28 JUNE 2024 - THE END OF THE RHYME ABOUT THE GOOD GNOMES OF COLOGNE

THE GOOD GNOMES OF COLOGNE

But the tailor's wife is curious

and is seized by strange cravings.

Alfin wants to discover the identity

Of he who does the work for all.

She scatters at night down the stairs

handfuls of dry peas, then goes up,

And behind the door sharpens his ear:

someone has fallen, he stumbles over the bucket,

another swears, a third falters,

a fourth steps on, someone shrieks!

Now comes down the curious and malicious woman,

But in a little while each one goes away.

Now they all weep, they are in despair,

To hard labour are they now condemned.

One can no longer sleep peacefully

While out there the crickets sing!

Everyone must sweat alone,

The dwarfs no longer come in throng.

Sawing, cutting and then hammering,

The ox to be slaughtered, the washing to be done,

bread to bake, barrels to fill,

and before evening ironing and sewing.

Oh, the good gnomes will return no more:

It was a cakewalk in the old days!