Translated by Ed Bernthal

Listen, I want to tell you a story
If you would like me to
The magpie now wants to get married
She has selected a man for herself.

The groom is the black raven
He is her heart’s delight
He has rich possessions
Which she long has wished for herself.

Stoesser will be the butcher
Since he is good at this job
One selects him for such a matter
Since he thoroughly understands it.

The old stork above all
Has to be the speaker for the wedding
He is a blabber mouth
Blabbers forth like clattering bones.

The sparrow will built the kitchen
Perol is the clean-up person
The partridge is seen as the cook
And as a marketer.

The owl stands close to the bride
Like a salt box she stands
And the crow goes with the groom
He sure is beautiful.

The bridesmaids to be seen are
The jay, the Rake, the Hacherin
All crowd around them
So Mrs. Goldfinch has to go.

Leading the bride in were
The Brachvogel and the starling
Walking proudly in their holiday clothes
As the most beautiful in the crowd.

The brides maids bring drinks to
Hoopo, the great light
But since he tends to stink
No one wants to dance with him.

Music is made by four
The swallow plays the violin well
But when it came to make music
The clarinet was missing.

Haenfling played the flute, and the small
Lark brought along the clarinet
The snow king was the only one
With a bagpipe.

The blackbird was drunk
Also the small young quail
All the spirits had been drunk
About this the heron complained bitterly.

Peace is needed for the consecration
She worried when she heard that it was
That the green finch had to be caught
Was already decided, that bothered her.

A great conflict ensued, the titmouse
Hits the goldfinch in the face
Robin also comes out to fight
Grabs the poor finch, the poor scoundrel.

All are scolded by the warbler
He is a very strong man
Grabs the Wagtail full of spite
With the shiny knife.

No one like the Neunetoedter
Was more furious, in the meantime
The bad Pfingstvogel snarls
That he wants his part.

The cuckoo sets himself up as the judge
And holds an unjust trial
Yes, you know the gang
Knaves have no conscience.

The rest of the musicians
Do not want to go on, moreover
All stand at a distance
All very much afraid.

They want to be removed
From the noise that was going on
But Mr. Nightingale still had to sing
Since he felt it was his part.

But I take it for granted
That the best for the guests
Was cooked in the pan
And that they could eat all that they wanted.

I don’t want anything to do with curds
I stay far way from cheese
Beer I will not pass by
Water – that I gladly forget.


No Music