Die Forelle

The Trout

Die Forelle

In a bright little brookIn einem Bächlein helle
There shot in joyful hasteDa schoß in froher Eil
The capricious troutDie launische Forelle
Past like an arrowVorüber wie ein Pfeil

I stood on the shoreIch stand an dem Gestade
And saw in sweet peaceUnd sah in süßer Ruh
The lively fish's bathDes muntern Fischleins Bade
In the clear brookIm klaren Bächlein zu

A fisherman with his rodEin Fischer mit der Rute
Stood on the bankWohl an dem Ufer stand
And watched with cold bloodUnd sah's mit kaltem Blute
How the little fish turnedWie sich das Fischlein wand

As long as the water was clearSo lang dem Wasser Helle
I thought, it won't failSo dacht ich, nicht gebricht
He won't catch the troutSo fängt er die Forelle
With his fishing rodMit seiner Angel nicht

But finally the thief grew impatientDoch endlich ward dem Diebe
The time became too long. He madeDie Zeit zu lang. Er macht
The brook treacherously murkyDas Bächlein tückisch trübe
And before I knew itUnd eh ich es gedacht

His rod twitchedSo zuckte seine Rute
The fish wriggled on itDas Fischlein zappelt dran
And I with lively bloodUnd ich mit regem Blute
Saw the deceived oneSah die Betrogene an