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The sorcerer's apprentice
(1) The old sorcerer
Has finally gone away!
Now the spirits he controls
Shall obey my commands.
(2) I've noted his method,
What he says and does,
And with strength of spirit,
I shall work wonders too.
(3) Wander! Wander
On and on,
So that water
Might flow,
And gush abundantly
And fill the bath.
(4) So come along, you old broomstick!
Dress yourself in rotten rags!
You've long been a servant;
Obey my orders now!
(5) Stand up on two legs,
Let's give you a head on top,
Make haste now and off you go
With the water-jug!
(6) Wander! Wander
On and on,
So that water
Might flow,
And gush abundantly
And fill the bath.
(7) Look, he's running down to the bank;
In truth! He's already reached the river,
And back he comes as quick as lightning
And swiftly pours it all out.
(8) Here he comes a second time!
Look how the tub is filling!
Look how every basin
Fills to overflowing!
(9) Stand still, stand still!
Because we
Have had our fill
Of all your gifts! -
Alas! Alas! I realise now;
I've forgotten the magic word!
(10) The word, alas, that turns him back
Into what he once was.
Alas! speedily he runs and fetches!
If only you were a broom as before!
(11) He keeps rushing in
With more and more water,
Alas! a hundred rivers
Pour down on my head!
(12) No, I won't permit it
A moment longer;
I shall seize him.
Oh, the spiteful brute!
Ah, now I'm getting really scared!
What a face! And what a look!
(13) O, you creature from hell!
Shall the entire house be drowned?
I can see streams of water
Pouring through every door.
(14) A despicable broom
Not to listen!
You who were once a stick -
Will you once again stand still!
(15) Will you never
Ever stop?
I'll catch you,
I'll hold you,
And swiftly split this old wood
With this sharp hatchet.
(16) Look, once more he comes, dragging pails!
Wait till I get to grips with you,
Then, O goblin, I'll knock you flat;
The smooth blade crashes down on him.
(17) A fine blow, in truth!
Look - he's split in two.
There's hope for me now,
I can breathe freely again!
(18) Alas! alas!
Both halves
Stand up at once,
A pair of servants,
Ready for action!
Ah, help me, you powers on high!
(19) And off they run! Hall and steps
Get wetter and wetter.
What a ghastly inundation!
Lord and master, hear my cries! -
(20) Ah, my master comes at last!
Sir, I'm in desperate straits!
The spirits I summoned -
I can't get rid of them.
(21) 'Into the corner,
Brooms! Brooms -
Have done!
Only your old master
Can call you forth
As spirits.'
[English Translation © Richard Stokes]
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The sorcerer's apprentice
(1) Good! The sorcerer, my old master
left me here alone today!
Now his spirits, for a change,
my own wishes shall obey!
(2) Having memorized
what to say and do,
with my powers of will I can
do some witching, too!
(3) Go, I say,
Go on your way,
do not tarry,
water carry,
let it flow abundantly,
and prepare a bath for me!
(4) Come on now, old broom, get dressed,
these old rags will do just fine!
You're a slave in any case,
and today you will be mine!
(5) May you have two legs,
and a head on top,
take the bucket, quick
hurry, do not stop!
(6) Go, I say,
Go on your way,
do not tarry,
water carry,
let it flow abundantly,
and prepare a bath for me!
(7) Look, how to the bank he's running!
and now he has reached the river,
he returns, as quick as lightning,
once more water to deliver.
(8) Look! The tub already
is almost filled up!
And now he is filling
every bowl and cup!
(9) Stop! Stand still!
Heed my will!
I've enough
of the stuff!
I've forgotten - woe is me!
what the magic word may be.
(10) Oh, the word to change him back
into what he was before!
Oh, he runs, and keeps on going!
Wish you'd be a broom once more!
(11) He keeps bringing water
quickly as can be,
and a hundred rivers
he pours down on me!
(12) No, no longer
can I let him,
I must get him
with some trick!
I'm beginning to feel sick.
