Materials for Translating from English Into German

VIII.

MY DEAR FRIEND,

I hate1 to think 2 how ungrateful3 I must appear to some correspondents, and to you among the number; but I can assure you my occupations are so many, and my leisure comparatively 10 so limited 11, that I can with difficulty find time for more than my weekly 12 letter to mamma. I am much obliged 14 for your and your husband's 15 very kind expressions 16 with regard 17 to my little book. I continue 18 to find myself very comfortable 19 here in most respects.20 20 I admire 21 the people in whose house I am residing 22 more and more.23 They are truly excellent 24 people, and extremely 25 kind to 26 me. The lady 27 of the house is remarkably 28 thoughtful and considerate30 in little things, and I think 31 this one of the greatest charms 32 any one can possess. If I happen 33 to mention 34 any book I should like to read, she always remembers 35 it. I hope your husband and your children are quite well. Pray offer my kindest remembrance 37 to the former 38, and kisses 39 to the latter 40, and accept 41 for them, and for yourself, the best new years wishes 42 of,

My dear friend, your's most sincerely, 43 M. F. R.

the 44 18th of 45 November, 1848.

3 undankbar.

4 Corre=

haffen, and insert it. 2 daran denken. spondent. 5 in. 6 versichern, with Dat. 7 Beschäftigung, take the Gen. viel. Mukezeit. 1o verhältnißmåßig. "beschränkt. 12 wöchent= lich. 13 meine Mutter. 14 verpflichten. 15 Gatte. 16 Wort, n. Bezug auf. express it adverbially by stets or noch immer. say, in the most; respect Hinsicht.

19 behaglich.

22 wohnen Frau.

17 in

21 bewundern.

28 auf eine merkwürdige Weise. 29 aufmerkiam. sichtsvoll. 31 halten für.

reizend; Zug.

with Gen.

30 rücke

say, of the most charming features; 33 express this by the Adverb gerade. 34 erwåhner, 35 denken with, of it daran. 37 Gruß, m.

38 erster. 39 Kuß, m.

36 geben.

41 40 letter. empfangen. 42 12 either Neujahrsunfd), m., or my best wishes for the new year. 43 aufrichtig ergeben. 45 is not expressed, and the name of the month is not

IX. GRISELdis.

THE little German theatre1 here (in Reval), proves a most agreeable diversion.3 We engaged a box5 for the season"; and are glad whenever the many hospitable houses have an evening free. Without attempting too much, the modest German company, most respectable 10 in performance11, gave 12 us selections 13 from Kotzebue, from Iffland, etc.14: but a piece 15, recently 16 dramatised 17, called 18 Griseldis, is more attractive 19 than all, and draws 20 most sympathising audiences.21 This is taken from 22 the same old German legend 23, which, I24 conclude 25, furnished 26 our ancient 27 ballad 28 of the patient Griselda, with a slight 29 alteration 30 of31 the dénouement.32 The drama 33, however, is laid in the times of our national 34 character 35 King Arthur. The hero 36, Percival, is one of the chief nobles 37 of his court 38; and the heroine 39, Griseldis, has, on account of her beauty and virtue, been taken from a lowly 40 woodman's hut41 to grace 42 his castle.43 Knowing his wife to be the very 44 mirror 45 of excellence 46, Percival leaves her to repair 47 to 48 King Arthur's court; where, taunted 49 by some with 50 her low birth 51, by others, with

scheiden. formances.

4 nehmen.

9 bes

1 Schauspielhaus, n. 2 gewähren. 3 Unterhaltung. Loge, f. Schauspielzeit, f. 7 sich freuen. gastfreundlich. 10 höchft achtenswerth. "Leistung, and say, in their per12 zeigen. 13 eine Auswahl. 14 und so weiter, or u. f. w. 15 Stück, n. 16 túrzlid). 17 für die Bühne bearbeiten. 18 Namens. 19 reizend. 20 ziehen. 21 say, a great number Zahl, of sympathising theilnehmend, spectator Zuschauer. 22 entlehnen, with Dat. 3 Sage. say, as I. 25 schließen. 26 den Stoff liefern zu. 27 alt. 28 Ballade, f. 29 gering. 30 Wenderung. 31 in. 32 Entwickelung.

34 volksthümlich. 35 Character, m.
40
Heldin. niedrig.

36 Hof, m.

33 Schauspiel, n.

36 Held.
41 Köhlerhütte, f.

37 Hauptedelmann. 42 zieren.

43 Schloß, n.
44 felbft, and put it after mirror. 45 Spiegel, m.
trefflichkeit. 7 sich begeben.

an. höhnen.

46 Bor=

wegen. Geburt, f.

possessing 52 a diamond which he is afraid to display 53, he boasts that, though his wife be a woodman's daughter, she surpasses 54 in 55 obedience 56, and every wifely sense 57 of duty, all the high-born 58 ladies 59 of the court. This so stings 60 the queen herself,-a bad, designing61 woman, that she offers 62 to do homage 63 to this peasant-born 64 countess 65, and to proclaim her 66 best among women, if her obedience prove 67 superior 68 69 to every trial 70; but, if Griseldis fail 71, exacts 72 the same homage from the haughty 73 Percival to 74 herself. This rouses' 75 Percival's vanity 76, and, confident of77 his wife's principles 78, and careless 79 of her sufferings, he accepts 80 the gage81. Two courtiers 82, chosen as witnesses to this conjugal83 ordeal 84, now accompany him to his castle. Here an unforeseen occasion for trial 85 immediately presents itself 86: Griseldis' old mother, on her death-bed, sends a messenger to the castle to summon' 87 her daughter, if not grown unmindful 88 in her present exaltation 89, to come and receive her last blessing." Griseldis sues to 91 Percival for leave to fulfil 99 this act of piety 93, which Percival, thinking only of his bond 94, denies 95, and forbids 96 her to leave the castle, Griseldis obeys. Percival then asks for 97 their only child, a babe 98 in the cradle.99 The king wants 100 it," he

coolly 101 says, and gives it to the courtiers.

