Das bucklige Männlein
Das bucklige Männlein
The Hunchbacked Little Man
Children's Song
Children's Song
(German)
(English)
Will ich in mein Gärtchen gehn
Will mein' Blumen gießen,
Steht ein bucklig' Männlein da,
Fängt gleich an zu niesen.
Will ich in mein Küchel gehn,
Will mein Süpplein kochen,
Steht ein bucklig' Männlein da,
Hat mein Töplein brochen.
Will ich in mein Stüblein gehn,
Will mein Müslein essen,
Steht ein bucklig' Männlein da,
Hat's schon halb gegessen.
Will ich auf den Boden gehn,
Will mein Hölzlein holen,
Steht ein bucklig' Männlein da,
Hat's schon halb gestohlen.
Will ich in mein Keller gehn,
Will mein Weinlein zapfen;
Steht ein bucklicht Männlein da,
Tut mir'n Krug wegschnappen.
Setz ich mich ans Rädlein hin,
Will mein Fädlein drehen;
Steht ein bucklicht Männlein da,
Läßt mir's Rad nicht gehen.
Geh ich in mein Kämmerlein,
Will mein Bettlein machen;
Steht ein bucklicht Männlein da,
Fängt als an zu lachen.
Wenn ich an mein Bänklein knie,
Will ein bißchen beten,
Steht das bucklig' Männlein da,
Fängt gleich an zu reden:
Liebes Kindlein ach, ich bitt':
Bet fürs bucklig' Männlein mit!
I want to go into my little garden,
I want to water my flowers,
There's a hunchbacked little man there,
About to start to sneeze.
I want to go into my little kitchen,
I want to cook my little soup,
A hunchbacked little man stands there,
He's broken my little pot.
I want to go into my little bedroom,
I want to eat my little stewed fruit*,
A hunchbacked little man stands there,
He's already eaten half of it.
I want to go up to the attic,
I want to fetch some little wood,
A hunchbacked little man stands there,
He's already stolen half of it.
I want to go to my little cellar,
I want to draw my little wine from the keg,
A hunchbacked little man stands there,
He's already snatched a jug from me.
I sit at my little wheel,
I want to turn my little thread,
A hunchbacked little man stands there
And won't let me turn my wheel.
I want to go into my little bedroom,
I want to make my bed,
A hunchbacked little man stands there
And starts to laugh.
When I kneel at my little bench,
I want to pray a little bit,
The hunchbacked little man stands there,
About to start talking:
Dear little child, please
Pray for the hunchbacked little man!
Notes
*A better translation might be "compote" - but many people aren't familiar with this term. I came across compotes when I lived in France in college. The lady I lived with would make it. It's a French dessert made from slices of fruit cooked and stewed in water with sugar and spices.
Das bucklige Männlein was written by Ludwig Achim von Arnim (1781 - 1831) and Clemens Brentano (1778 - 1842).
This song is recited in the mp3 below.
The following lines are slightly different in the recording:
2nd line: Will mein' Blumen gießen
Recording: Will mein Zwiebeln gießen;
(Want to water my onions)
4th line: Fängt gleich an zu niesen.
Recording: Fängt als an zu nießen.
(Similar meaning - starts to sneeze)
3rd to last line: Fängt gleich an zu reden:
Fängt als an zu reden.
(Similar meaning - beings to talk to...)
Thanks and Acknowledgements
Many thanks to Ulrike Bernhard for contributing this song, to Maguy Cabrol for translating it into French. Many thanks also to Christina Weising for her help. English translation by Lisa Yannucci and Monique Palomares.
Images are from a picture sheet which were popular in the old days. Images were edited by Mama Lisa to clean them up and remove the text which was illegible.
Here's the info on the picture sheet: Munich picture sheet. #69. 11. Edition. Edited and published by Braun & Schneider in Munich. Kgl. Court and university printing office of Dr. C. Wolf & Sohn in Munich. In the last image, signed and dated Eduard Ille 1851 - Eduard Ille (1823-1900) from 1850 to 1897 has illustrated 71 pictures -Munich.
Vielen Dank!
