LL-L "Folklore" 2003.08.09 (07) [E/LS]

[Lowlands-L]

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L O W L A N D S - L * 09.AUG.2003 (07) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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A=Afrikaans Ap=Appalachian B=Brabantish D=Dutch E=English F=Frisian
L=Limburgish LS=Lowlands Saxon (Low German) N=Northumbrian
S=Scots Sh=Shetlandic V=(West)Flemish Z=Zeelandic (Zeêuws)
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From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Folklore

Fiete:

> (LS): "Wenn de Kuckuck röppt, köön't wii dennen Schinken ansniiden"
> (E) : "When the cuckoo is singing we may cut [the first slice from] the
ham"
>
> (because it is ripe then, had been hanging in the smoke for enough
> time)

An interesting traditional saying.

> As You can find in Your nice English song, there is not much about the
> "naughty" cuckoo- people in more northerly regions loved him as THAT bird
> announcing the summer, because it (she in the song???) is the latest to
come
> from and the first to go back to Africa.

Another interesting detail.  I knew that the cuckoo announces summer, but I
wasn't quite aware why it has this special role.  This would explain it.  Of
course, it would be a bit earlier in the Italian-speaking regions than in
the Lowlands.

Yes, birds tend to be "she" in English folksongs.

The cuckoo being the herald of summer and thus of the
mating/courtship/wedding season (June still being one of the most important
wedding months in the Northern Hemisphere) is reflected in the only Lowlands
Saxon (Low German) cuckoo song of which I am aware, a song from the
Mecklenburg region (on the Baltic coast, just east of the former Iron
Curtain), apparently a wedding (dance) song.  I imagine that it went with
some sort of ceremony ending up with the bride dancing.  (My Hanseatic
orthography versions are in parentheses):

   Dei Kuckuck up den Tuune satt,
   dat rägent sihr, un hei würd natt.
   (Dey kukuuk up d’n tune sat.
   Dat regend seyr, un hey wöyrd’ nat.)

   Un as dei Sünn nu wedder schien,
   donn würd dei Kuckuck wedder fien.
   (Un as dey sün nu wedder schyn,
   don wöyrd’ dey kukuuk wedder vyn.)

   Dei Kuckuck breid’t sien Feddern ut,
   hei breid’t s’ woll oewer Goldsmidts Huus.
   (Dey kukuuk breydt syn veddern uut.
   Hey breydt s’ wol över Goldsmids huus.)

   »O Goldsmidt, leiwe Goldsmidt mien,
   mak mi von Gold ein Kränzelien.
   („O, Goldsmid, leyve Goldsmid myn,
   maak my von gold eyn krenzelyn!)

   Mak mi von Gold einen Rosenkranz,
   dormit ick kam in dissen Danz.«
   (Maak my von gold eyn’n rosenkranz,
   daarmit ik kaam in dissen danz!“)

   »In dissen Danz kümmt keiner rin,
   dat möt dei Bruut sülben sien.«
   („In dissen danz kümt keyner rin.
   Dat möött dey bruud sülven syn.“)

   Gott gew dei Bruut, wat ick ehr wünsch,
   upt anner Johr ein gladden Prinz.
   (God geev’ dey bruud wat ik eer wünsch:
   up ’t anner jaar eyn gladden prinz,)

   Upt anner Johr ein Mädelien
   bet dat dat fiefuntwintig sien.
   (Up ’t anner jaar eyn medelyn,
   bet dat dat vyv un twintig syn,)

   All fiefuntwintig üm den Disch,
   denn weet dei Fru, wat Husholn is.
   (Al vyv un twintig üm d’n disch;
   den weett dey vru wat huushold’n is.)

My translation:

   Cuckoo was sitting on the fence.
   It rained quite hard, and she got wet.

   And when the sun came back to shine
   Cuckoo soon enough looked fine.

   Cuckoo spread her feathery coat.
   She spread it over the goldsmith’s house.

   “Oh, Goldsmith, dearest Goldsmith mine,
   Make me of little wreath of gold!

   Make me of gold a rosy wreath,
   So it’s my turn to dance this dance!”

   “No one gets to dance this dance.
   It’s got to be the bride herself.”

   May God grant the bride what I wish her:
   A handsome prince the coming year,

   A little girl the following year,
   Until there are twenty-five of them,

   All twenty-five around the table,
   To teach her the meaning of keeping house.

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron

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