Ihr liewe Leit:
Letscht Woch hen mer die vier Linye vun John Birmelin gelese:
Ans welschkannbaschde geht mer gaern,
Do schafft mer unverdrosse;
Waer do en roder Kolwe finnt,
Der dauf en Meedel bosse.
Un sell gemaahnt mich an en Schtori ass me rim Lloyd A. Moll
(1879-1944) seim Buch Am Schwarze Baer finn kann. Es scheint der Charl
Lauchner waar hinnerhendich mit seim Welschkannbaschde, un weil es die
neegscht Woch Vollmond gewwe deet, hot em Laucher sei Fraa, die Jane, gemeent
sie deet Kuche backe un heisser Kaffi mache, un sie deede dann die Buwe un
Meed vun der Noochberschaft eilaade un en rechti, altfraenkische
Welschkannbascht Schprie hawwe – am neegschde Dienschdaag Owet.
Un der Charl deet nadierlich sei Fass guder Seidereil mit ins Feld
bringe!
Mer lese nau em Moll sei eegne Wadde:
Well, Dienschdaag iss kumme, graad wie fer alders, nooch em Mondaag,
un glei nooch em Nachtesse sin die baschder beikumme. Der Hen under bill waare
die aerschde un aa die eensichde vum Hi seinre Gemee, wu beikumme sin. Die
annere hen gsaat “Loss der Charl Lauchner bezaahle wann er Welschkann gebascht
hawwe will. Mir kenne noch unser Drinkes kaafe.”
Die Knecht hen em Hen un em Bill mol paar uffgschitt so dass sie
blauderich warre sin. Die Selinde waar aa frieh un hot sich arrig schmeechlich
gemacht um die Mannsleit rum, awwer kann kenner finne wu net schunn uffgepaart
waar wie der Hen un der Bill, un die zwee will sie doch net hawwe. Sie lebt
alsnoch uff Hoffning es kennt doch noch ebber schunnscht beikumme.
Der Charl hot der Seidereil uff der Schpringswagge gelaade un
faahrt naus ins Feld, un die Baschder laafe hinnenoh. Wie sie nauskumme sin,
hot er’s abgelaade un uff die Schteefens gelegt, noh saagt er, “Nau wolle mer
eens drinke, noh gehne zwee Baschder an en Roi,un wann ihr naus ans anner End
vum Feld kummt, iss die Jane datt mit heesser Kaffi un bissel ebbes zu esse,
dennoh watt widder zerrickgebacht, un die Daschdische kenne widder drinke.
Awwer, mei liewe Leit, ich geb nix um des gans Fass Seidereil, yuscht ich hett
gaern des Feld gebascht dennowet.
“O, ich hett schier ebbes vergesse – es hot en deel rode Kolwe in
dem Feld, un ich brauch eich net saage was zu duh wann ihr eener finnt.”
Well, die Meed un die Buwe sin mol an en Schock geloffe. Sie waare
all gepaart.
Un aa die Selinde? Was watt sie duh wann ihr Paertner en roder
Kolwe finnt?
Macht’s gut,
Der Alt Professer
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Dear people:
Last week we read four lines by John Birmelin:
One likes to get at the cornhusking,
One works at it unoffended;
Whoever finds a red ear,
He may kiss a girl.
And that reminds me of a story that one can find in Lloyd A. Moll’s
book At the (Sign of the) Black Bear. It seems that Charl Lauchner was
behind in his corn husking, and because there would be a full moon the
next week, Lauchner’s wife Jane thought that she would bake a cake and
make hot coffee, and they would then invite the boys and the girls of the
neighborhood and have a real old-fashioned corn husking spree – on the
next Tuesday evening.
And Charl would
naturally bring along into the field his barrel of good cider (with added
alcohol)!
We now read Moll’s own words:
Well, Tuesdays came, just as in the old days, after Monday, and
right after supper the huskers came around. Hen and Bill were the first
and also the only ones from Hi’s “congregation” (the regulars at his
barroom) who came around. The others said, “Let Charl Lauchner pay if he
wants to have his corn husked. We can still buy our drinks.”
The farmhands poured a couple for Hen and Bill so that they got
talkative. Selinde was also early and fawned over the men, but she
couldn’t find one that wasn’t already paired off except Hen and Bill, and
she doesn’t want those two. She still lives in the hope that somebody else
might come around.
Charl loaded the cider (=alcohol) onto the spring wagon (as opposed
to the usual farm wagon without springs) and drives out into the field,
and the huskers walk behind after him. When they got out there, he
unloaded it and put it on the stone fence, then he said, “Now, we’ll drink
one, then two huskers will go to a row, and when you get out to the other
end of the field, Jane will be there with hot coffee and a little
something to eat, they you’ll husk back again, and the thirsty ones can
drink again. But, my dear people, I don’t care about the whole barrel of
cider (with added alcohol), I would just like to get the field husked this
evening.
“Oh, I almost forgot something – there are some red ears in that
field, and I don’t have to tell you what to do when you find one.”
Well, the girls and the boys walked over to a shock. They were all
paired off.
And also Selinde? What will she do if her partner find a red ear?
Take Care,
The Old Professor
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