What a look! - and what a face!
(13) O, you ugly child of Hades!
The entire house will drown!
Everywhere I look, I see
water, water, running down.
(14) Be you damned, old broom,
why won't you obey?
Be a stick once more,
please, I beg you, stay!
(15) Is the end
not in sight?
I will grab you,
hold you tight,
with my axe I'll split the brittle
old wood smartly down the middle.
(16) Here he comes again with water!
Now I'll throw myself upon you,
and the sharpness of my axe
I will test, o spirit, on you.
(17) Well, a perfect hit!
See how he is split!
Now there's hope for me,
and I can breathe free!
(18) Woe is me! Both pieces
come to life anew,
now, to do my bidding
I have servants two!
Help me, o great powers!
Please, I'm begging you!
(19) And they're running! Wet and wetter
get the stairs, the rooms, the hall!
What a deluge! What a flood!
Lord and master, hear my call!
(20) Ah, here comes the master!
I have need of Thee!
from the spirits that I called
Sir, deliver me!
(21) “Back now, broom,
into the closet!
Be thou as thou
wert before!
Until I, the real master
call thee forth to serve once more!”
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The Pupil in Magic
(1) I am now, — what joy to hear it!—
Of the old magician rid;
And henceforth shall ev’ry spirit
Do whate’er by me is bid;
(2) I have watch’d with rigour
All he used to do,
And will now with vigour
Work my wonders too.
(3) Wander, wander
Onward lightly,
So that rightly
Flow the torrent,
And with teeming waters yonder
In the bath discharge its current!
(4) And now come, thou well-worn broom,
And thy wretched form bestir;
Thou hast ever served as groom,
So fulfil my pleasure, sir!
(5) On two legs now stand,
With a head on top;
Waterpail in hand, Haste, and do not stop!
(6) Wander, wander
Onward lightly,
So that rightly
Flow the torrent,
And with teeming waters yonder
In the bath discharge its current!
(7) See! he’s running to the shore,
And has now attain’d the pool,
And with lightning speed once more
Comes here, with his bucket full!
(8) Back he then repairs;
See how swells the tide!
How each pail he bears
Straightway is supplied!
(9) Stop, for, lo!
All the measure
Of thy treasure
Now is right!—
Ah, I see it! woe, oh woe!
I forget the word of might.
(10) Ah, the word whose sound can straight
Make him what he was before!
(11) Ah, he runs with nimble gait!
Would thou wert a broom once more!
Streams renew’d for ever
Quickly bringeth he;
River after river
Rusheth on poor me!
(12) Now no longer
Can I bear him;
I will snare him,
Knavish sprite!
Ah, my terror waxes stronger!
What a look! what fearful sight
(13) Oh, thou villain child of hell!
Shall the house through thee be drown’d
Floods I see that wildly swell,
O'er the threshold gaining ground.
(14) Wilt thou not obey,
Oh, thou broom accurs’d?
Be thou still I pray,
As thou wert at first!
(15) Will enough
Never please thee?
I will seize thee,
Hold thee fast,
And thy nimble wood so tough,
With my sharp axe split at last.
(16) See, once more he hastens back!
Now, oh Cobold, thou shalt catch it!
I will rush upon his track;
Crashing on him falls my hatchet.
(17) Bravely done, indeed!
See, he’s cleft in twain!
Now from care I'm freed,
And can breathe again.
(18) Woe, oh woe! Both the parts,
Quick as darts, Stand on end,
Servants of my dreaded foe!
Oh, ye gods protection send!
(19) And they run! and wetter still
Grow the steps and grows the hail.
Lord and master hear me call!
Ever seems the flood to fill,
(20) Ah, he’s coming! see,
Great is my dismay!
Spirits raised by me
Vainly would I lay!
(21) “To the side
Of the room
Hasten, broom,
As of old!
Spirits I have ne’er untied
Save to act as they are told.”
(The Sorcerer’s Apprentice)
a translation of Der Zauberlehrling by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
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