{"id":7573,"date":"2016-07-22T08:00:03","date_gmt":"2016-07-22T08:00:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/german\/?p=7573"},"modified":"2016-07-21T10:05:12","modified_gmt":"2016-07-21T10:05:12","slug":"german-childrens-stories-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/german\/german-childrens-stories-1\/","title":{"rendered":"German Children’s Stories 1"},"content":{"rendered":"

Guten Tag! A little while ago somebody requested posts on children\u2019s books and stories. I thought, where better to start than the German books my mum used to read to me as a child!<\/p>\n

\"Der

Der Struwwelpeter. Own photo.<\/p><\/div>\n

DER STRUWWELPETER<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Der Struwwelpeter is a very famous German children\u2019s book by Dr. Heinrich Hoffmann. Hoffmann wrote it because he couldn\u2019t find any existing children\u2019s books he was satisfied with! It dates back to 1845.<\/p>\n

The book is a collection of short stories written in prose, accompanied by illustrations. Each story features the moral that bad things will happen to you if you are a naughty child and\/or don\u2019t do as you are told!<\/p>\n

STORY FOCUS: DIE GAR TRAURIGE GESCHICHTE MIT DEM FEUERZEUG<\/strong>
\n The very sad story with the matches<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n

This story is about a girl called Paulinchen whose parents go out and forbid her from playing with matches in the house. But she does it anyway. Her cats warn her not to, but she lights the match, her dress catches fire, and she burns to death. The moral of the story is for children to do as they’re told – but also for parents to not leave dangerous items in reach of children.<\/p>\n

Here is the original German story with my (rather literal) English translation next to it.<\/p>\n

Die gar traurige Geschichte mit dem Feuerzeug
\n<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Paulinchen war allein zu Haus,
\nDie Eltern waren beide aus.
\nAls sie nun durch das Zimmer sprang
\nMit leichtem Mut und Sing und Sang,
\nDa sah sie pl\u00f6tzlich vor sich stehn
\nEin Feuerzeug, nett anzusehn.
\n“Ei,” sprach sie, “ei, wie sch\u00f6n und fein !
\nDas mu\u00df ein trefflich Spielzeug sein.
\nIch z\u00fcnde mir ein H\u00f6lzlein an,
\nwie’s oft die Mutter hat getan.” <\/p>\n

Und Minz und Maunz, die Katzen,
\nErheben ihre Tatzen.
\nSie drohen mit den Pfoten:
\n“Der Vater hat’s verboten!”
\nMiau! Mio! Miau! Mio!
\nLa\u00df stehn! Sonst brennst Du lichterloh!”<\/p>\n

Paulinchen h\u00f6rt die Katzen nicht!
\nDas H\u00f6lzchen brennt gar lustig hell und licht,
\nDas flackert lustig, knistert laut,
\nGrad wie ihr’s auf dem Bilde schaut.
\nPaulinchen aber freut sich sehr
\nUnd sprang im Zimmer hin und her.<\/p>\n

Doch Minz und Maunz, die Katzen,
\nErheben ihre Tatzen.
\nSie drohen mit den Pfoten:
\n“Die Mutter hat’s verboten !
\nMiau! Mio! Miau! Mio!
\nWirf’s weg! Sonst brennst Du lichterloh<\/p>\n

Doch weh ! Die Flamme fa\u00dft das Kleid,
\nDie Sch\u00fcrze brennt; es leuchtet weit.
\nEs brennt die Hand, es brennt das Haar,
\nEs brennt das ganze Kind sogar.<\/p>\n

Und Minz und Maunz, die schreien
\nGar j\u00e4mmerlich zu zweien :
\n“Herbei ! Herbei ! Wer hilft geschwind ?
\nIm Feuer steht das ganze Kind !
\nMiau! Mio! Miau! Mio!
\nZu Hilf’! Das Kind brennt lichterloh !”<\/p>\n

Verbrannt ist alles ganz und gar,
\nDas arme Kind mit Haut und Haar;
\nEin H\u00e4uflein Asche bleibt allein
\nUnd beide Schuh’, so h\u00fcbsch und fein.<\/p>\n

Und Minz und Maunz, die kleinen,
\ndie sitzen da und weinen :
\n“Miau ! Mio ! Miau ! Mio !
\nWo sind die armen Eltern ? Wo ?”
\nUnd ihre Tr\u00e4nen flie\u00dfen
\nWie’s B\u00e4chlein auf den Wiesen.<\/td>\n

 <\/p>\n

Paulinchen was at home alone,
\nBoth parents were out.
\nAs she jumped through the rooms
\nSkipping and singing,
\nShe suddenly saw before her
\nA pretty box of matches.
\n\u201cHey,\u201d she said, \u201cHey, how nice and fine !
\nThat must be a wonderful toy.
\nI\u2019ll light a match,
\nJust like mother has often done.\u201c<\/p>\n

And Minz and Maunz, the cats,
\nLift their paws
\nAnd warn her:
\n\u201cDaddy forbade it!\u201d
\nMiaow! Mio! Miaow! Mio!
\nLeave it be! Otherwise you\u2019ll burn to death!\u201c<\/p>\n

Paulinchen doesn\u2019t hear the cats!
\nThe match burns bright and strong,
\nIt flickers playfully, crackles loud,
\nJust like the picture here.
\nBut Paulinchen is having a lot of fun
\nAnd skips around the room.<\/p>\n

But Minz and Maunz, the cats,
\nLift their paws
\nAnd warn her:
\n\u201cMummy forbade it !
\nMiaow! Mio! Miaow! Mio!
\nThrow it away! Otherwise you\u2019ll burn to death<\/p>\n

But oh ! The flame touches the dress,
\nThe apron burns; it lights up.
\nThe hand is burning, hair is burning,
\nThe entire child is burning.<\/p>\n

And Minz and Maunz, they cry
\nIn desperation together:
\n\u201eHey! Hey! Who\u2019ll help us quick?
\nThe whole child is in flames!
\nMiaow! Mio! Miaow! Mio!
\nHelp! The child is burning!\u201c<\/p>\n

Everything is completely burnt,
\nThe poor child with skin and hair;
\nOnly a pile of ashes is left
\nAnd two shoes, so pretty and delicate.<\/p>\n

And Minz and Maunz, the little ones,
\nThey sit there and they cry:
\n\u201cMiaow! Mio! Miaow! Mio!
\nWhere are the poor parents? Where?\u201c
\nAnd their tears flow
\nLike a stream through the meadows.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

“Die gar traurige Geschichte mit dem Feuerzeug” by Dr. Heinrich Hoffmann<\/em><\/p>\n

Listen to this YouTube reading of the poem here:<\/p>\n