“The king

say, the possession Besik. 53 ans Tageslicht bringen.

treffen.

54 über=

58 hochgeboren.

62
52 sich erbieten.

63 Huldigung

66 erklären als.

sich erweisen.

an. 56 Gehorsam, m. 57 Frauengefühl, n.
60 erbittern. 61 falsch.

59 Dame.
leisten. 6+ bauern-erzeugt. 65 Gråfin.

erhaben. 69 über. 70 Versuchung. 71 sinken. 72 verlangen. 73 stolz. 74 für. 75 erregen. 76 Eitelkeit. 79 unbekümmert um. 80 annehmen. 83 ehelich. 84 Unschuldsprobe, f. auffordern. der niedern Abkunft origin, Erhöhung. Segen, m. Pflicht. 94 Verirag.

95 abschlagen.

77 trauend auf. 78 Grundsaß. Fehdehandschuh, m. 82 Höfling. 85 die Prüfung. 86 sich darbieten. vergessen, lit., to forget her lowly 91 bitten. 92 üben. 93 fromme 96 verbieten, with Dat. 97 for= 100 brauchen.

dern.

98 Säugling, m.

99 Wiege, f.

101 ruhig.

wants my

Griseldis obeys.

105

child! screams Griseldis, with a mother's agony 102, and is rushing 103 to seize 104 it from their grasp when Percival restrains 106 her, and gives her to understand that such is his will. Griseldis obeys. In the next scene107, he bids the great hall 108 be prepared 109, calls together his dependents 110 and vassals 111, and now commands 112 his countess to put off113 her splendid robes 114, to unbind 115 the jewels from her hair, and return to his presence 116 in the russet 117 petticoat 118, loose 119 tresses 120, and bare121 feet, with which he first saw her. Now turning to the assembly 122, he 66 says, Thus you saw this woman enter my castle; this was her condition 123 when she became your mistress 124; to that let her return; conduct her beyond 125 the castle-gates 126, and give her neither food nor shelter 127 on 128 your allegiance." Griseldis attempts no remonstrance 129, save130 her tears 131; weeping she bids 132 her lord 133 adieu 134, passes 135 meekly 136 through the throng 137, and goes barefooted 138 forth.139 A storm 140 of 141 thunder 142 and lightning 143 now bursts 144 scene 145, but still she pursues her forlorn 146 way, till, torn 147 and exhausted 148, she reaches the home 149 of her girlhood 150. Here her father, pointing 151 to 152 the dead body of her mother, upbraids 153 her with 154 neglect 155

109

110

over the

104 reißen.
105 pl. of Hand.
zurüsten. Untergeben.
113 ablegen. 114 Gewand, n.
before him. 117 båuerisch).

102 Seelenangst, f. 103 vorwärtsstürzen.
106 zurückhalten. 107 Auftritt. 108 Halle, f.
1 Vasall (G.—en). 2 befehlen, with Dat.
(pl.-ånder). 115 lösen. 116 say, to reappear
118 Kleidchen.
119 ungeflochten. 120 Locke, f. 121 nackt.

124 Herrin.
128 bei - Lehnspflicht.

(pl.-e). 127 Obdach, n.

122 Versamm= 126 Schloßthor, n.

129 Einrede. 130

30 außer.

131 Thråne, f. 132 bieten. 133 Gemahl. 134 Lebewohl. 135 schreiten.

136

137

139

140

barfuß. dahin. Unwetter, n. 143 Blik, m. 144 Losbrechen.

Gedränge, n. 138 demüthig. 141 say, accompanied by. 142 Donner, m. 145 Schauplak, m. 146 hülflos. 147 verwunden. math, f. Kindheit. 151 weisen. 155 Vernachlässigung, say, her neglect.

150

152 auf.

148

erschöpfen.

149 Hei=

153 schmåhen. 154 wegen.

159

of filial duty 156, conveys 157 to her a maternal 158 curse instead of a blessing, and further 160 incensed 161 by beholding her in this degraded 162 condition, stigmatises 163 her as the most worthless 164 of women, and drives 165 her from his hut. Now is poor Griseldis poor indeed. Overcome 166 with 167 hunger and wretchedness 168, she lays herself down on a stone to die, which so touches the old man's heart, that he consents 169 to receive 170 her. And thus she lives : resuming 171 her hard 172 labour 173 and her hard fare 174, praying 1 175 to God for her husband and child, and fading away 176 beneath her griefs.177 Three months elapse 178, and Griseldis appears in the same russet garb pale and wan 179, when a horn is heard; and the king and the queen, and all the court, with Percival in the midst 180, crowd 181 into the lonely valley. 182 Griseldis looks and listens in 183 speechless 184 amazement185, as 186 Percival explains how all this suffering has been but a trial of her duty, which 187 having abided 188 the sharpest proof, the queen here falls on her knees 189, and owns 190 her peerless 191 among women, And now Percival, with a face radiant 192 with 193 gratified 194 pride, bids 195 her return to his castle and resume her sway 196 over him and all his possessions. But Griseldis, with an unutterable expression 198 of woe 199, here lifts 200 up her voice: Percival, thou art lost to 201 me for ever.202