Charles Godfrey Leland

Charles Godfrey Leland was an American humorist, writer, and folklorist, considered one of the preeminent figures in 19th-century American literature. Born on August 15, 1824, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he had an extraordinary talent for languages and contributed significantly to the study of folklore, dialects, and folk traditions. Leland passed away on March 20, 1903, in Florence, Italy.

August 15, 1824

March 20, 1903

English, French, German, Italian

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A Ballad Apout de Rowdies

De moon shines ofer de cloudlens,
Und de cloudts plow ofer de sea,
Und I vent to Coney Island,
Und I took mein Schatz mit me.
Mein Schatz, Katrina Bauer,
I gife her mein heart und vortdt;
Boot ve tidnt know vot beoples
De Dampfsschiff hafe cot on poard.

De preeze plowed cool und bleasant,
We looket at de town
Mit sonn-light on de shdeebles,
Und wetter fanes doornin round.
Ve sat on de deck in a gorner
Und dropled nopody dere,
Vhen all aroundt oos de rowdies
Peginned to plackguard und schvear.

A voman mit a papy
Vos sittin in de blace;
Von tooket a chew tobacco
Und trowed it indo her vace.
De voman got coonvulshons,
De papy pegin to gry;
Und de rowdies shkreemed out a laffin,
Und saidt dat de fun was high.

Charles Godfrey Leland

Am Rhein. - No. II. Im Kahn

Were diu werlt alle min,
Von deme mere unze an den Rin.
Des wolt ih mih darben,
Daz diu dame von Engellant
Lege an minen armen.
- Carmina Burana.


Am Rhein! Acain am Rheine!
In boat oopon der Rhein!
De castle-bergs soft goldnen
Im Abendsonnenschein,
Mit lots of Rudesheimer,
Und saitenklang und sang,
Und laties singin lieder,
Ash ve go sailin long.

Und von fair Englisch dame
Vas dere, so wunderscheen;
Veneer der Breitmann saw her,
Id made his heartsen pain.
Oh, dose long-tailed veilchen Augen,
Vitch voke soosh hopes und fears,
Deir shape vas nod like almonds,
Boot more like fallin tears.

Und shpecdagles were oer dem,
De glass of pince-nez kind,
In mercy to de beoples,
Less dey pe sh...

Charles Godfrey Leland

Am Rhein. - No. III. (Index) - Nonnenwerth.

He shtood peside de Kloster-place,
Oopon de Rheinisch shore,
Und dere he saw a lofely face,
Hed seen in treams pefore.

Feinslieb, und willst dou go mit me?
Feinsllieb, make no delay;
For rocks ish shdeep und vales ish teep,
Und dings ish in de way.

Und oh! how can I go mit dir,
Or flyen out of land?
Der bischof holts me py de law,
Der Rheingraf by der hand.

Liebsherz, if dou couldst landwarts gehn,
Id follow willingly;
Boot we are leafs, und shdrongs de shdem
Vitch pinds oos to de dree.

Der briest who helt dee py de law
Ish now a broken man;
Der Rheingraf who vouldt marry dee
Ish in der Kaisars ban.

Und if de Kloster-beoples here
Vill shdop your goin to town,
Bei Gott! Ill burn von half ...

Charles Godfrey Leland

Ballad

Der noble Ritter Hugo
Von Schwillensaufenstein,
Rode out mit shper and helmet,
Und he coom to de panks of de Rhine.

Und oop dere rose a meermaid,
Vot hadnt got nodings on,
Und she say, Oh, Ritter Hugo,
Vhere you goes mit yourself alone?

And he says, I rides in de creenwood,
Mit helmet und mit shpeer,
Til I coomes into em Gasthaus,
Und dere I trinks some beer.

Und den outshpoke de maiden
Vot hadnt got nodings on:
I dont dink mooch of beoplesh
Dat goes mit demselfs alone.

Youd petter coom down in de wasser,
Vhere deres heaps of dings to see,
Und hafe a shplendid tinner
Und drafel along mit me.

Dere you sees de fisch a schwimmin,
Und you catches dem efery von:
So sang dis wasser maiden

Charles Godfrey Leland

Breitmann About Town

Der Schwackenhammer coom to down,
Pefore de Fall vas past,
Und by der Breitmann drawed he in
Ash dreimals honored gast.
Leds see de sighdts! In self und worldt,
Deres sighdts for him, to see,
Who Selbstanschauungsvermögen hat,
Said Breitemann, said he.

