Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, ATTA TROLL; A SUMMER-NIGHT'S DREAM: CAPUT 21, by HEINRICH HEINE


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

ATTA TROLL; A SUMMER-NIGHT'S DREAM: CAPUT 21, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Argonauts without a ship
Last Line: Cry aloud, and so awoke me.
Subject(s): Argo (ship); Germany; Jason; Sailing & Sailors; Germans; Seamen; Sails


ARGONAUTS without a ship,
Who on foot the mountain visit,
And instead of golden fleeces
Aim at nothing but a bear's skin, --

We're, alas! poor devils only,
Heroes of a modern fashion,
And no classic poet ever
Will in song immortalize us.

Yet we notwithstanding suffer'd
Serious hardships! O what rain
Fell upon us on the summit,
Where no tree or hackney-coach was!

Fierce the storm, its bonds were broken,
And in buckets it descended;
Jason surely was at Colchis
Never drench'd in such a show'r-bath!

"An umbrella! Gladly would I
"Give you six-and-thirty kings
"For the loan of one umbrella!"
Cried I, -- and the water dripp'd still.

Fagg'd to death, and out of temper,
We return'd, like half-drown'd puppies
Late at night, as best we could,
To the witch's lofty cottage.

There beside the glowing fire-place
Sat Uraca, busy combing
Her great fat and ugly pug-dog;
Quickly she dismiss'd the latter,

To attend to us instead,
And my bed she soon got ready,
Loosening first my espardillas,
That uncomfortable foot-gear --

Help'd me to undress, my stockings
Pulling off; I found them sticking
To my legs, as close and faithful
As the friendship of a blockhead.

"Quick! a dressing-gown! I'd give you
"Six-and-thirty kings for only
"One dry dressing-gown!" exclaim'd I,
As my wet shirt steam'd upon me.

Freezing and with chattering teeth, I
Stood awhile upon the hearth;
By the fire then driven senseless
On the straw at length I sank.

But I slept not. Blinking look'd I
On the witch, who by the chimney
Sat, and held the head and shoulders
Of her son upon her lap,

Helping to undress him. Near her
Stood upright her ugly pug-dog,
And he in his front paw managed
Cleverly to hold a pot.

From the pot Uraca took some
Reddish fat, and with it rubb'd the
Ribs and bosom of her son,
Rubbing hastily, with trembling.

And while rubbing him and salving,
She a cradle-song was humming
Through her nose, whilst strangely crackled
On the hearth the ruddy flames.

Like a corpse, all yellow, bony,
On his mother's lap the son lay,
Sorrowful as death, wide open
Stared his hollow, pallid eyes.

Is he truly but a dead man
Who each night by love maternal
Hath a life enchanted giv'n him
By the aid of strongest witch-salve?

Wondrous the half-sleep of fever,
Where the leaden limbs feel weary
As though fetter'd, and the senses
O'er-excited, wide awake!

How the herb-smell in the chamber
Troubled me! With painful effort
Thought I where I had already
Smelt the same, but vain my thoughts were.

How the wind a-down the chimney
Gave me pain! Like sighs it sounded
Of dejected dried-up spirits, --
Like the sound of well-known voices.

Most of all was I tormented
By the stuff'd birds, which were standing
On a shelf above my head,
Near the place where I was lying.

They their wings were slowly flapping
And with awful motion, bending
Downward tow'rd me, forward pushing
Their long beaks, like human noses.

Ah! where have I seen already
Noses such as these? At Hamburg,
Or at Frankfort, in the Jews' street?
Sad the glimmering recollection!

I at last was overpower'd
Quite by sleep, and in the place of
Wakeful, terrible phantasmas,
Came a healthful, steady dream.

And I dreamt that this poor cottage
Suddenly became a ball-room
Which by columns was supported,
And by candelabra lighted.

Some invisible musicians
Play'd from out Robert-le-Diable
That fine crazy dance of nuns;
All alone I walk'd about there.

But at length the doors were open'd,
Open'd wide and then advanced
With a step both slow and stately
Guests of wonderful appearance.

They were solely bears and spirits!
Walking bolt upright, each bear
Led a spirit as his partner,
In a snow-white grave-cloth hidden.

In this manner pair'd, began they
Waltzing up and down with vigour
In the hall. The sight was curious,
Laughable, but also fearful!

For the awkward bears soon found it
Difficult to keep in step
With the white and airy figures,
Who whirl'd round with easy motion.

But those poor unhappy creatures
Were inexorably driven,
And their snorting overpower'd
E'en the' orchestral double bass.

Oftentimes one couple jostled
'Gainst another, and the bear
Gave the spirit that had push'd him
Some hard kicks on his hind quarters.

Often in the dance's bustle
Would a bear tear off the shroud
From the head of his companion,
And a death's head was disclosed then.

But at length with joyous uproar
Crash'd the trumpets and the cymbals,
And the kettle-drums loud thunder'd,
And there came the gallopade.

To the end of this I dreamt not, --
For a stupid clumsy bear
Trod upon my corns, and made me
Cry aloud, and so awoke me.





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