by Elisabeth Pauline Ottilie Luise zu Wied, Prinzessin (1843 - 1916), as Carmen Sylva
Translation by Alma Strettell (1856 - 1939)
Ich habe meinen Gürtel an den Baum...
Language: German (Deutsch)
Ich habe meinen Gürtel an den Baum gehängt, Der hört nun alle Vögel singen. -- -- Wer gab dir wohl die rothen Lippen, Mägdlein? Und dein Lächeln, deine Lieder? -- -- Was ist es dir, wer sie mir gab, mein Bursch'? -- -- Wo gehst du hin, o Mägdlein? Gehst du in's Thal, unter die Pflaumenbäume? Gehst zu den Aepfelbäumen du am Bergeshang? -- -- Was thut es dir, mein Bursch', da du's nicht bist, Der mich begleiten wird? -- -- Ich habe meinen Gürtel an den Baum gehängt, Der hört nun alle Vögel singen. -- -- Was trägst du wohl im Herzen, Mägdlein? Ist es ein Lied? ist's eine Liebe? -- -- Was macht es dir, mein Bursch', Du bist ja der nicht, den ich liebe? -- -- Wo willst du, daß ich daran sterbe, Mägdlein? Beim Flusse, wo die Blumen mich beweinen? Im Hüttchen, wo die Mutter mich betrauert? -- -- Was thut es mir, mein Bursch', Da ich dich nicht beweinen werde? -- -- Ich habe meinen Gürtel an den Baum gehängt, Da hört er alle Vögel singen.
About the headline (FAQ)
Confirmed with Lieder aus dem Dimbovitzathal: aus dem folksmunde gesammelt von Helene Vacaresco (Elena Văcărescu), ins Deutsche übertragen von Carmen Sylva, Bonn, Verlag von Emil Strauß, 1889, pages 375-376.
Text Authorship:
- by Elisabeth Pauline Ottilie Luise zu Wied, Prinzessin (1843 - 1916), as Carmen Sylva, no title, appears in Lieder aus dem Dimbovitzathal [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):
- [ None yet in the database ]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in English, a translation by Alma Strettell (1856 - 1939) , no title, appears in The bard of the Dimbovitza : Rovmanian folk-songs collected from the peasants, in Spinning Songs , no. 6 ; composed by Arnold Edward Trevor Bax, Sir.
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2014-12-06
Line count: 23
Word count: 161
My girdle I hung on a tree‑top tall
Language: English after the German (Deutsch)
My girdle I hung on a tree-top tall,
So the songs of the birds, it hears them all.
O maiden, who gave thee those lips so red,
That smile, and those songs ? --
-- Lad, what is it to thee
Or why wouldst thou know who hath given them me ? --
-- And whither, O maiden, so fast art thou sped ?
To the plum-tree groves in the valley below,
Or there, where the orchards of apple-trees grow
Overhanging the cliff? --
-- Lad, what is it to thee,
Since it is not thou that [shalt]1 go with me ? --
My girdle I hung on a tree-top tall,
So the songs of the birds, it hears them all.
O maiden, [and]2 what in thy heart dost thou bear ?
A song, or a love ? --
-- Lad, what is it to thee ?
If there's one [that]2 I love, sure, thou art not he. --
Where wouldst thou I died of my love, then, where?
By the river, where over me flowers shall weep?
In the hut, where the mother who lulled me to sleep,
Shall sing me my dirge ? --
--Lad, what is it to me,
Since I am not going to weep over thee? --
My girdle I hung on a tree-top tall,
So the songs of the birds, it hears them all.
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)1 Bax: "shall"
2 omitted by Bax.
Text Authorship:
- by Alma Strettell (1856 - 1939), no title, appears in The bard of the Dimbovitza : Rovmanian folk-songs collected from the peasants, in Spinning Songs , no. 6 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Elisabeth Pauline Ottilie Luise zu Wied, Prinzessin (1843 - 1916), as Carmen Sylva, no title, appears in Lieder aus dem Dimbovitzathal
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Arnold Edward Trevor Bax, Sir (1883 - 1953), "My girdle I hung on a tree top tall", 1914, rev. 1946 [mezzo-soprano and piano], from The Bard of the Dimbovitza, no. 3. [text verified 1 time]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2011-05-05
Line count: 26
Word count: 210