PA German Dialect

Es Neinuhr Schtick

September 15, 2005

Ihr liewe Leit:

   En Parr emit re bass Schtimm un en aldi Fraa wu so hatt heilt – was hen die zwee middennaner zu duh? Der Parre deet nadierlich aa gaern wisse, un deshalb will er mol die Mitgleider frooge:

“Waer waar die Fraa im driddle Schtuhle
Wu so weechhatzich gscheint hot,
Die wu so gut zughorcht hot
Un in eem Schtick geweint hot?

“Ich hab heit darch die ganse Breddich
En diefer Eifer gschpiert,
Un daer hot unser fremmi Schweschder
   Ihr Hatz so rash geriehrt.”

Sie hen ihm gsaat die Fraa waer fremm
   Graad datt in sellem Gezaerk;
Sie deet en paar Sauare vun datt wuhne,
   Neegscht an dem Eisewaerk.

Er iss noh marrigeds noch de siwwe
Die schmaal Schtroos nuffgeloffe;
Es waar muundaags, un er hot sie
   Am Wesche aagedroffe.

“Ich hab dich heere heile;
   Ferwas hoscht du’s geduh?
Hoscht gans du katzlich Friend verlore?
   En Dochder odder Suh?

“Nee, ‘s waar nimmand in der Familye
   Wie ich un mei Mann Reesel,
Noh waar aa noch in der Familye
   En guder alder Esel.

“Zwee Yaahr zerrick iss noh mei Mann
   Fatt in der anner Welt,
Hot mich gelosst mit meinem Esel
   Un yuscht un wennich Gelt.

“Noh yuscht ebaut en Yaahr zerrick –
   Ich hab es net exschpekt –
Do iss mei liewer alder Esel
   Aa unverhofft verreckt.

“Am Sunndaag bin ich in die Karrich,
   Es waar mir aerscht en Lascht.
Noh hot dei liewei, scheeni Schtimm
   Mich genslich iwwerrascht.

“Dei Schtimm waar graad wie’m Esel seini,
   Des hot mei Hatz verrisse,
Noh hab ich fer mei Esel
   So greislich heile misse.”

   Uff emol iss’s mir beikumme ass dausende un dausende vun Leser wu in der Schtadt wuhne villeicht gaar net wisse was en Esel iss! Neegscht Woch misse mer die dausende vun Schtadtleit enaa saage was des Gedier warricklich iss.

Macht’s gut,
Der Alt Professer

Dear people:

A pastor with a bass voice and an old woman who is crying so hard – what do those two have to do with each other? The pastor naturally would also like to know, and that is why he wants to ask the members of his church:

“Who was the woman in the third pew/chair
   Who seemed to be so softhearted,
The one who listened so well
And kept on crying?

“Today during the whole sermon I
   Felt a deep zeal,
And it moved our unknown sister’s
   Heart so quickly.”

They told him the woman was a stranger
   There in that area;
She lived a few squares form there,
   Next to the ironworks.

So in the morning after seven
   He walked up the narrow street;
It was on a Monday, and he
   Met her doing the wash.

“I heard you crying so hard,
   Why did you do it?
Have you recently lost family”
   A daughter or a son?”

“No, there was no one in the family
   Except me am my husband Reesel.
Then there was also in the family
   A good mule.

“Two years ago my husband
   Left for another world,
Let me with my mule
   And just a little money.

"Then just about a year ago –
   I did not expect it –
My dear old mule
   Unexpectedly died.

“On Sunday I went to church,
   At first it was a burden,
Then your dear, nice voice
   Surprised me entirely.

“Your voice was just like the mule’s,
   It just tore up my heart,
So then I had to cry so hard
   For my mule.”

   Suddenly/all of a sudden it occurred to me that thousands and thousands of readers who live in the city perhaps don’t at all know what a mule is! Next week we will have to tell those thousands of city folks exactly what that animal actually is.

Take care,
The Old Professor

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Ephrata, PA 19522

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The Pennsylvania German Society

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(484) 646-4227
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E-mail: pgs@kutztown.edu

updated 3-15-2007 paf