Ihr liewe Leit:
Mer mache heit weider middem Harbaugh seim
Gedicht "Der Regeboge." Der Parre hot nadierlich
gut Hochdeitsch schwetze un schreiwe kenne, un
en paar Zeitwadde ass net in der Mudderschprooch
vorkumme, sehnt mer hie un do in seine Gedichde.
Zum Beischpiel, sah=hot gesehne; schtand=hot
gschtanne; ging=iss gange; saagte=hot gsaagt.
Was hen mer als Gschpass ghatt an dem Regeboge!
Wie hot uns die Mammi als freindlich bedroge!
"Guckt, Kinner, der Boge im Bungert datt draus,
Er schteht mit eem Fuuss gar net weit vun dem Hans;
Geht hie wu er schteht, datt findet ihr liege
Viel goldene Leffel, ihr kennt sie leicht griege---
Ya, goldene Leffel, un Gawwele, un Boole,
Un goldene Bense! - Wollt ihr sie net hole?"
Noh sin mer gschtumpt un gerennt un gschprunge,
Gegaunscht un geschnebbert, gegrische un gsunge!
0 warm ich draa denk, muss ich heit noch recht lache;
Der Vedderscht, der grickt woll's mennscht vun der Sache!
'S Grass, lang un nass, waar verwickelt abscheilich;
Do iss mer gschtolbert, gebatzelt gaar greilich.
Die Mammi, die sah vun der Bortsch mit Vergniege
Des Schpringe, die goldene Sache zu griege.
An der Bungert Fens owwe, do schtand er gaar schee,
Goss goldene Dinge herab in den Glee.
Datthie sin mer gschprunge, do schtand er -- ach leider!
Gaar hallich un schee, en paar Felderbreed Weider!
Nau, neecher beim Heile, un weider vum Lache,
Secht eens zu dem annere, "Was iss do zu mache?"
Der Gold macher-Boge, der weicht immer weider;
Mer gehn besser heem, des waer villeicht gscheider.
Noh sin mer zerrick -- die Mammi hot gschmunselt,
Ihr liebliche Aage gans ringsum gerunselt.
"Wu iss dann eier Gold? in Secke un Schatze?"
"Nix, Mudderche!" saagte mir Kinner mit Schmatze.
Noh saagte die Mammi, gaar lieblich un leise:
"Ich wott eich mit diesem Bedrug nur beweise
Wie's geht mit de schlechte gold-liewende Leite;
Gold lockt sie ins Aerre, Gold fiehrt sie ins Weide.
"Die Aerde gebt Gold zu de Weltlich Gesinnde,
Es leit awwer immer Verfiehring dehinnde!
Der schee Regeboge im Wolkegedimmel
Weist iwwer die Aerde zum goldene Himmel:
Er zeigt Goddes Dreie, die nimmer duht weiche,
Un macht aa die Seele in Ewichkeit reiche.
Vergesst net, ihr Kinner, wie eich hot bedroge
Des Suche um Gold bei dem goldene Boge."
Awwer 's iss net yuscht der Regeboge ass dich
bedroge kann, wie mer neegscht Woch ausfinne warre.
Macht's gut,
Der Alt Professer
|
Dear people:
We
will continue today with Harbaugh's poem
"The Rainbow." The pastor naturally knew how to
speak and write High German well, and a few verb
forms that are not in the Mother Tongue can be seen
here and there in his poetry. For example, saw=has
seen; stood=has stood; went=has gone; said=has said.
What fun we used to have
with that rainbow!
How mommy used to fool us in a friendly way!
"Look, children, the rainbow out there in the orchard,
It stands with one foot not far from the house:
Go to where it stands, there you will find lying
Many golden spoons, you can easily get them--
Yes, golden spoons, and forks, and bowls,
And golden coins! -- Don't you want to get them?"
Then we jumped, and
ran and sprang,
Swung and chattered, yelled and sang!
Oh, when I think of it, I have to laugh even today;
The front-most, he'll likely get most of the
stuff!
The grass, long and wet, was terribly tangled;
One stumbled, tumbled right terribly;
Mommy, she looked from the porch with amusement
The running to get the golden things.
At the orchard fence
above there it stood very nice,
Poured golden things down into the clover.
Thereto we ran, there it stood -- unfortunately!
Glorious and beautiful, a few field widths away!
Now, nearer to crying, and farther from laughing,
Says one to the other, "What is there to do?"
The gold-making-bow, it recedes ever farther;
We'd better go home, that would be smarter.
Then we went back - Mommy
was smiling,
Her dear eyes wrinkled all around.
"Where is your gold? In pockets and aprons?"
"Nothing, Mother!" said the children with
pain.
The Mother said, very sweetly and low:
"I just wanted to show you with this fraud
How it goes with the bad gold-loving people;
Gold lures them into confusion, gold leads them
astray.
The Earth gives gold to
the worldly-minded
But seduction always lies behind it!
The beautiful rainbow in the cloud-turmoil
Directs the Earth to the golden heavens:
It shows God's faith, which never retreats,
And makes the soul eternally rich.
Don't forget, children, how you were betrayed
By looking for gold at the golden rainbow."
But it isn't just the rainbow that
can fool you,
as we will find out next week.
Take care,
The Old Professor |
