The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Norsk Nightingale; Being the Lyrics of a "Lumberyack"
Title: The Norsk Nightingale; Being the Lyrics of a "Lumberyack"
Author: William Frederick Kirk
Release date: September 1, 2005 [eBook #8953]
Most recently updated: May 10, 2013
Language: English
Credits: Text file produced by Juliet Sutherland and the Distributed Proofreaders
HTML file produced by David Widger
THE NORSK NIGHTINGALE
Being the Lyrics of a "Lumberyack"
By William F. Kirk
1905
PREFACE
It is with a certain amount of misgiving that the author sends out this little volume of Scandinavian dialect verses. To the residents of Northern Wisconsin and Minnesota, where the "lumberyack" lives and thrives, the dialect will seem familiar enough; but to other readers such terms as "skol" (shall or will), "ban" (been), "panga" (money), "sum" (than or as), may convey little or no meaning.
But, if the Scandinavian dialect verses are not widely popular, they are at least comparatively fresh and original; and to those readers who can readily grasp the patois, as well as to those who are compelled to struggle painfully through its labyrinths, this volume is respectfully dedicated.
CONTENTS
THE COURTSHIP OF MILES STANDISH
"CURFEW SHALL NOT RING TO-NIGHT"
THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE
HIS LYRICS
"YIM"
Ay tenk his name ban Yim,
And nearly every morning
Ay used to seeing him.
He used to stand in gatevay,
And call me Svede, and ay
Ant lak to hear dis nickname:
Ay ban a Norsk, yu say.
Ay tenk 'bout sax years old,
And so ay used to lak him—
He ban too small to scold.
Ay used to say, "Val, Yimmie,
Ay ant ban Svede, but yu
Can call me Svede,—ay lak yu
And ant care vat yu du."
Dat ay ban gude to him,
Because one venter morning
Ay ant see little Yim.
And next day funeral vagon
Com driving op to door,
And Yim, poor little faller,
Can't call me Svede no more!
TILLIE OLSON
Ban my little pearl;
God ant never making
Any nicer girl.
Dis har Qveen of Sheba,
She ban nice to see;
But little Tillie Olson
Ban gude enuff for me.
Vorking op in voods;
Ay ant ever having
Much of dis vorld's goods.
Ay know lots of ladies
Var ay used to be,
But little Tillie Olson
Ban gude enuff for me.
'Bout sax veeks ago,
Torger Yohnson tak me
Out to see nice show.
Chorus girls ban dancing
Purty fine, by yee;
But little Tillie Olson
Ban gude enuff for me.
Op at Tillie's house,
She ban cuddling near me,
Yust lak little mouse.
After ve ban married,
Happy ve skol be.
Yas, little Tillie Olson
Ban gude enuff for me.
THE "LUMBERYACK"
"It ban morning," say he,
"It ban daylight in svamps, all yu guys!"
So out of varm bunk
Ve skol falling kerplunk,
And rubbing lak blazes our eyes.
Breakfast, den hustle; dinner, den yump!
Lumberyack faller ban yolly big chump.
"Oder fallers skol look
For chance to get grub yust lak yu!"
So under our yeans
Ve pack planty beans,
And Yim dandy buckvheat cakes, tu.
Den out on the skidvay, vorking lak mule.
Lumberyack faller ban yolly big fule.
Den tree fall yure vay,
And missing yure head 'bout an inch.
Ef timber ban green,
Ve skol rub kerosene
On places var coss cut skol pinch.
Sawing and chopping, freeze and den sveat.
Lumberyack faller ban yackass, yu bet.
Ve drenk and we sing;
And calling town faller gude frend,
He help us to blow
Our whole venter's dough,
But ant got no panga to lend.
Drenk and headache, headache and drenk.
Lumberyack faller ban sucker, ay tenk.
LITTLE STEENA YOHNSON
Little Steena Yohnson,
Ay ban sure yu love me true,
Little Steena Yohnson.
Oder geezers lak to play
In yure yard, but yu skol say,
"Ay don't lak yu fallers, nay!"
Little Steena Yohnson.
Little Steena Yohnson:
Ay ban glad, yu bet yure life,
Little Steena Yohnson.
Ay ban vork lak nigger, tu,
Yumping 'round vith treshing crew;
Ay skol building home for yu,
Little Steena Yohnson.
Little Steena Yohnson;
Back to Norvay ve skol go,
Little Steena Yohnson—
Back var dis har midnight sun
Shining lak a son of a gun;
Ant yu tenk dis har ban fun,
Little Steena Yohnson?
