) no. 2, published 1879 [ soprano or tenor and piano ], Stuttgart, Zumsteeg [sung text not yet checked]
- by Jean-Pierre Waelbroeck (b. 1954), "Mausfallen-Sprüchlein", 1994 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Hugo Wolf (1860 - 1903), "Mausfallensprüchlein", 1882, from Sechs Lieder für eine Frauenstimme, no. 6 [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Proverbi de la ratera", copyright © 2021, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "A little mousetrap epigram", copyright ©
- ENG English (Gary Bachlund) , rhymed paraphrase, copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Petit épigramme de la souricière", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "Piccolo motto della trappola per topi", copyright © 2012, (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: 12
Word count: 51
Little guests in your mouse-hole house. Lovely Miss or Mister Mouse, Prepare yourself, bold and bright, This evening in the pale moonlight! Be very sure to lock your door! Got that? And then, do wait for more! You'll preserve your tail, for sure! After dining, raucous singing starts -- Oh, after dinner we'll take our parts And have some lively dancing: Sniff! Smell! My old cats might dance too near to where you dwell!
About the headline (FAQ)
Authorship
- by Gary Bachlund (b. 1947), rhymed paraphrase, copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Eduard Mörike (1804 - 1875), "Mausfallen-Sprüchlein"
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2010-02-02
Line count: 12
Word count: 73