Gaudeamus! Humorous Poems Part 15

But I love you far better, and that is a fact; With yearning for you, soul and body are racked.

Ned is too old, and two children has he, And tougher and healthier you seem to be.

But if you don't ask me this week, without doubt, Ned will be mine--so you'd better look out!

What is your will, John? Come, let it be seen; Long, ah, too long, dear, unmarried I've been; And longer I long not unmarried to stay; John! come and wed, and we'll drive care away!

THE HERRING.

Ein Haring liebt' eine Auster Im kuhlen Meeresgrund.

A herring loved an oyster, An oyster in the South; And all the herring longed for Was a kiss from her pearly mouth.

But the oyster, she was scornful, And always stayed at home; Shut up in her proud sh.e.l.l castle, Where never a kiss could come.

But one summer-eve she opened Her sh.e.l.l by a special grace; For she fain in the ocean mirror Would look at her lovely face.

The herring came swimming quickly, And darted his head right in; And, 'Now,' said he, 'or never, 'Sweet love, a kiss I'll win!'

But as to reach his darling, Too far his head he leaned, Snap came the sh.e.l.ls together, And he was guillotined.

All in the rosy sunlight He floated from the sh.o.r.e; And from his throat came gurgling, 'I'll never love oyster more!'

FROM THE GERMAN GIPSY.

An o isma me wium.

Pasch i chamaskri me beschdum, Chadscherdi me pium, Jake mato me wium!

I went to a tavern in the town, By a table I sat me down, Drank of brandy half-a-crown, Drunk as the devil I tumbled down.

Drunk as the devil I tumbled down, When I went to a tavern in the town, And drank of brandy half-a crown, As by a table I sat me down.

As by a table I sat me down, I drank of brandy half-a-crown, When I went to a tavern in the town, And drunk as the devil I tumbled down.

I drank of brandy half-a-crown, When I went to a tavern in the town, And drunk as the devil I tumbled down, As by a table I sat me down.

_To be repeated as often as the singer obtains possession of two-and-six-pence_.

BRIGAND SONG.

Air,--_Von Weber's_ Derniere Pensee.

'S giebt kein schonres Leben Als das Rauberleben In dem dustern, dustern, dustern Wald.

There's no life is n.o.bbier Than to be a rob-bier, In the gloomy, gloomy, gloomy wood.

Always blood a-drinkin', Killin' folks like winkin', Little hinfants murderin' all we could.

Comes a carriage glidin', Or a feller ridin', Or a tinker travellin' with his cram.

Then each jovial rover Holloas out, 'Sh.e.l.l over!

For your life we do not care a d--n!'

DIE ZWEI FREUNDE.

Ich habe nur zwei Freunde auf dieser Erde hier, Und immer in der Mitternacht da kommen sie zu mir.

Der erste liegt begraben im fernen Span'schen Land, Der zweite war ertrunken bei Alikante's Strand.

Ihr Kommen ist mir Wonne--Ihr Scheiden bitt're Pein, Wenn beide wieder weichen im gold'nen Morgenschein.

Der Erste bei Kobolden macht sicheren Gewinn, Der Zweite ist vermahlet mit einer Meergottin.

Was k.u.mmert mich das Sterben wenn ich nur Freunde hab', Im Wa.s.ser--in der Erde--im feucht und trockenen Grab.

Und sterb' ich wie ein Heiliger der geht in's Himmelreich, Und schwing' ich an dem Galgen--mir ist es alles gleich.

C. G. L.

THE TWO FRIENDS.

I have two friends, two glorious friends--two braver could not be, And every night when midnight tolls they meet to laugh with me.

The first was shot by Carlist thieves, two years ago, in Spain; The second drowned near Alicante,--while I alive remain.

I love to see their dim white forms come floating through the night, And grieve to see them fade away in early morning light.

The first with gnomes in the Underland is leading a lordly life, And the second has married a mermaiden, a beautiful water-wife.

And since I have friends in the earth and sea, with a few, I trust, on high, Tis a matter of small account to me, the way that I must die.

For whether I sink in the foaming flood, or swing on the triple tree, Or die in my bed, as a Christian should, is all the same to me.

C. G. L.

TO THE READER.

Gatter wela?

Gatter stela?

Ap miro tschavo, ste!--German Gipsy.