PA German Dialect

Es Neinuhr Schtick

7-17-03

Ihr liewe Leit:

   Mer sin immer noch am Schwetze vun der Aern. Letscht Woch hot uns der Frank Brunner gsaat ass die Fruchtreff enwennich zu unhendich, un sicher zu schwer, fer en Bu waar. Im neegschte Vaerscht saagt er uns

   Doch Frucht gebunne hab ich oft,
   Sell waar mir yuscht als Freeht;
   Un fer die Zeit-oft hab ich ghofft-
   Es helfe aa deel Meed.

   Wie der Kaschber Hufnaggel (der Parre Pierce Swope, 1884-1968) yung waar, hot er net gerecht un net gebunne. In seim Schtick "In der Aern" schreibt er:

   "Eb ich grooss waar, bin ich als die Binner noch. Noh hab ich die Garrewe uff die Schtobbel gschtellt, mit de Kanne in der Heeh, ebaut en Dutzend in eem Schack. Sell waar en Arrewet in der Hitz! Die Graane vum Weeze hen eem als gegratzt. Sell hot als gebisse un gebrennt, abbaddich wann mer sich dann gans iwwer gewesche hot."

   Un in dem neemliche Schtick saagt er uns

   "Garrewuff der Leederwagge gawwele waar net so hatt. Daer uffem Wagge hot sie Gleegweis hielege misse. Un mer hot bei Lewe net schepp laade darrefe, schunscht iss eem die Lood abgfalle.

   "Deheem hen mer die Garrewe in die Scheier. Es Hoi waar schunn drin. Noh hen mir oft Garrewe uff Hoi. Glei waar der Baare voll. Noh hen mir die Garrewe unner's Dach gschtoppt."

   Awwer wie hen sie als die Kanne rausgrickt? Im Fischer seim lange Gedicht kann mer die do zwee Linye finne:

   Mit Fleggel hen mer's Kann gedrosche,
      Der Weeze mit de Geil.

   Zerrick zum Kaschber, desmol seim Schtick "Mit Fleggel Dresche":

   "Wie ich en Buh waar, hen mir nix meh gedrosche mit em Fleggel ass wie Kann. Sell hen mir gedrosche fer's Langschtroh fer's Welschkannlaab mit binne (Un noch lenger zerrick, fer die Schtroh Decher! ed.)

   "Was waar en Fleegel? Es waar zwee Schticker Hols zammegebunne mit Ledder odder Rawhide. Es eent Schtick Hils waar aardlich lenger wie es anner un net so dick, villeicht net dicker wie en Recheschtiehl. Es anner Schtick Hols waar weil net so lang, awwer aardlich viel dicker. Sell Schtick hot me ruff die Frucht gschlaage wu uff de Dennblanke gelegge hot. Es lang Schtick hot mer in de Hend ghowe."

   Mer misse neegscht Woch weidermache!

Macht's gut,
Der Alt Professer

Dear people:

   We are still talking about the harvest. Last week Frank Brunner told us that the grain cradle was a little unhandy, and certainly too heavy, for a boy. In the next stanza he tells us

   But I tied up grain often,
   That used to be a joy for me;
   And for the time-often I hoped-
   That some girls would help along.

   When Kaspar Hufnagel (Pastor Pierce Swope 1884-1968) was young, he didn't rake and he didn't bind. In his piece "At the Harvest" he writes:

   "Before I was big, I used to follow the binders (who tied up the sheaves). Then I stood up the sheaves on their stubbles (butt ends), with the kernels pointed up, about a dozen in one shock. But that was a job in the heat! The awns of the wheat used to scratch you. That used to bite and burn, especially when you washed yourself all over."

   And in the same piece he tells us

   "Forking sheaves onto the ladder wagon was not so hard. The one up on the wagon had to lay them down in layers. And you weren't to load them unevenly, otherwise the load could fall off.

   "At home we put the sheaves into the barn. The hay was already in. Then we often put sheaves on top of the hay. Soon the mow was full. Then we stuffed the sheaves right under the roof."

   But how did they get the kernels out of the awns? In Fisher's long poem we can find these two lines of poetry:

With the flail we threshed the rye,
      The wheat with horses.

   Back to Kaspar, this time to his piece "Threshing With the Flail":

   "When I was a boy, we threshed nothing more with the flail except the rye. We threshed that (rye) for the long straw to tie up the cornstalks with (and even longer ago, for the straw/thatch roofs! ed.)

   "What was a flail? It was two pieces of wood tied together with leather or rawhide. The one piece of wood was quite a bit longer than the other and not so thick, perhaps no thicker that a rake handle. The other piece of wood was while not so long, but rather much thicker. That piece you hit down onto the grain that lay on the threshing floor planks. You held the long piece of wood in your hands."

   We will have to continue next week!

Take care,
The Old Professor

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updated 3-15-2007 paf