re: translation?

[elkahn <elkahn...>]

A "maise" is a tale or story, as in "Bubbemaises" or Bubbe stories.

So:

Oh once there was a story (or, once upon a time)
The story is not a happy one.
The story begins
With a great Jewish king.

(The German "anheben sich" is for something to begin. Thus: "hebt sich
onet"

"Lyulinke" is probably a variant of "Alellu," which is sung in several
Yiddish lullabies.

Hope this helps,

Eliott Kahn


On Wed, 15 Jul 1998, Ben Gidley wrote:



> Lucy, is this any better?
> 
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> Date: Mon, 13 Jul 1998 14:58:37 -0400
> From: Daniel Zylbersztajn <Daniel_Zylbersztajn (at) compuserve(dot)com>
> To: Ben Gidley <ucs01bg (at) scorpio(dot)gold(dot)ac(dot)uk>
> Subject: translation?                   (fwd)
> 
> >A mol is geven a maise
> THERE WAS ONCE A TITMOUSE (BIRD)
> [DON'T KNOW IF A "MAISE" MIGHT HAVE A RETHORICAL MEANING SUCH AS QUEEN AS YOU 
> SUGGESTED]
> >Die maise iz gor nit frelich
> THAT TITMOUSE WASN'T HAPPY AT ALL
> >Die maise hebt sich onet
> THAT TITMOUSE ASCENDED
> >Mit a groysen Yidishen melech
> WITH A GREAT YIDDISH KING
> >(refrain)
> >Lulinke, main fegele
> LULINKE MY BIRDY
> >Lulinke, main kind
> LULINKE MY CHILD
> >Ich hob ongevoren aza libe
> I HAVE BEEN AFFECTED THROUGH LOVE [VERY FREELY TRANSLATED, IS LIKE "I HAVE 
> BEEN HIT BY LOVE"]
> >Vey iz mir un vind
> IT HURTS ME (AND?/IN THE? WIND)
> >
> >A mol iz geven a melech
> ONCE THERE WAS A KING
> >Der melech hot gehat a malko
> THE KING HAD A QUEEN
> >Die malko hot gehat a vaingorten
> THE QUEEN HAD A WINE YARD
> >Lulinke main kind (sic, but seems to be a line missing here)
> LULINKE MY CHILD
> >
> >In vaingorten is geven a boymele
> IN THE WINE YARD WAS A SMALL TREE
> >Dos boymele hot gehat a tzvaigele
> THE SMALL TREE HAD A SMALL BRANCH
> >Oyfn  tzvaigele is geven a nestele
> ON THE SMALL BRANCH WAS A TINY NEST
> >In nestele hot gelebt a fegele
> AND IN THE TINY NEST LIVED A SMALL BIRD
> >
> >Der melech is obgeshtorben
> THE KIND DIED
> >Die malko iz gevoren fardorben
> THE QUEEN WAS [literally DROVEN DESTRUCTED]
> >Dos boymele hot zich obgebrochen
> the little tree broke 
> >Die fegele is fun nest antlofen
> the small bird fell from the nest
> >
> >Vu nemt men aza chochom
> where can you get a wise man
> >Er zol kenen maine vunden tzelen?
> he should be able to heal my wounds
> >Vu nemt men aza doktor
> where can you get such doktor
> >Vos zol kene main hartz oyshelen?
> who would heal my heart?
> >
> 
>