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The wild waterman

A wild watermann is courting
In front of the castle across the lake
He's courting in royal manner
the beautiful, young Lilofay
 
He let build a bridge
In front of the castle across the lake
Where he wanted her to walk on
The beautiful, young Lilofay
 
When she came upon the bridge
In front of the castle across the lake
The waterman pulled her down
The beautiful, young Lilofay
 
She spent seven years down there
In front of the castle across the lake
And she gave him seven children
The beautiful, young Lilofay
 
Once she heard the bells chime above
In front of the castle across the lake
Wanted to see father and mother again
The beautiful, young Lilofay
 
When she came out of the church
In front of the castle across the lake
There stood the wild waterman
In front of the beautiful, young Lilofay
 
"Do you want to go down with me?
In front of the castle across the lake
Your children down there are crying for you,
beautiful, young Lilofay"
 
"Let us split the children apart,
In front of the castle across the lake
Then I take three and you take three
Me poor, young Lilofay."
 
"Let us divide the seventh,
In front of the castle across the lake
Then I take a leg and you take a leg,
beautiful, young Lilofay."
 
"Before dividing the children,
In front of the castle across the lake
I'd rather let leves and green grass go
Me poor, young Lilofay."
 
Versuri originale

Der Wilde Wassermann

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Comentarii
TrampGuyTrampGuy    Miercuri, 14/03/2012 - 17:02

thanks! although it seems a bit too literal in several parts, for example : "Er ließ eine Brücke bau'n" -> "He let build a bridge" : I'm not yet very good in German, but I'm pretty sure it's not what it translates to - as "He let build a bridge" doesn't make much sense in English. There are several more, could be a language barrier issue I suppose.

Anyway, thanks for the effort, maybe a German speaker could rate it.

sarimacesarimace    Duminică, 21/11/2021 - 10:19

I am moderately sure that "Er ließ eine Brücke bau'n" means, that he arranged for a bridge to be built. Not building it on his own, but making sure it was built. In this context I would probably translate it as "he built a bridge".
Similarly, the "Eh" in the phrase "Eh dass ich die Kinder teilen lass" shouldn't be translated literally as "before", but as "rather" instead.
Also, not a translation issue, but the song probably makes more sense if you know what a "wasseramnn" is; It is a creature/demon who lives in lakes or rivers and (at least in czech folklore) collects souls of the drowned, occasionaly drowning someone to trap their soul. There is an old czech poem very similar to this song. They have a different ending though; when the girl goes to visit her mother, the mother refuses to let her go back to the wassermann and her child (which the girl wants to do). When the night is over, the wassermann tears the head of off the baby and leaves it at the doorstep.

Natur ProvenceNatur Provence    Duminică, 21/11/2021 - 10:51
sarimace wrote:

Similarly, the "Eh" in the phrase "Eh dass ich die Kinder teilen lass" shouldn't be translated literally as "before", but as "rather" instead..

I agree, but it is not fully evident. According to the wording the first proposal to share the children come from Lilofee.
She may have changed her mind after hearing wassermanns poroposal concerning the 7th child.
"Eh(e)" is ambiguous meaning the time aspect as well the condition (rather)