LL-L 'Traditions' 2007.01.27 (05) [E/German]

[Lowlands-L List]

L O W L A N D S - L - 27 January 2007 - Volume 06

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From: Global Moose Translations <globalmoose at t-online.de>
Subject: LL-L 'Traditions' 2007.01.26 (08) [E]

This also made national news in America! It's on
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/under "The Week in Pictures".

Gabriele Kahn

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From: Jacqueline Bungenberg de Jong <Dutchmatters at comcast.net>
Subject: LL-L 'Traditions' 2007.01.26 (08) [E]

Ron, Thanks for putting the links to the Vogelhochzei pictures on the web. I
was also struck by the picture of the Maibaum, it reminded me of the
constructions that people carried around at "Palm Paasen" in Twente,
complete with bread baked in the shape of a rooster. The time frame is the
same, but this is bound to the Christian calendar. Do you know anything
about that or otherwise any of our Twents or Achterhoeks correspondents?
Jacqueline

From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Traditions

Hi, Heather!

Officially we're not really supposed to attach anything, and I'm not sure if
the server will let it go through.

[I just tried it, and the server configuration prevented transmission. Ah,
well ...]

If not, I refer everyone to the following page with plenty cuteness:

http://www.cottbus.de/kultur/tradition/40000245.html
http://www.smwk.de/de/kf/kunst/sorben/739.htm

The Birds' Wedding tradition (Lower Sorbian *Ptaškowa swajzba*, Upper
Sorbian *Ptači kwas*) goes back to a very ancient rite ushering in the new
year. I am under the impression that it is a bit stronger in Lower Lusatia
than in Upper Lusatia, thus closer to Berlin and Brandenburg were Low Saxon
is or used to be used.  Lusatia was once a large area, including Dresden and
Leipzig in the west and a few areas of today's Poland in the east.
Apparently, remnants of the Birds' Wedding custom can be found in some of
those former Sorbian, now German- and Polish-speaking areas.

In fact, it is believed that the German (?) children's song "Die
Vogelhochzeit" (The Birds' Wedding) is linked with this tradition.

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Die_Vogelhochzei<http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Die_Vogelhochzeit>

This is a lovely tradition and a major event for Sorbian children.  Cuteness
abounds when they dress up in traditional dress for the occasion of mock
weddings, but I'm not so sure who has a better time: the kids or their
parents.  (What about those little boys with their top hats?)

I suspect that this is derived from a Sorbian song tradition.  But I can't
check, because my lovely collection of Sorbian folk song books is in a box
in storage in California at the moment.

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From: Aleta Turner <aletamosquito at gmail.com>
Subject: Traditions

<snip>
>  Regards,
> Reinhard/Ron
>
> P.S.: Incidentally, the first and last time I was sent out of the
classroom
> (for excessive giggling) was while practising this song in school, and it
> was all triggered by two girls playing the turkeys.
>
> Die Puten, die Puten,
> die machten breite Schnuten.
>  Fide rallala, fide rallala, fide rallalalala.

Would you mind providing a translation
into English of this song?

Aleta

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From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Traditions

Hi, prolific Lowlanders!

Here's more cutidude fer y'awl:
http://tinyurl.com/3xm2mv
http://tinyurl.com/2np6ea <http://tinyurl.com/3xm2mv>
<http://www.veryopinionated.com/archives/2007/01/gluecklich_voge.html>
Everyone go "Aaawww!"

and in Polish:
http://tinyurl.com/2lgeyq

A Low Saxon version in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania:
http://tinyurl.com/2j2l5v

Jacqueline:

> I was also struck by the picture of the Maibaum

Jacqueline, the maypole traditions is another vast topic concerning most of
Northern Europe and Inner Asia, and there is a bird link.  I do have a few
things to say about it.  But for time reasons I refer you to what has
already been said about it on the List on earlier occasions:

http://tinyurl.com/3x67t3
http://tinyurl.com/2vdt4y
http://tinyurl.com/2jfw84
<http://tinyurl.com/2vdt4y>http://tinyurl.com/38je7t
http://tinyurl.com/2pm7db
http://tinyurl.com/3xdhjs

Aleta:

> Would you mind providing a translation
> into English of this song?

