PA German Dialect

Es Neinuhr Schtick
2-17-00

Ihr liewe Leit:
   Kennt's sei ass in paar Yaahr die Schulkinner nimmi wisse ass der Lincoln un der Washington mol gebore warre? Sie warre villeicht yuscht wisse ass es mol Bresidende gewwe hot! Awwer mer sin noch net so weit: unser Kallenner saage ass der Washington am 22. gebore warre oss. Warre mer ihn am 21. ehre?
   Der David B. Brunner (1835-1903) hot gewiss ebbes vum Washington gewisst. Un do iss der Beweis:

Der Washington waar en guder Bu
Wie er en gleener Chaep waar,
Un hot sich als recht gut beheeved
Wann er als bei seim Paep waar.
   Er hot aa alles gut geduh,
   Wie'n schmaerder Bu als gsott hett,
   Er hett awwer doch net liege kenne
   Un wann er aa gewott hett.
Er iss emol naus in der Hof
Was voll vun Kaschebeem waar,
Un hot en schennschde Baam umhackt
Deweil sei Paep vun Heem waar,
   Nau saag, ferwas deet der Yung sen scheene Kaschebaam umhacke? Do misse mer weiderlese!
   Der Kaschebaam waar schee un Frisch,
   Hot alle Yaahr gedraage,
   Un, oh, wie siess die Kasche waare
   Iss gaar net do zu saage,
Datt waar der George am Kaschebaam
Mit dinne, lange Nescht,
Er hot sie net abschiddle kenne,
Sie waare all zu fescht.
   Nau wann er nuffgegraddelt waer
   Un hett sich Kasche grickt
   Un hett sei Hosse yuscht verrisse,
   Die hett sei Mammi gflickt.
Un wann aa awwer gfalle waer
Vum Gippel uff en Schtee,
Dann hett der George verbreche kenne
En Arrem odder Beh.
   Villeicht waer es aa net gebliwwe
   Yuscht bei me single Gnoche,
   Villeicht waer es aa schlechter gange
   Un hett sei Gnick gebroche.

Nau wann des Ding so ghappennt waer--
Un's is suns gut geglick--
Dann hette mir seilewe kenn
United Schtaets gegrickt!
   Nau saag, iss des net gans verchtennich? Awwer verschtennich odder net, mer misses uns wunnere was em George sei Vadder do driwwer gedenkt hot.
Mer misse beschtimmt neegscht Woch weiderlese!

Macht's gut,
Der Alt Proffesser

Dear people:
   Could it be that in a few years our school children will no longer know that Lincoln and Washington were once born? They might just know that there used to be presidents! But we are not that far yet: our calendars (almanacs) tell us that Washington was born on the 22nd. Will we honor him on the 21st?
   David B. Brunner (1835-1903) certainly knew something about Washington. And here is proof:

Washington was a good boy
When he was a little chap,
And used to behave himself very well
When he was with his dad.
   He did everything well,
   Just as a smart boy should,
   But he just couldn't lie
   Even if he wanted to.

He once went out into the yard
Which was full of cherry trees,
And chopped down the nicest tree
While his father was away from home.
Now, tell me, why would the boy chop down that nice cherry tree? We'll have to read on!

   The cherry tree was nice and fresh,
   It produced every year,
   And oh, how sweet the cherries were
   I cannot begin to tell you.
There was George at the cherry tree
With thin, long branches,
He couldn't shake them down,
They were all too much attached.
   Now, if he had climbed up
   And gotten himself cherries,
   And had torn his pants,
   His mother would have mended them.

But if he had fallen
From the top onto a stone,
Then George could have broken
An arm or a leg

   Maybe it wouldn't have stayed at that
   Just with a single bone,
   Maybe it would have gotten far worse
   And broken his neck.

Now if this had happened so __
And we were very lucky __
Then we would never have had
A United States!

Now tell me, isn't that entirely understandable? But understandable or not, we have to wonder what George's father thought about that.

We'll certainly have to continue reading next week!

Take care,
The Old Professor

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updated 3-15-2007 paf