PA German Dialect

"Die Metzelsupp"
"The Meat Gifts"

1-13-00

Ihr liewe Leit:

Ei, was greische doch die Sie
Driwwe uff der Bauerei:
Do watt geschlacht!
Henkt die Sau am Heessehols,
Was iss der Bauer doch so schtols;
Dann gebt's gudi Wascht fer brode;
Panhaas, der iss gut gerode;
Schunkefleesch un Seideschpeck,
Gude Sache darricheweck;
Alles vun der Sau gemacht,
Wann der Bauer schlacht.

   Nau, saag, wer vun eich liewe Leser hot als mitgemacht, wann der Daadi odder en Nochber gschlacht hot? Der John Birmelin hot die Linye owwe gschriwwe, un weil er schunn 1873 gebore warre iss, hot er gewiss efders mitgemacht.

   Der J.J.Behney hot aa sicher mitgemacht. Am 5, Hanning, 1900 hot er in seim Gedicht "Die Metzelsupp" gschriwwe:

Es Feier flammt um die Kessel rum,
   Es Wasser kocht, dampt owe rum;
Der Briehdrog schteht am Seigalye,
   Alles bereit in friehe Marrige.

Der Daag brecht ei, sehnt yeder Aag,
   Heit iss es Bauers Butchrdaag;
Bei yedermann geht es im Schprung,
   Der Butscher grict en miedi Zung.

Es iss en schweri Butscherei,
   Der gross rot Bull, sex feddi Sei:
Die Haut, die ziegt mer ab vum Bief,
   Mer schaabt die Sei, mer schneidet dief.

Am Owet gebt's die Metzelsupp,
   Es sammelt sich en groossi Drupp;
En yeders setzt sich in die Roi,
   'S gebt frischi Wascht, Kuche un Boi.

   Metzelsupp? Ya, Metzelsupp. Awwer wann der H.L. Fischer sei Buch Die Alde Zeide in 1878 rausgewwe hot, sin die Nochbere net fer's Esse kumme. Nee, die Metzelsupp is gschicht warre!

Es waar fer alders der Gebrauch,
   Wann mer gebutschert hen,
En Metzelsupp zu de Nochbere gschickt,
Noh hen mer aa als eeni grickt
   Wann sie gebutschert hen:
Brotwascht un Lewwerwascht, ei, ei!
Un aa noch Panhaas waar debei.

So lang dass Metzelsupp iss kumme,
   Sin Metzelsupp gange;
Es waar so'n scheeni Fashion gwesst-
So glaawwich wie's in Englisch heesst-
   Das ebber kennt verlange;
Un so lang waar aa gewiss ken Schtreit,
Bei so alt deitsche Nochbersleit.

Macht's gut,
Der Alt Professer

Dear people:

Oh, how the pigs do cry out!
Over at the farm:
They're slaughtering!
Hand the pig on the gambrel,
How proud the farmer is;
Then there'll be good sausage for frying;
Scrapple, it is well advised;
Ham and bacon,
Good stuff throughtout:
Everything made from the pig,
When the farmer slaughters.

   Now, tell me, who of you dear readers used to take part when Daddy or a neighbor slaughtered? John Birmelin wrote the lines up above, and because he was born in 1873 he surelyoften took part.

   J.J. Behney also certainly took part. On the 5th of February, 1900 he wrote in his poem "The Meat Gifts":

The fire flames around the pots,
   The water boils, steams around on top;
The scalding trough sits at the pig gallows,
   Everything ready in early morn.

The day breaks, every eye sees it,
   Today it is the farmer's butchering day;
Everyone is on the run,
   The butcher gets a tired tongue.

It is a heavy butchering,
The big red bull, six fat pigs;
The skin, it is drawn off the beef (bull),
   The pigs are scraped (debristled), one cuts deep.

In the evening we have meat gifts,
   A large group gathers;
They all sit down in a row,
   There's fresh meat, cake and pie.

   Metzelsoup? (A gift of various meats to neighbors at butchering time.) Yes, meat gifts! But when H. L. Fischer published his book The Olden Times in 1878, the neighbors didn't come for the food. No, the meat gifts were sent!

It was in olden times the custom
   When butchering,
To send meat gifts to the neighbors,
Then we also got one
   When they butchered:
Sausage and liverwurst, oh, oh,
And also scrapple was included.

As long as metzelsoup came,
   Metzelsoup went;
It was that kind of a fashion -
I think that's what it's called in English
   That anyone could every want:
And so long there was also no quarreling
Among such old German neighbors.

Take care,
The Old Professor

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updated 3-15-2007 paf