PA German Dialect

Es Neinuhr Schtick

June 29, 2000

Ihr liewe Leit:

   Am 21, Yuli, 1945 hot der Ralph S Funk (1889-1969) in seim Gedicht “Die Maria iss iwwer der Barrig” gaschriwwe:

Ei, was dutt’s awwer reggre!
Scheint’s kann net uffheere meh;
Daag un Nacht dutt’s runnerschitte,
Wann denkscht watt’s dann widder schee?
   Die Frucht waar all schpot den Summer,
   Viel schteht alsnoch draus im Feld;
   Welschkann vun Schloosse verschlaage—
   Do iss dir Verluscht in Geld.
Maria iss iwwer der Barrig –
Wann’s reggert er Daag sie geht
Dann soll’s noch vazich Daag reggere—
So iss wie’s alt Schprichwatt schteht.
   Die Ende un Gens, die schwimme
   Im Puddel im vedderschde Hof;
   Sie gaxe dorum, ‘s iss en Caution,
   Un verdarrewe unser Schloof.
Un nau is see Woch veriwwer,
Guck yuscht wie alles aussehnt!
Was gebt’s yuscht bis die iwweriche
Rum sin, wann’s so weider gschehnt?
   Der Grund, der iss so voll Wasser,
   Es geht ken Regge meh nei;
   Die Gricke, die sin wie Rewwer,
   Un mache en Seierei.
Yuscht denk mol – sex Woche Regge!
Wu kumme soll graad eweck;
Sex Woche noch drieb un wolkich,
Sex Woche Wasser un Dreck!
   Ich denk mir waern net zufridde,
   Waer sie drucke gange schtatts;
   Noh deede mer widder grummle
Dass nix meh waxt uffem Blatz.
So geht sie dann iwwer der Barrig,
Eb’s drucke iss odder nass;
Nemmt’s Wedder ewwe wie mer’s finne,
Gebt’s gross odder gleene Mass.

    Wie ihr gude Leser wisst, gebt uns der Lukas ken genaaer Daadem wann die Maria zu ihrem Gschwischderkind Elisabeth gange iss, awwer die PD hen immer “gewisst” ass sie am 2. Yuli gange iss un am 15. Auguscht widder heemgange iss.

   Ich hab en paar alde Kallenner un sie saage all ass die Maria am 2. Yuli zu der Elisabeth gange iss. Soggar The Old Farmer’s Almanac fer 1992 (Robert B. Thomas) saagt der 2. Yuli. Awwer The Old Farmer’s Almanac fer 1993 saagt ass sie am 31. Moi ihre Heimsuchung gemacht hot! Un sell iss nau gewiss der richtiche Daadem: Moi 31.

   Der Alt Professer hot nau en Froog: Waer kann ihm saage wann, wu, waer, un fewas der Daadem verennert waar?

Macht’s gut,
Der Alt Professer

Dear people:

   On 25 July, 1945 Ralph S. Funk (1889-1969) wrote in his poem “Mary Went Over the Mountain”:

Wow! but how it’s raining!
It seems it can’t stop anymore;
Day and night it rains down,
When do you think it’ll get nice again?
   The grain was all late this summer,
   Much still stands out in the fields;
   Corn ripped apart by hail—
   Here is a loss in your money.
Mary went over the mountain—
If it rains on the day she goes
Then it’s supposed to rain for forty days—
That’s what the old adage says.
   The ducks and geese, they are swimming
   In a puddle in the front yard;
   They’re cackling around, it’s a caution,
    And ruin our sleep.
And now one week is gone,
Just look how everything looks!
What will happen till the rest
Have gone, if it goes on like this?
   The ground is so full of water,
   No more rain will go into it;
   The creeks, they are like rivers,
   And are making quite a mess.
Just think –six weeks of rain!
That are supposed to come immediately;
Six weeks still murky and cloudy,
Six weeks of water and dirt!
   I think we wouldn’t be satisfied,
   If we had six dry weeks instead;
   Then we would be grumbling again
    That nothing more grows on the place.
So thus she goes over the mountain,
Whether it’s dry or wet;
Take the weather the way we find it,
Whether in great or small measure.

   As you good readers know, St. Luke does not give us an exact date when Mary goes to her cousin Elizabeth, but the PGs have always “known” that she went on 2 July and went home again on August 15.

   I have a few old almanacs (1800’s) and they all say that Mary went to Elizabeth on 2 July. Even The Old Farmer’s Almanac for 1992 (Robert B. Thomas) says 2 July. But The Old Farmer’s Almanac for 1993 says that she made her visitation on 31 May! And that is now certainly the right date: May 31.

   The Old Professor now has a question; Who can tell him when, where, who and why the date was changed?

Take care,
The Old Professor

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updated 3-15-2007 paf