PA German Dialect

Es Neinuhr Schtick

October 20, 2005

Ihr liewe Leit:

   Ich weess ass viel vun eich liewe Leser schunn lang aus der Schul sin, awwer mer sin nie zu alt fer ebbes lanne. Noh misse mer weidermache middem matz seim Schtick “Der Haahne”:

   ‘S Lewee vun Haahne iss oftmols katz un nie net sicher. Sie griege ihre Hels uffgezoge un glei sin sie im Kockkessel. En gewisser Bauer hot mol Bsuch grickt. Wie die Hinkel un die Haahne der hochmiedich Mann gsehne hen, sin sie ans Schpringe. Der Ginnihaahne iss uff’s Scheierdach gfloge, un der Mischtaahne iss unniche die Seiben gschluppt.

   In re halb Schtunn kummt der Mischthaahne raus un greeht “Iss er noch do/ Is ser noch do?” Der Ginnihaahne uffem Dach saagt, “Geh zerrick! Geh zerrick!” Noh iss der Haahne widder unnich die Seibenn gschluppt bis er gans schur waar dass er net sei Kopp verliere deet.

   Mit de Haahne geht’s wie mit der Dichder: die menschde Leit gleiche sie besser nochdem dass sie dot sin.

   “Duh net zu viel greehe wann du die Waahret schwetze witt!”

   Widder ebbes gelannt! (Awwer ich muss zugewwe ass ich net weess was des Schprichwatt mit der Schtori zu duh hot. Hot der Matz vergesse, uns ebbes zu saage? Wann ich sell gewisst hett, hett ich eich liewe Leser gsaat ihr sett die Gschicht vergesse un graad’s Schprichwatt lese.)

Mer gewwe em Holsbock ‘s letscht Watt; ‘s kennt sei ass mer heit doch ebbes lanne kenne:

Die Tillie hot en Hinkel
   Mit Feddre weiss wie Schnee,
Un iwwerall wu die Tillie iss,
   Will’s Hinkel aa hiegeh.

Sie singe wie en Voggel
   Im Abbelbaam im Moi,
Awwer all die Hinkel zamme
   Lege neddemol en Oi.

Doch gaxe sie un blarre
   Un schaffe nix debei;
So heert mer oftmols Menner,
   Kelwer, Oxe, Hund un Sei.

So lann ich vun de Hinkel
   Die Waahret – die hot Graft –:
‘S iss net der Kall am Blarre
   Wu die Arrewet immer schafft!

Sehnt ihr? Widder ebbes gelannt!

Macht’s gut,
Der Alt Professer

The Old Professor

Dear people:

   I know that many of you dear readers have been out of school for a long time, but we are never too old to learn something. So we’ll have to continue with Matz’s piece “The Rooster/Cock”:

   The life of roosters if often short and never certain. They get their necks wound up and immediately they are in the cooking pot. A certain farmer once got company. When the chickens and the roosters saw the proud man, they started running. The guinea cock flew up on the barn roof, and the manure (pile) rooster slipped under the pigpen.

   In a half hour the manure rooster comes out and crows, “Is he still here? Is he still here?” The guinea cock on the roof says, “Go back! Go back!” Then the rooster again slipped under the pigpen, until he was very certain that he would not lose his head.

With the roosters it goes as with the poets: most people like the better after they are dead.

   ‘Don’t crow too much if you want to tell the truth!”

Learned something again! (But I have to admit that I don’t know what that proverb has to do with the story. Did Matz forget something to tell us? If I had known that, I would have told you dear readers to forget the story and just read the proverb.)

We’ll give Hulsbuck the last word; it could be that we can earn something today anyhow:

Tillie has a chicken
   With feathers white as snow,
And everywhere Tillie is,
   The chicken also wants to go.

They sing like a bird
   In the apple tree in May,
But all the chickens together
   Lay not even one egg.

But they cackle and bawl
   And yet do no work;
Such is what one often hears from men,
   Calves, oxen, dogs and pigs.

So I learn from the chickens
The truth – it has power --:
It isn’t the guy that’s bawling
   That is always doing the work!

   You see? We’ve learned something again!

Take care,
The Old Professor

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updated 3-15-2007 paf