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Nach Mittage saßen wir Junges Volk im Kühlen; Amor kam, und, stirbt der Fuchs Wollt' er mit uns spielen. Jeder meiner Freunde saß Froh bei seinem Herzchen; Amor blies die Fackel aus, Sprach: hier ist das Kerzchen! Und die Fackel, wie sie glomm, Ließ man eilig wandern, Jeder drückte sie geschwind In die Hand des Andern. Und mir reichte Dorilis Sie mit Spott und Scherze; Kaum berührt mein Finger sie, Hell entflammt die Kerze, Sengt mir Augen und Gesicht, Setzt die Brust in Flammen; Über meinem Haupte schlug Faßt die Glut zusammen. Löschen wollt' ich, patschte zu; Doch es brennt beständig; Statt zu sterben ward der Fuchs Recht bei mir lebendig.
Note provided by Iain Sneddon: From the Deutsches Wörterbuch by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm: “He who lives long, is old” is a parlour game in which is a glowing torch is passed in turn from hand to hand, each time the recipient says those words. The person holding the taper when it glows must pay a forfeit. Goethe’s title “If the fox dies, the pelt is still of use” is the phrase spoken to delay the passing on of the torch.
Text Authorship:
- by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832), "Stirbt der Fuchs, so gilt der Balg" [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 Václav Jan Křtitel Tomášek (1774 - 1850), "Stirbt der Fuchs, so gilt der Balg", op. 58 (Gedichte von Goethe: VI) no. 2 (1815?) [ voice and piano ], Prague, Marco Berra [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Wendelin Weißheimer (1838 - 1910), "Stirbt der Fuchs, so gilt der Balg" [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Karl Friedrich Zelter (1758 - 1832), "Stirbt der Fuchs, so gilt der Balg", 1807 [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Iain Sneddon) , "Forfeits", copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Si le renard meurt, sa peau vaut cher", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Iain Sneddon [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 24
Word count: 111
Jeunes gens, après midi Nous étions assis au frais ; Vint Amour qui voulut avec nous Jouer à "Si le renard meurt". Chacun de mes amis était assis Joyeux auprès de sa douce amie ; Amour souffla le flambeau Et dit : voilà la petite bougie ! Et tandis que le flambeau rougeoyait On le fit vite voyager, Chacun le passant rapidement Dans la main de l'autre. Et Dorilis me le tendit, Moqueuse et badine ; À peine eut-elle touché mon doigt Que la bougie s'enflamme, Me brûle les yeux et la figure, Me met le feu au corps ; Au-dessus de ma tête Jaillissaient des braises. D'un coup de patte je voulus l'éteindre Mais elle continuait de brûler ; Au lieu de mourir, le renard, Juste à côté de moi, était vivant.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to French (Français) copyright © 2012 by Pierre Mathé, (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.
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Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832), "Stirbt der Fuchs, so gilt der Balg"
This text was added to the website: 2012-09-22
Line count: 24
Word count: 126