Hans Breitmann’s Party

by Charles Godfrey Leland English

Hans Breitmann gife a barty,   Dey had biano-blayin; I felled in lofe mit a Merican frau,   Her name was Madilda Yane. She had haar as prown ash a pretzel,   Her eyes vas himmel-plue, Und ven dey looket indo mine,   Dey shplit mine heart in two. Hans Breitmann gife a barty,   I vent dere you ’ll pe pound. I valtzet mit Madilda Yane   Und vent shpinnen round und round. De pootiest Frauelein in de house,   She vayed ’pout dwo hoondred pound, Und efery dime she gife a shoomp   She make de vindows sound. Hans Breitmann gife a barty;   I dells you it cost him dear. Dey rolled in more as sefen kecks   Of foost-rate Lager Beer. Und venefer dey knocks de shpicket in   De Deutschers gifes a cheer. I dinks dat so vine a barty   Nefer coom to a het dis year. Hans Breitmann gife a barty;   Dere all vas Souse und Brouse. Ven de sooper comed in, de gompany   Did make demselfs to house; Dey ate das Brot und Gensy broost,   De Bratwurst und Braten vine, Und vash der Abendessen down   Mit four parrels of Neckarwein. Hans Breitmann gife a barty;   We all cot troonk ash bigs. I poot mine mout to a parrel of bier,   Und emptied it oop mit a schwigs. Und denn I gissed Madilda Yane   Und she shlog me on de kop, Und de gompany fited mit daple-lecks   Dill de coonshtable made oos shtop. Hans Breitmann gife a barty—   Where ish dat barty now? Where ish de lofely golden cloud   Dat float on de moundain’s prow? Where ish de himmelstrahlende Stern—   De shtar of de shpirit’s light? All goned afay mit de Lager Beer—   Afay in de Ewigkeit!

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