Saying thank you to the brook
(Poet's title: Danksagung an den Bach)
Set by Schubert:
D 795/4
[October-November 1823]
Part of Die schöne Müllerin, D 795
War es also gemeint,
Mein rauschender Freund,
Dein Singen, dein Klingen,
War es also gemeint?
Zur Müllerin hin!
So lautet der Sinn,
Gelt, hab ich’s verstanden?
Zur Müllerin hin.
Hat sie dich geschickt,
Oder hast mich berückt,
Das möcht ich noch wissen,
Ob sie dich geschickt.
Nun wie’s auch mag sein,
Ich gebe mich drein;
Was ich such, hab ich funden,
Wie’s immer mag sein.
Nach Arbeit ich frug,
Nun hab ich genug
Für die Hände, für’s Herze,
Vollauf genug.
Is this how it was meant to be,
My babbling friend,
Your singing, your ringing,
Is this what it meant?
Off to the miller girl!
That is the meaning.
I have understood correctly, haven’t I?
Off to the miller girl!
Did she send you?
Or have you cast a spell on me?
That is what I would still like to know,
Whether she sent you.
So now, however it may be,
I shall give in to it:
I have found what I was looking for
However it may be.
I was asking for work,
Now I have enough,
For my hands, for my heart,
More than enough!
All translations into English that appear on this website, unless otherwise stated, are by Malcolm Wren. You are free to use them on condition that you acknowledge Malcolm Wren as the translator and schubertsong.uk as the source. Unless otherwise stated, the comments and essays that appear after the texts and translations are by Malcolm Wren and are © Copyright.
☙
Themes and images in this text:
Hands Hearts Lost and found Magic and enchantment Mills Rivers (Bach)
In Wohin? the miller lad suspected that he was being misled by water nymphs and here, even as he is giving thanks to the river for leading him to his beloved, he is still open to the idea that he has been bewitched. Unfortunately, this is one of the last moments when he shows such doubt. From now on he will be exhibiting some of the features of a stalker or of ‘erotomania’: everything is interpreted as a secret message from or about the beloved. Even an explicit ‘no’ or ‘go away’ can be read as meaning ‘yes’ (in a coded way). At this point he is still aware that events and signs are open to interpretation, and he begs the river to confirm that he has read the meaning correctly. There is little sign that he is capable of listening to an answer that challenges his interpretation, though.
What is perhaps even more alarming is that there is no evidence that he has even met the girl who is already forming the object of his passion. He may only have heard about her, or seen her in the distance at best. As yet, she has no voice, not even one channelled through the lad’s fantasy. We know that no poem has been omitted between Halt! and Danksagung an den Bach. Indeed, Müller makes a point of linking the two texts directly (the last line of Halt! becomes the first line of Danksagung an den Bach), as if to underline the fact that the lad is letting his feelings and fantasies get in the way of reality. There has simply been no time to settle in and to get to know the girl who lives in his new mill. It therefore is not about her.
☙
Original Spelling Danksagung an den Bach War es also gemeint, Mein rauschender Freund, Dein Singen, dein Klingen, War es also gemeint? Zur Müllerin hin! So lautet der Sinn. Gelt, hab' ich's verstanden? Zur Müllerin hin! Hat s i e dich geschickt? Oder hast mich berückt? Das möcht' ich noch wissen, Ob s i e dich geschickt. Nun wie's auch mag sein, Ich gebe mich drein: Was ich such', hab´ ich funden, Wie's immer mag sein. Nach Arbeit ich frug, Nun hab ich genug, Für die Hände, für's Herze Vollauf genug!
Confirmed with Gedichte aus den hinterlassenen Papieren eines reisenden Waldhornisten. Herausgegeben von Wilhelm Müller. Erstes Bändchen. Zweite Auflage. Deßau 1826. Bei Christian Georg Ackermann, pages 11-12; and with Sieben und siebzig Gedichte aus den hinterlassenen Papieren eines reisenden Waldhornisten. Herausgegeben von Wilhelm Müller. Dessau, 1821. Bei Christian Georg Ackermann, pages 12-13.
To see an early edition of the text, go to page 12 [Erstes Bild 23] here: https://download.digitale-sammlungen.de/BOOKS/download.pl?id=bsb10115224