OLAF
Ay meet Olaf op in camp;
Ve ban lumberyacks togedder.
Every morning we skol tramp
'Bout sax miles yust after breakfast
Till we come to big pine-trees;
Den our straw boss he skol make us
Vork lak little busy bees.
He skol taling yoke all day;
Sometimes he sing dis har ragtime,
Yust to passing time avay.
And at night, ven we ban smoking
After supper, he skol make
All us lumberyacks to laughing
Till our belts skol nearly break.
And sometimes he taling me
'Bout his vife and little Torger,
Who ban living cross big sea.
"Ay ban saving dough," say Olaf;
"And next summer, ef ay can,
Ay skol send for vife and baby;
Den ay ban a happy man!"
Ven we coming back to camp;
He yust tal me, "Little Torger,"
And his eyes ban gude and damp.
Dis ban how ay know vy Olaf
Never taling no more yoke,—
Vy he yust sit down at night-time,
Close by me, var he skol smoke.
"YENNIE DEAR"
Yennie dear?
Ay ban yust a fulish chump,
Yennie dear.
Yu ban sveet lak summer rose,
Lak a qveen from head to toes.
Ay ant fit for you, ay s'pose,
Yennie dear.
Yennie dear;
Yu ant never du no wrong,
Yennie dear.
Ay ban tuff old lumberyack,
Taking drenk yust ven ay lak,
Getting slugged and slugging back,
Yennie dear.
Yennie dear,
Ay ban all made over new,
Yennie dear,
Ef ay have yu at my side,
Ef yu ban my little bride,
Ay skol let dese fallers slide,
Yennie dear.
Yennie dear;
Ef ay have an anyel vife,
Yennie dear,
Maybe ay can learn to be
Part lak anyel, tu, yu see;
But it ban big yob for me,
Yennie dear.
"PEEK-A-BOO"
"Yu can't find me. Ay ban hid."
Den ay used to look all over
For my little blue-eyed kid.
Op in attic, down in cellar,
Back of chairs on parlor floor;
Den he used to laugh, and tal me,
"Ay ban back of kitchen door."
"Shut yure eyes, and don't you peek!"
Den ay feel his arms around me
And his kisses on my cheek.
"Now ay'm hiding, dad," he tal me!
"Maybe, ef you look some more,
Yu skol find yure little Olaf—
Ay ban back of kitchen door."
Lak he called long time ago.
Var ban little Olaf hiding?
Maybe anyel fallers know.
Tousand times ay look to find him
Hiding back of kitchen door,
But ay only see some shadows:
Ay can't find him any more.
SONNET ON STEWED PRUNES
Ay ant lak pie-plant pie so wery vell; Ven ay skol eat ice-cream, my yaws du ache; Ay ant much stuck on dis har yohnnie-cake Or crackers yust so dry sum peanut shell. And ven ay eat dried apples, ay skol svell Until ay tenk my belt skol nearly break; And dis har breakfast food, ay tenk, ban fake: Yim Dumps ban boosting it, so it skol sell. But ay tal yu, ef yu vant someteng fine, Someteng so sveet lak wery sveetest honey, Vith yuice dat taste about lak nice port vine, Only it ant cost hardly any money,— Ef yu vant someteng yust lak anyel fude, Yu try stewed prunes. By yiminy! dey ban gude.
A GOOD FELLOW
Ay guess dey ban right; but, yee whiz!
Ef yu ever ban a gude faller,
Yu know 'bout how costly it is.
Ay vork op in voods since Nowember,
And ban op on drive all the spring,
And den ay com down har in city
And vatch all my riches tak ving.
All venter ay eat pork and beans;
Ay only ban har since last Monday,
Now ay ant got cent in my yeans.
Dese geezers dat call me "Old Stocking,"
And pat me lak hal on the back,
Skol give me gude snub 'bout to-morrow,
And calling me "slob lumberyack!"
Yust after ay cashing my check;
Ay s'pose dat ay have it all coming.
Val, ay getting it gude, right in neck.
Ay meet little blonde, her name's Yulia,
Ay tenk dis har Yulia ban Yew;
She touch me for 'bout saxty dollars,
And little gold watch ay have, tu.
Ay s'pose she tenk dat vill help some;
And all of dem call me gude faller,
And helping to put me on bum.
Val, back to the pines, Maester Olaf,
And driving yure old team of mules.
Put dis in yure pipe, tu, and smoke it:
Gude fallers ban mostly dam fules.
"IT'S UP TO YOU"
Ay guess yu lak to qvit, perhaps.