Dey vented to de Opera Haus,
Und dere dey vound em blayin,
Of Offenbach (der open brook),
His show spiel Belle Heléne.
Deres Offenbach, Sebastian Bach,
Mit Kaulbach, dat makes dree:
I alvays like sooch brooks ash dese;
Said Breitemann, said he.

Dey vented to de Bibliothek,
Vhich Mishder Astor bilt:
Some pooks vere only en broschure,
Und some vere pound und gilt.
Dat makes de gold dat makes de sinn,
Mit pooks, ash men, ve see,
De pest tressed vellers guilt de m...

Charles Godfrey Leland

Breitmann As An Uhlan I. The Vision.

Bjó foeri ek thér,
Brynthings apaldr!
Magni blandinn
Ok magentíri,
Fullr er hann ljoda.
- Sigrdrîfurnál

Beer I bear to thee,
Battles great apple-tree!
Mingled with might
And with bright glory,
All full of song.
- The Edda.

Dere vas vonce oopon a dimes a Frantchman who asket if a Sharman could hafe ésprit. Allowin for his pad shbellin, de reater will find dat der Herr Breitmann was hafe a spree goot many dimes. You gant ged rount de Dootch.
- Fritz Swackenhammer.

GOTTS blitz! blau Feuer, potz bomben Tod!
Vot shimmers in de mitnacht roth?
Like hell-shtrom boorst oer heafens plain,
Trowin dead light on eart acain:
Ja! wide im nord om Odin shtone
Lies a shiant form im glare alone.
Troonk py de eis-kalt roarin s...

Charles Godfrey Leland

Breitmann As An Uhlan. II. Breitmann in a Balloon

Who vas efer hear soosh voonders,
Holy breest or virshin nonn?
As pefelled de Coptain Breitmann,
Vhen he hoont an air-ballon.
Der Bizzy und der Dizzy,
Mit lothairingen und Lothair,
Vas nodings to dis Deutscher,
Who vent kitin troo de air.

Id was in yar Nofember,
In eighdeen sefendee,
Der Breitmann vent a prowlin,
By monden light vent he.
In fillages deserted
He hear de Uhu moan;
For you alvays hear der Uhu
Vhere der Uhu-lan ish gone.

Alone allonsed der Uhlan,
Boot nodings could he find
Safe whitey clouds a drivin
In moonshine fore de wind.
Boot ash he see dese cloudins
He bemark dat von vas round,
Und inshtead of goin oopwarts
It kep risin towards de ground.

Oh, vot ish dis a gomin?
Some planet, p...

Charles Godfrey Leland

Breitmann As An Uhlan. III. Breitmann and Bouilli

Très estimé ami, Ick seyn nock nit verdorb,
Vielleickt Sie denck wohl kar, das ick sey tod gestorb,
Ock ne Kott loben Danck, ick leb nock kanss wohl auf.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Naturlich wie Kespenst die off die Kasse keh.
- Deutsch-Franzos, Leipzig, 1736.

Vot roombles down de Bergstrass?
Vot a grash ish in de air!
Mit a desberate gonfusion,
Und a gry of wild tespair,
Das sind gethräsht Franzosen,
Und dose who after flee
Are de terror of Champagner,
Die Uhlan cavallrie.

So liddle say die hoonted,
De hoonters lesser shdill;
Der Frank is ride fors leben,
Der Deutscher rides to kill.
Ofer dickly-doosty faces
Deir eyes like wild-katzs glare;
De blut und iron ridin
Of furie und despair.

Boot of all de...

Charles Godfrey Leland

Breitmann As An Uhlan. IV. Breitmann Takes the Town of Nancy

O hear a wondrous shdory
Vot soundet like romance,
How Breitmann mit four Uhlans
Vas dake de town of Nantz.
De Fräntschmen call it Nancy,
Und dey say its fery hard
Dat Nancy mit her soldiers
Vas getook py gorprals guard.

Dey dink id vas King Wilhelm
Ash Hans ride in de down,
Und like Odin in his glorie
Gazed derriply aroun.
Denn mit awfool condesenchen
He at de Fräntschmen shtare,
Und say, Ye wretsched shildren?
Abbortez mir vodre mère!