Hmmm ... that's a pretty tall order.  This relies very heavily on rhyme, and
you can't replicate this in another language.  It doesn't sound funny when
you do.

> Die Puten, die Puten,
> die machten breite Schnuten.
>  Fide rallala, fide rallala, fide rallalalala.

Schnuten for 'mouths' is a Low Saxon loan, by the way.  Schnute is a cognate
of German Schnauze and English "snout".

Ok ...

Oh, by the way, there seem to be several signs that this German version was
derived from a Low Saxon one. (See my notes.)

***

Die Vogelhochzeit

     (Chorus: *Fiderallala, Fiderallala, Fiderallalalala*)

*Ein Vogel wollte Hochzeit machen in dem grünen Walde.*
A bird wanted to get married in the green woods.

*Die Amsel war der Bräutigam, die Drossel war die Braute.*
The blackbird was the bridegroom; the robin was the bride.

*Der Sperber, der Sperber, der war der Hochzeitswerber.*
The sparrow hawk was the matchmaker.

*Der Stare, der Stare, der flocht der Braut die Haare.*
The starling braided the bride's hair.

Die *Gänse und die Anten, die war'n die Musikanten.*
The geese and the ducks [*Anten*]* were the musicians.
 * Low Saxon loan for German *Enten*

Der *Uhu, der Uhu, der bringt der Braut die Hochzeitsschuh'.*
The eagle owl brings to the bride the wedding shoes.

*Der Kuckuck schreit, der Kuckuck schreit, er bringt der Braut das
Hochzeitskleid.*
The cuckoo cries and brings to the bride the wedding dress.

*Der Seidenschwanz, der Seidenschwanz, der bracht' der Braut den
Hochzeitskranz.
*The waxwing brought to the bride the wedding wreath.

*Der Sperling, der Sperling, der bringt der Braut den Trauring.*
The sparrow brings to the bride the wedding ring.

*Die Taube, die Taube, die bringt der Braut die Haube.
*The dove brings to the bride the bonnet.

*Der Lerche, die Lerche, die führt die Braut zur Kerche.*
The lark* leads the bride to the church.*
* Low Saxon *Lark* and *Kark*, or *Lerk* and *Kerk*;
  vs German *Lerche* and *Kirche*

*Brautmutter war die Eule, nahm Abschied mit Geheule.*
The bride's mother was the owl, who said farewell crying.

*Der Auerhahn, der Auerhahn, der war der stolze Herr Kaplan.
*The grouse was the proud chaplain.

*Die Puten, die Puten, die machten breite Schnuten.
*The turkeys made broad mouths.

*Der Pfau mit seinem bunten Schwanz macht mit der Braut den ersten Tanz.
*The peacock with his colored tail had the first dance with the bride.

*Die Schnepfe, die Schnepfe setzt auf den Tisch die Näpfe.
*The snipe placed the dishes on the table.

*Die Finken, die Finken, die gaben der Braut zu trinken.
*The finches gave to the brides some drinks.

*Der lange Specht, der lange Specht, der macht der Braut das Bett zurecht.
*The long woodpecker makes the bridal bed.

Das Drosselein, das Drosselein, das führt die Braut ins Kämmerlein.
The little thrush takes the bride into her chamber.

*Der Hahn, der krähet: "Gute Nacht", nun wird die Kammer zugemacht.*
The rooster crows, "Good night;" then the chamber door is shut.

*Der Uhu, der Uhu, der macht die Fensterläden zu.
*The eagle owl closes the shutters.

*Die Vogelhochzeit ist nun aus, die Vögel fliegen all' nach Haus.
*Now the birds' wedding's over; all the birds fly back home.

***
An alternative (longer) version:
http://tinyurl.com/2ry837<http://www.kinderreimeseite.de/50185293500f01632/50442194f00c8c401/50185293ec0165e01.html>

Sheet music:
http://tinyurl.com/2qqvcf
http://tinyurl.com/2vme74
<http://home.arcor.de/strichpeter/struwwel/lieder/vogelhochzeit.html>
MIDI (pretty nice):
http://tinyurl.com/366emt<http://www.kinderreimeseite.de/downloads/vogelhochzeitlang.mid>
***

Enjoy!

Reinhard/Ron

P.S.: I guess you can imagine that some of us kids had unofficial versions
and thought they were terribly clever and naughty.
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