Ay hear yu say, "It ban a shame
To see so many lucky chaps."
Yu say, "Dese guys ban mostly yaps:
Ay vish ay had some money, tu,
And not get all dese gude hard raps."
Val, Maester, it ban op to yu.
And ant get wery fancy pay;
Den yu can't buying stacks of flowers
And feed yure girl in gude café,
And drenk yin rickies and frappé.
Oh, yes! dis mak yu purty blue.
Yu lak to have more fun, yu say?
Val, Maester, it ban op to yu.
For men vich make dis hard-luck cry,—
'Bout von square foot vile dey ban har,
And six feet after dey skol die.
Time "fugit,"—high-school vord for "fly";
And purty sune yure chance ban tru.
So, ef yu lak to stack chips high,
Val, Maester, it ban op to yu.
HIS HISTORICAL TALES
HORATIUS AT THE BRIDGE
Who vatch big bridge at night:
It ban gude many years ago,
Ay ant got date yust right.
Dar ban some foxy geezers
Who march avay from home,
And tenk they having qvite gude chance
To raise some hal in Rome.
Ay tenk Lars ban a Svede;
He raise 'bout tousand soldiers,
And put himself in lead.
Then he began tu marching,
And all his frends march, tu,
Till they skol come almost to Rome,
Var dey skol rest a few.
Captain of dis har gate:
"To every yackass on dis earth
Death coming sune or late.
So how can ay die better
Than vatching bridge, yu say?
Now who skol standing on my front
And vatching bridge vith me?"
A scrapper fine ban he,
Say, "Ay skol standing on yure back,
But not on front, by yee!"
And old Herminius Hermanson—
He ban gude fighter, tu,
Say, "Ay skol taking little smash
At dese har Svedes vith yu!"
Ban come to big bridge gate,
He sees three husky lumberyacks,
And know he come tu late.
But Lars, he ant ban qvitter,
He send 'bout saxteen men
To taking bridge,—by yiminy,
Dey ant come back again!
Ban vatching bridge so gude,
Some aldermen on oder shore
Ban sawing planty vood.
Ay tal yu, ven dese boodlers
Ban start to tear tengs down,
Dar ant no better vorkers
Novere in whole dam town.
Horatius' frends yump back;
And he skol stand alone dar—
He ban brave lumberyack.
Then he yump into Tiber,
And say, "Ay skol svim home!"
Dis har ban how Horatius
Skol turn gude trick for Rome.
WILLIAM TELL
Who ban a qvite gude shot.
Ay bet yu, ven he tak nice aim,
He alvays hit the spot.
Ay s'pose he hunting every day
And killing lots of game;
Ef he ban missing such a chance,
Ay tenk it ban a shame.
And taking him to yail,
And tal him he skol have to pay
Sax tousand dollars' bail.
"Yeew hiz!" say Tell. "Sax tousand bones!
Ay ant got saxty cents!"
And so dey mak him breaking stones
Behind big iron fence.
"Bill, yu ban qvite gude shot,
So ay skol give yu yust von chance
To vinning nice yack pot.
Yure son ban purty brave young kid;
Ay tell yu, on the dead,
Yu skol go free ef you can shoot
Dis apple off his head."
Skol give me drenk of bock,
Ay bet yu ay can shoot dis fruit
Off little Yimmie's block;
But, ef ay shoot tu low, val, den
Yust sidestep qvick, by heck,
Or yu skol finding little bunch
Of arrows in yure neck!"
And Bill he tak gude aim,
And shoot at little Yimmie's block,—
Ay tal yu, he ban game.
And Bill skol knocking apple off,
And Yim vent back to school;
But Olaf put Bill back in yail,
And tal him, "April fool!"
THE COURTSHIP OF MILES STANDISH
Ven all of his fighting ban tru;
Maester Longfaller tal me about it,
And so ay skol tal it to yu.
He say to his room-mate, Yohn Alden:
"Yu know dis Priscilla, ay s'pose.
Last veek, ven ay try to get busy,
Priscilla yust turn op her nose."
So Standish yust tal him: "Old pal,
Pleese boost me to dis har Priscilla,
Yu know ay can't talk wery val.
Pleese tal her ay ban a gude soldier,
And say ay have money in bank.
Ay'd du dis myself, but, ay tal yu,
My manners in parlor ban rank."
And happen to finding her in;
He sit close beside her on sofa,
And give her gude lots of his chin.
"Miles Standish," he say, "ban gude faller,
Hot stuff vith his pistol and knife;
And so ay ban coming to tal yu
He'd lak yu, Priscilla, for vife."
