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| PA
German Dialect
Der Aerscht Daag Schul/
The First Day of School
September 2, 1999
Ihr liewe Leit:
"Ja, ‘s iss Zeit! Die Kinner misse widder zerick
in die Schul. Awwer manniche Kinner gehne net
warricklich zerick--- sie gehne fer’s erscht Mol
in die Schul. Un datt, wie uns der Salli Holsbock
(eegentlich der Harvey M. Miller, 1871-1939)
saagt, iss alles "fremm un nei." Loss uns mol lese
was er uns in seim Gedicht "Der Aerscht Daag
Schul" saagt:
Die Schulbell ringt, nau schtaert der Tschanni fatt
fer’s glee rot Schulhaus uffem Hiwwel datt
Un nemmt sei aerschter Schritt naus in die Welt.
Der Daadi saagt, "Nau sei en guder Bu!"
Die Mammi saagt, "Sei braaf un schtick dezu!"
Un guckt mit Engschde noch em iwwer’s Feld.
Datt in der Schul iss alles fremm un nei,
Der Tschanni winscht er waer gaar net debei,
Un’s macht ihn schteif uff selle hadde Sitz;
Er muss so schtill sei ass en wachsene Bopp,
Waer net iss, grickt en Ohrfeik an der Kopp,
Un wann er peift, dann gnellt die Hickrifitz.
Der Meeschder froogt, "Nau Tschanni, what’s your name?"
"Tschanni, of course, graad do ass wie daheem."
"Sure," saagt der Meeschder, "but they call you more."
"Ei-yaw," so saagt der Tschanni net so bleed,
"Sie heese mich Vieh dreiwe noch der Weed,
Un Bkackmelassich hole aus em Schtor."
"And can you spell? Let’s see what you can do!
Spell cow." "Allrecht, c-o-w, sell iss Kuh;
C-a-l-f iss dich, sell’s was ich denk."
Un sell schtoppt Schpelle uffem Blacke datt,
Der Meeschder grickt sei alde Hickrigatt,
Dann grickt der Tschanni’s mol gedicht eigeschenkt.
Seller Owet saagt der Daadi, "Well, wie waar’s?
Ich denk du waarscht en guder Bu, of course!"
Die Mammi saagt, "Mei braawer Bu, was iss?
Kumm, Tschanni, hock dich an der Disch un ess."
"Ich kann net hocke," saagt der Tschanni, "des,
Des Schpelle iss en hesslich Ding, gewiss."
"Mei Hossesitz iss wie en Schpellekisse,
Ich denk Muschkidder hen mich so gebisse."
Dann guckt der Daadi was kann letz sei datt.
Die Mammi kummt mit Linnement un so Sach,
Der Daadi saagt, "Sell Schtoff iss gans zu schwach,
Do muss ich brauche mit re Weidegatt."
Der Daadi braucht em Tschanni ass es gnellt,
Der Tschanni yolt – es schnallt iwwer alle Welt,
Die Mammi hockt un heilt im Schockelschtul;
Die Katz, die schpringt wie’n Schtraale aussem Haus,
Der Hund, der tschumpt zum Fenschder naus;
So gross Exseidment macht der aerscht Daag Schul.
Macht's gut,
Der Alt Professer
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Dear people:
Yes, it’s time! The children have to go back to
school again. But some children are not actually going back---they are going to school for the first
time. And there, as Solly Hulsbuck (actually
Harvey M. Miller, 1871-1939) says, everything is"strange and new." Let us read what he says in
his poem "The First Day of School":
The school bell rings, now Johnny starts off
for the little red school house on the hill.
And takes his first step out into the world.
Daddy says, "Now be a good boy!"
Mommy says, "Be good and stick to it!"
And looks after him anxiously as he crosses the field.
There in school everything is strange and new.
Johnny wishes he weren’t even along.
And the hard seats make him stiff:
He must be as quiet as a wax doll.
Whoever isn’t gets a wack on the head.
And if he whistles then the hickory rod cracks.
The master asks, "Now Johnny, What’s your name?"
"Johnny, of course, here as well as at home"
"Sure," says the master, "but they call you more."
"Oh yes," says Johnny, not so stupid.
"They call (tell) me to drive the cattle to the meadow.
And get molasses from the store."
"And can you spell? Let’s see what you can do!
Spell cow." "All right, c-o-w, that is cow;
C-a-l-f is you, that’s what I think."
And that stops the spelling right on the spot.
The master gets his hickory switch.
Then Johnny is thoroughly "poured" a good one.
That evening Daddy says, "Well, how was it?
I think you were a good boy, of course!"
Mommy says, "My good boy, what’s wrong?
Come, Johnny, sit down at the table and eat."
"I can’t sit," says Johnny, "that…
That spelling is a horrid thing, for sure."
"My pants seat is like a pin cushion,
I think mosquitoes have bitten me so."
Then Daddy looks to see what is wrong there.
Mommy comes with linament and such stuff.
Daddy says, "That stuff is much too weak.
I’ll have to pow-wow with a willow switch."
Daddy pow-wows Johnny so that it cracks,
Johnny yells---it resounds over the whole world.
Mommy sits in the rocking chair and cries:
The cat, it runs out of the house like a flash.
The dog, it jumps out of the window;
The first day of school makes such great excitement.
Take care,
The Old Professor
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