St Anthony and the fishes (translation)

In his church, not a trace

Of a soul in the place,

So down to the beach

Went St Anthony to preach.

The fish were excited,

Their scales sun-ignited.

The carp full of roe

Soon gathered below;

Mouths open, they stare

As they listen with care.

No sermon before

Had brought them to the shore.

The sharp-snouted pike

Always up for a fight

Very promptly bestirred

To hear the good word.

Even those strange fish

That never seem peckish

(I’m meaning the cod)

Want to hear about God.

No sermon before

Brought those stockfish to shore.

Good eels and sturgeon

Which aristos gorge on,

Even they condescend

The address to attend.

Also turtles and crayfish,

Habitually sluggish,

Rush up and rejoice

To hear the priest’s voice.

This sermon indeed

Caused the crayfish to speed!

Big fish and small

Lords, peasants and all

Each raising his head

As to cognisance bred.

As was God’s intention,

They paid close attention.

The sermon now ended

Each turned and descended.

The pikes still would quarrel,

Eels still were immoral.

A sermon though nice is

No cure for their vices.

Back down go the crayfish

Still plump are the stockfish.

The carp eat a lot ‘n’

The sermon’s forgotten!

A sermon might move them

But never improve them!

Das Knaben Wunderhorn, ed. Armin & Brentano, 1808. Translated by Chris Short.

Refer to: 2019 meetings