From The Wit and Humor of America, edited by Marshall P. Wilder, Volume III, New York and London: Funk and Wagnalls and Company, 1911; pp. 446-447.
HANS BREITMANN’S PARTY
BY CHARLES GODFREY LELAND
Hans Breitmann gife a barty,
Dey had biano-blayin;
I felled in lofe mit a Merican frau,
Her name was Madilda Yane,
She hat haar as prown ash a pretzel,
Her eyes vas himmel-plue,
Und ven day looket into 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 Fraeulein 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 ash 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.
447Hans 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 and Gensy broost,
De Bratwurst and Braten fine,
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 company 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!