Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, ATTA TROLL; A SUMMER-NIGHT'S DREAM: CAPUT 14, by HEINRICH HEINE


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

ATTA TROLL; A SUMMER-NIGHT'S DREAM: CAPUT 14, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Violet-colour'd mountain summits
Last Line: "girofflino, girofflette!"
Subject(s): Death; Mountains; Dead, The; Hills; Downs (great Britain)


VIOLET-COLOUR'D mountain summits
Smile from out the sunny gold-ground;
To the slope a village clingeth,
Seeming like a daring bird's nest.

When I climb'd up to it, found I
That the old ones all had flown,
And that none were now remaining
Save the young, who could not fly yet;

Pretty boys, and little maidens,
Almost hidden in their scarlet
Or white wollen caps, whilst playing
At a marriage, in the market.

Still they play'd regardless of me,
And I saw how the enamour'd
Mouse-prince knelt pathetically
To the fair cat-emperor's daughter.

Poor young prince! Alas! he's married
To the beauty. She morosely
Wrangles, bites him, and then eats him;
When he's dead, the game is over.

Almost all the day I linger'd
With the children, and we chatted
Like old friends. They fain would ask me
Who I was, and what my business.

"Dear young friends, my native country
"Is call'd Germany," I told them:
"Bears are found there in abundance,
"And my business is bear-hunting.

"There I've torn the skin from many
"Of their bearish ears, and sometimes
"Found myself full sorely handled
"By the paws of Master Bruin.

"Yet with ill-lick'd doltards daily
"I was forced to keep on wrangling
"In my own dear home, and found it
"Get at length beyond all bearing.

"And accordingly here came I,
"Some more noble prey desiring,
"And I fain would try my forces
"'Gainst the mighty Atta Troll.

"He's a noble adversary,
"Worthy of me. Ah! I often
"Have in Germany been victor,
"When my victory ashamed me."

When I took my leave, around me
Danced the pretty little beings
In a rondo, whilst thus sang they:
"Girofflino, Girofflette!"

Full of charming impudence
Stepp'd at last the youngest tow'rds me,
Bowing lowly twice, thrice, four times,
While with pleasing voice thus sang she:

"When the king I chance to meet with,
"Then I make him two low curtsies;
"When the queen I chance to meet with,
"Then I make her curtsies three.

"But whene'er the devil happens
"With his horns to come across me,
"Then I curtsey twice, thrice, four times --
"Girofflino, Girofflette!"

"Girofflino, Girofflette!"
Sang the chorus, and with bant'ring
Round my legs kept gaily whirling
With their circling dance and sing-song.

Whilst descending to the valley
That sweet echo still pursued me
Evermore, like birds' soft chirping:
"Girofflino, Girofflette!"





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