C.D. Warner, et al., comp.
The Library of the World’s Best Literature. An Anthology in Thirty Volumes. 1917.
Charles Godfrey Leland (1824–1903)
Hans Breitmann’s Party
H
Dey had biano-blayin’:
I felled in lofe mit a Merican Frau,
Her name vas Madilda Yane.
She hat haar as prown ash a pretzel,
Her eyes vas himmel-plue,
Und ven dey looket indo mine,
Dey shplit mine heart in two.
I vent dere, you’ll pe pound.
I valzet mit Madilda Yane
Und vent shpinnen round und round.
De pootiest Fräulein in de house,
She vayed ’pout dwo hoondred pound,
Und efery dime she gife a shoomp
She make de vindows sound.
I dells you it cost him dear.
Dey rolled in more ash seven kecks
Of foost-rate lager beer,
Und venefer dey knocks de shpicket in
De Deutschers gifes a cheer.
I dinks dat so vine a barty
Nefer coom to a het dis year.
Dere all vas Souse und Brouse;
Ven de sopper comed in, de gompany
Did make demselfs to house.
Dey ate das Brot and Gensy broost,
De Bratwurst and Braten fine,
Und vash der Abendessen down
Mit four parrels of Neckarwein.
We all cot troonk as bigs.
I poot mine mout to a parrel of bier,
Und emptied it oop mit a schwigs.
Und denn I gissed Madilda Yane
Und she shlog me on de kop,
Und de gompany fited mit daple-lecks
Dill de coonshtable made oos shtop.
Where ish dat barty now?
Where ish de lofely golden cloud
Dat float on de moundain’s prow?
Where ish de himmelstrahlende Stern—
De shtar of de shpirit’s light?
All goned afay mit de lager beer—
Afay in de ewigkeit!