(From Hoyerswerda)
Translated by H. Mel Symmank

A little bird had continued to sit, continued to sit
Certainly alone between two prudent little stones.

A large bird came and flew by, flew by
And asked the small little bird.

‘What are you doing, what are you doing my little bird
That you sing nothing joyous?’

"Oh! For what should I joyfully sing!
Yes! I do not have my love here."

"Father is not here, Mother is not here,
To whom should I say Good Night?"

"Father, he is dead to me already long ago,
Mother, she have I not known."

"Mother I have not known,
Evil people took her with them a long time ago."

"The oldest brother is in the war,
Yes, far in the distance in the wild war."

"The youngest sister is yet so stupid,
So stupid and so not understanding about it."

"When I send her into the little garden,
In the garden for a small apple;

Then she brings me only a small leaf,
A little leaf instead of the little apple."

"When I send her into the little garden,
Into the garden for a small rose;

Then she brings me a small branch,
a small branch instead of the small rose."

‘So place yourself under my wing,
With it we fly into the foreign land;’

‘To where, where your Father was hidden,
To where, where your mother was taken.’



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