Hans mean de city Syndic,
Whom maire de Fräntschmen call;
So mit a tousand soldiers
Dey scort him to de Hall;
In de shair of shtade dey sot him,
Der maire coom to pe heard,
Und Hans glare at him fife minutes
Pefore he shbeak a word.

Den in iron dones he ootered:

Charles Godfrey Leland

Breitmann As An Uhlan. V. Breitmann in Bivouac

He sits in bivouacke,
By fire, peneat de drees;
A pottle of champagner
Held shently on his knees;
His lange Uhlan lanze
Stuck py him in de sand;
Vhile a goot peas-poodin sausage
Adorn his oder hand.

Und jungere Uhlanen
Sit round mit oben mout
To hear der Breitmanns shdories
Of fitin in de Sout
Und he gife dem moral lessons,
How pefore de battle pops:
Take a liddle brayer to Himmel,
Und a goot long trink of schnapps.

Denn his leutenant bemarket:
How voonder shdrange it peen
Dat so very many wild pigs
Ish dis year in de Ardennes.
Ash I sout dere donnerrwetter!
I sah dem coom heraus,
Shoost here und dere an Eber
Mit a hoondert tousand sows.

Shoost dink of all dese she-picks
Vot flet to neut...

Charles Godfrey Leland

Breitmann As An Uhlan. VI. Breitmanns Last Party

For fear of some missed onder standings, I vould shtate, dat dis is only mean de last Barty dat der Coptain Breitmann has ge givenas yed. Pimepy I kess he gife anoder von, und if I kits an in-leading, or indrotuckshun, I kess Ill go. I am von of de vellers dat vas ad de virst Barty, vhere mine swister-in-law de Madilda Yane vas tantz mit Herr Breitmann.

FRITZ SCHWACKENHAMMER,
Olim Studiosus Theologiä,
now Uhlan free-lancer,
und Segretarius of Coptain Breitmann.



Vot gollops at mitnight,
Mit hroolah and yell,
Like der teufels wild yäger
Boorst loose out of hell?
Vot cleams in the sonrise
Bright vlashin in gold?
Das sind die Uhlancers
Of Breitmann der bold.

Dey frighten de coontry,
Dey ploonder de town;
And when dey are oop

Charles Godfrey Leland

Breitmann In Holland

To Amsterd-m came Breitmann
All in de Kermes tide;
Yonge Maegden allegader
Filled de straat on afery side.
De meisjes in de straaten
Vere tantzin alle nacht long;
Dere vas kissen, dere vas trinken,
Mit a roar of Holland song.

Who went into de straaten
Ven de sonn had gone his day,
De Dootch gals quickly grapped him
Und tantzed him wild avay.
Dere was der Prinz von Capua,
Who fell among dese wags;
Dey tantzed him off in a carmagnole,
Und sent him home in rags.

Und den at afery gorner,
So peaudifool to see,
De volk vas bilin dough-nuts,
Or else vas fryin tea.
Und Kermes cakes mit boetry,
Vitch land-volk dinks a dreat,
Mit all of Barnums blayed out shows
In dents along de shdreet.

Id pring de tears to Bre...

Charles Godfrey Leland

Breitmann In Holland - Leyden

Tis shveet to valk in Holland towns
Apout de twilicht tide,
Vhen all ish shdill on proad canals,
Safe vhere a poat may clide.
Shdrange light on darkenin vater falls,
In long soft lines afar,
Der abenddroth on dunkelheit,
Vitch shows or hides a star.

De pridges risen all aroundt
So quaindly, left und right,
Pedween each pridge und shattow, lies,
A lemon of yellow light,
Und das volk a-goin ober,
So darklin onwarts pass,
Dey look like Chinese shattows shown
Apofe a lookin-glass.

All shdiller grows, und shdiller,
Sogar die efenin preeze,
Ish only heardt far ober het
In dese long lines of drees;
A real oldt Holland feelin
Cooms gadderin ober all,
Youd nefer dink a sturm hat peen
Oopon dis Grand Canawl.

De ...

Charles Godfrey Leland

Breitmann In Holland - Scheveningen, or de Maidens Coorse

Oldt Flämisch.

