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Heidenrslein
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Wikipedia article
"'" or "'" ("Rose on the Heath" or "Little Rose of the Field") is a poem by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, published in 1789. It was written in 1771 during Goethe's stay in Strasbourg when he was in love with Friederike Brion, to whom the poem is addressed. The episode is the inspiration for Franz Lehr's 1928 operetta ', which includes a setting of "" by Lehr.
"" tells of a young man who sees a small rose in the meadow and decides to pluck it, despite the rose's warning that she will stick him with her thorn so he will not forget his transgression. Nevertheless, the "wild" boy "breaks" the rose, who must bear the pain with no recourse. The text could be interpreted as the boy overcoming a girl (the rose) by force; she does not consent to this violation but he does not heed her protests. She must suffer the consequences. There is a companion poem by Goethe, "Das Veilchen", in which the man is represented by a violet.
Text
Sah ein Knab' ein Rslein stehn,
Rslein auf der Heiden,
War so jung und morgenschn,
Lief er schnell es nah zu sehn,
Sah's mit vielen Freuden.
Rslein, Rslein, Rslein rot,
Rslein auf der Heiden.
Knabe sprach: "Ich breche dich,
Rslein auf der Heiden."
Rslein sprach: "Ich steche dich,
Dass du ewig denkst an mich,
Und ich will's nicht leiden."
Rslein, Rslein, Rslein rot,
Rslein auf der Heiden.
Und der wilde Knabe brach
's Rslein auf der Heiden;
Rslein wehrte sich und stach,
Half ihr"ihm" in Schubert's composition doch kein Weh und Ach,
Musste"musst" in Schubert's composition es eben leiden.
Rslein, Rslein, Rslein rot,
Rslein auf der Heiden.
Once a boy saw a little rose standing,
Little rose on the heathland,
It was so young and morning-like beautiful,
He dashed there quickly to see it near,
Beholden with abundant joy,
Little rose, little rose, little rose red,
Little rose on the heathland.
Spoke the boy: "I shall break thee,
Little rose on the heathland."
The little rose said: "I shall prick thee,
That thou'lt forerver think of me,
And, I'll not want to suffer it."
Little rose, little rose, little rose red,
Little rose on the heathland.
Still the rough boy picked the rose,
Little rose on the heathland.
The little rose defended itself thus and pricked,
No prose of woe and ache could help her,
Alas, it must suffer it yet.
Little rose, little rose, little rose red,
Little rose on the heathland.
Once a boy a Rosebud spied,
Heathrose fair and tender,
All array'd in youthful pride,
Quickly to the spot he hied,
Ravished by her splendour.
Rosebud, rosebud, rosebud red,
Heathrose fair and tender!
Said the boy, "I'll now pick thee,
Heathrose fair and tender!"
Said the rosebud, "I'll prick thee,
So that thou'lt remember me,
Ne'er will I surrender!"
Rosebud, rosebud, rosebud red,
Heathrose fair and tender!
Now the cruel boy must pick
Heathrose fair and tender;
Rosebud did her best to prick,
Vain 'twas 'gainst her fate to kick
She must needs surrender.
Rosebud, rosebud, rosebud red,
Heathrose fair and tender!, citing a translation by Edgar Alfred Bowring from 1853
Settings
It has been set to music by a number of composers, most notably in 1815 by Franz Schubert as his D. 257. Schubert's setting is partially based on Pamina's and Papageno's duet "" from the end of act 1 of Mozart's 'The Magic Flute'. The 1829 setting by Heinrich Werner (below) became a popular folk song.
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References
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