(Before Longfellow.)
It vas der goot shkiff Hezberus,Dot paddled cross der pond;Und dare vas dare der skibber's gal,Of whom he vas so fond.Green vos her eyes as summer peas,Her cheeks I can't define,Her boozum brown like pretzel cakes,Her voice a vereful whine.Mit pibe in mouth der skibber sat,Wrabbed in an old pea koad,Und vatched his daughter koff and shneezeVen schmoke got down hur throad.Den up und spoke der paddle man,"Look 'ere, let's turn ride back,A schwan lives 'ere, der peebles say,Vat likes to peck und hack.So let's turn back, mein master dear,Und from this voyage refrain,"Der skibber blew schmoke oud his pibe,Und schmiled mit grim dishdain.Den near und near der shkiff did gotTo vare dot schwan hung out;Until at last, mit telesgope,Dey shpied his head und snowt.Vel, down it schwam und schmote der shkiffMit all its might und main,Und made it shump dree times its length,Und den shump back again."Come 'ere, come 'ere! mein leedle gal,Und do not dremble so,For I can lick der biggest schwanDot you to me can show."He wrabbed her in his old pea koad,—His joy, his life, his soul;Und mit a piece of paper twineHe lashed her to a pole."Oh, dad, I hear der dinner bell!I feel shust like grub-struck.""Vel, hold yer tongue now, Mary Ann,Und dry to bear your luck.""Oh, dad, I see dot schwan again!He'll eat both you und me;"But dad he answered not a vord,For stiff und frized vas he.Den der goot girl she glasped her hands,Und through her frost-bit noseShe said, "Now I avake to sleep,"Dot she might not be froze.Und dare, through rain and hurrycane,Und through der schleet und schnow,Der maiden prayed und begged der schwanTo pick up stakes und go.But no; he schwam up to der wreck,Und den der fun began;He knocked der fellers off der deck,But left shweed Mary Ann.He picked und pecked der Hezberus,Und lashed de pond to foam,Und made de poor, wee, leedle shkiffLook shust like honeycomb.Den by der board der long bean-poleUnd Mary Ann did go;Und shust like lead der shkiff went down.Der schwan he roared, Ho! ho!*****At break of day, beside der pond,Poor Mary Ann vas found;Her form vas cold un frozen stiff,Und to a bean-pole bound.
It vas der goot shkiff Hezberus,Dot paddled cross der pond;Und dare vas dare der skibber's gal,Of whom he vas so fond.Green vos her eyes as summer peas,Her cheeks I can't define,Her boozum brown like pretzel cakes,Her voice a vereful whine.Mit pibe in mouth der skibber sat,Wrabbed in an old pea koad,Und vatched his daughter koff and shneezeVen schmoke got down hur throad.Den up und spoke der paddle man,"Look 'ere, let's turn ride back,A schwan lives 'ere, der peebles say,Vat likes to peck und hack.So let's turn back, mein master dear,Und from this voyage refrain,"Der skibber blew schmoke oud his pibe,Und schmiled mit grim dishdain.Den near und near der shkiff did gotTo vare dot schwan hung out;Until at last, mit telesgope,Dey shpied his head und snowt.Vel, down it schwam und schmote der shkiffMit all its might und main,Und made it shump dree times its length,Und den shump back again."Come 'ere, come 'ere! mein leedle gal,Und do not dremble so,For I can lick der biggest schwanDot you to me can show."He wrabbed her in his old pea koad,—His joy, his life, his soul;Und mit a piece of paper twineHe lashed her to a pole."Oh, dad, I hear der dinner bell!I feel shust like grub-struck.""Vel, hold yer tongue now, Mary Ann,Und dry to bear your luck.""Oh, dad, I see dot schwan again!He'll eat both you und me;"But dad he answered not a vord,For stiff und frized vas he.Den der goot girl she glasped her hands,Und through her frost-bit noseShe said, "Now I avake to sleep,"Dot she might not be froze.Und dare, through rain and hurrycane,Und through der schleet und schnow,Der maiden prayed und begged der schwanTo pick up stakes und go.But no; he schwam up to der wreck,Und den der fun began;He knocked der fellers off der deck,But left shweed Mary Ann.He picked und pecked der Hezberus,Und lashed de pond to foam,Und made de poor, wee, leedle shkiffLook shust like honeycomb.Den by der board der long bean-poleUnd Mary Ann did go;Und shust like lead der shkiff went down.Der schwan he roared, Ho! ho!*****At break of day, beside der pond,Poor Mary Ann vas found;Her form vas cold un frozen stiff,Und to a bean-pole bound.
It vas der goot shkiff Hezberus,Dot paddled cross der pond;Und dare vas dare der skibber's gal,Of whom he vas so fond.
Green vos her eyes as summer peas,Her cheeks I can't define,Her boozum brown like pretzel cakes,Her voice a vereful whine.
Mit pibe in mouth der skibber sat,Wrabbed in an old pea koad,Und vatched his daughter koff and shneezeVen schmoke got down hur throad.
Den up und spoke der paddle man,"Look 'ere, let's turn ride back,A schwan lives 'ere, der peebles say,Vat likes to peck und hack.
So let's turn back, mein master dear,Und from this voyage refrain,"Der skibber blew schmoke oud his pibe,Und schmiled mit grim dishdain.
Den near und near der shkiff did gotTo vare dot schwan hung out;Until at last, mit telesgope,Dey shpied his head und snowt.
Vel, down it schwam und schmote der shkiffMit all its might und main,Und made it shump dree times its length,Und den shump back again.
"Come 'ere, come 'ere! mein leedle gal,Und do not dremble so,For I can lick der biggest schwanDot you to me can show."
He wrabbed her in his old pea koad,—His joy, his life, his soul;Und mit a piece of paper twineHe lashed her to a pole.
"Oh, dad, I hear der dinner bell!I feel shust like grub-struck.""Vel, hold yer tongue now, Mary Ann,Und dry to bear your luck."
"Oh, dad, I see dot schwan again!He'll eat both you und me;"But dad he answered not a vord,For stiff und frized vas he.
Den der goot girl she glasped her hands,Und through her frost-bit noseShe said, "Now I avake to sleep,"Dot she might not be froze.
Und dare, through rain and hurrycane,Und through der schleet und schnow,Der maiden prayed und begged der schwanTo pick up stakes und go.
But no; he schwam up to der wreck,Und den der fun began;He knocked der fellers off der deck,But left shweed Mary Ann.
He picked und pecked der Hezberus,Und lashed de pond to foam,Und made de poor, wee, leedle shkiffLook shust like honeycomb.
Den by der board der long bean-poleUnd Mary Ann did go;Und shust like lead der shkiff went down.Der schwan he roared, Ho! ho!
*****
At break of day, beside der pond,Poor Mary Ann vas found;Her form vas cold un frozen stiff,Und to a bean-pole bound.