Het vas Mijn Heer van Torenborg,
Ride oud oopon de sand,
Und vait to hear a paardeken;
Coom tromplin from de land.
He vaited vhen de boeren volk
Vent oud oopon de plain,
He vaited dill de veary crows
Flew nestwarts home acain.

He vaited ash de wild fox vaits
In long-some hoonger noth,
He vaited dill de flitterin bats
Vere plack on Abendroth.
Ids woe to watch for taily bread
Or bide forgotten call,
Boot oh, to vait for heartsen lofe
Ish veariest of dem all.

O dat ish not mine laitys prooch
Shoost now so star-like shined,
O dat ish not mine laitys haar
Soft floatin on de wind.
Her goot crayhound mit soosh a step
Vas nefer vont to go,
Und dat is niet her paardeken
Whose shtep so v...

Charles Godfrey Leland

Breitmann Interviews the Pope

Altri beva il Falerno, altri la Tolfa.
..........
Toscana re, dite
Pra chio parli dite.
- Bacco in Toscano,
di Francisco Redi.

Si regressum feci metro
Retro ante, ante retro
Quid si graves sunt acuti?
Si accentus fiant muti?
Quid si placide, plene, plane
Fregi frontem Prisciani?
Sat est Verbum declinavi
Titubo-titubas-titubavi.
- Barnabä Itinerarium. London, 1716


Von efenin ash der Breitmann vent from his weinhaus vinkin,
So peepy mit Falernian vitch he vas starkly trinkin,
He found his hut and goat was gone, deyd dook em oud for dryin,
Und in deir blace a priester hut und priester mantel lyin.

Der Breitmann poot de triangel oopon his het, and whistled,
Den rop de cloak around his form, and down de Corso...

Charles Godfrey Leland

Breitmann am Rhein - Cologne

How wunderschön das Vaterland
In audumn-life abbears;
Vot rainpows gild ids vallies crand,
Ven seen troo vallin tears.
Und VON Ill creet mit sang und klang,
Und drown in goldnen wein;
Old Deutschlands cot her sohn again:
Hans Breitmanns on der Rhein.

Und doughts ish schwell dat mighdy heart,
Too awfool for make known;
Ven dey shunt him from de railroat car
Und tropped him in Cologne.
De holy towers of de dome
Cleam, twilicht-veiled, afar;
Und like some lonely bilgrims pipe,
Dim shines de efenin star.

Hans look to find his baggage check,
Und see dat all ish shdraighdts,
Denn toorn him to de city toors,
Mein nadife landwie gehts?
Boot dats vot all who read may run
Fool blainly armies write;
Ids ofer all half Sh...

Charles Godfrey Leland

Breitmann and the Turners

Hans Breitmann shoined de Turners,
Novemper in de fall,
Und dey gifed a boostin bender
All in de Turner Hall.
Dere coomed de whole Gesangverein
Mit der Liederlich Aepfel Chor,
Und dey blowed on de drooms and stroomed on de fifes
Till dey couldnt refife no more.

Hans Breitmann shoined de Turners,
Dey all set oop some shouts,
Dey tookd him into deir Turner Hall,
Und poots him a course of shprouts.
Dey poots him on de barell-hell pars
Und shtands him oop on his head,
Und dey poomps de beer mit an enchine hose
In his mout dill hes pout half tead!

Hans Breitmann shoined de Turners;
Dey make shimnastig dricks;
He stoot on de middle of de floor,
Und put oop a fifdy-six.
Und den he drows it to de roof,
Und schwig off a treadf...

Charles Godfrey Leland

Breitmann as a Bummer

Der Sheneral Sherman holts oop on his coorse,
He shtops at de gross-road und reins in his horse.
Deres a ford on de rifer dis day we moost dake,
Or elshe de grand army in bieces shall preak!
Vhen shoost ash dis vord from his lips had gone bast,
There coomed a young orterly gallopin fast,
Who gry mit amazement: Herr Shenral! Goot Lord!
Dat Bummer der Breitmann ish holdin der ford!

Der Shenral he ootered no hymn und no psalm,
But opened his lips und he priefly say Dn!
Dere moost hafe been viskey on dat side der rifer;
To get it dose shaps vould set hell in a shiver;
But now dat dey hold it, ride quick to deir aid:
Ho, Sickles! move promply, send down a prigade!
Dat Dootchman moost vork mighty hard mit his sword
If againsd a whole army he holds to de...

Charles Godfrey Leland

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