And den give him cute little venk,
And say: "Vy not speak for yureself, Yohn?
Miles Standish ban lobster, ay tenk."
So Standish get double crossed planty;
And dat's yust vat AY vant, by yee,
Ef ever ay get any faller
To doing my sparking for me!
ROBINSON CRUSOE
Who ban on an island gude long time ago;
His friends all ban lost in a yolly big shipwreck;
But Robinson alvays ban lucky, yu know.
He get on dis island, and can't get avay,
"By yiminy," say Crusoe, "ay tenk ay skol stay!"
And brenging some frends just to make little stew.
Dese frends dey ant lak to be made into cooking,
And von faller dodge dis har cannibal crew.
His name it ban Friday. He ban a gude coon,
And Crusoe and he start to eat from same spoon.
Dey play seven up and casino, ay tenk;
And Crusoe put on a nice bar-tender's apron,
And taught Maester Friday to mix a gude drenk.
Dey get kind o' used to dis old desert isle,
And get 'long togedder qvite gude for a vile.
Ban looking for tips yust so sharp sum dey can.
So Friday yust tal Maester Robinson Crusoe,
"Ay tenk, Maester Crusoe, yu ban a cheap man."
Den he yump into ocean, and svim yust lak hal,
And Robinson Crusoe ban losing his pal.
GEORGE WASHINGTON
Yeorge Vashington ban honest man. Ven dis har country first began, Yeorge ban a yen'ral, and yu bet Dese English fallers know it yet. Ven he ban small, his fader say, "Ef yu skol breng in vood to-day, And feeding cow and chickens, tu, Ay skol yust blow myself on yu."
Val, sure enuff, ven Yeorge du chore, His fader hike for hardvare store, And buy gude hatchet, only it Ban second-hand a little bit. Dar ban on edge some little dents, It ban marked down to saxty cents. He pay sax cents to sharpen axe, And so it cost him saxty-sax. He tak it home to Yeorgie, tu, And say, "Ay ant ban fuling you."
Next day Yeorge tak dis hatchet out, And start to rubber all about For someteng he can chop, yu see, And den he pipe nice cherry-tree. "By Yudas! Dis ban soft!" say he. "Ef dis har axe ban any gude, Dis tree skol sune ban kindling vood." So Yeorge give cherry-tree gude whack, And sveng dis axe lak lumberyack; And yust ven tree ban falling down, His fader coming back from town. Yeorge see old yent ban standing dar, Smoking gude fifteen-cent cigar; And so he say: "Val, holy yee! Ay guess the yig ban op vith me. Dear fader, AY chopped down dis tree!"
Dar ban gude moral har for youth: Ven lie ban fulish, tal the truth!
PAUL REVERE
Listen, Christina, and yu skol hear 'Bout midnight ride of Paul Revere. Seventeen hundred seventy-five, Hardly a geezer ban now alive Who live har ven Paul ban wolunteer.
Some British fallers ban getting gay, So Paul yust giving his horse some hay And say, "Ay skol mak a grand-stand play!" Den he tal Yohn Brenk,—Yohn ban his frend Who borrow venever Paul skol lend,— "Yohn, yust go up har in old church tower, And, yust so sune sum yu find out hour British skol march, give me good yal, And ay skol hustle and ride lak hal!"
So op in the church go old Yohn Brenk,— It ban first time in his life, ay tenk; And, ven dese English get busy, he yal, And vave big lantern to his gude pal, Maester Paul Revere, who yump on mare, And off for Lexington he skol tear. "Yee whiz!" he say, "after dis, ay guess, Ay skol getting my picture in Success. Dey skol tenk ay'm smart old son of a gun Ven I gallop into Lexington!"
Val, he mak dis ride, yu bet yure life! And fallers grab gun and drum and fife, And march to scrap vith dese British men. Maester Paul ban yolly brave hero den. And back in the church tower old Yohn Brenk Climb from his perch, and tak gude drenk. Val, dis ban all, Christina dear, 'Bout midnight ride of Paul Revere.
WATERLOO
Gude many year ago.
Napolyun, he ban brave old chap
And boss of whole French show.
And Maester Vellington, he say,
"Ay skol mak gude defence,
And make dis Bonypart and Ney
To look lak saxty cents."
And preacher say to Nap:
"Now, yust so sure sum yu ban born,
Yu're going to fall in trap.
Ef yu got any vork to du,
Yust chuse some oder day."
But Nap say, "To the voods vith yu!
Mak dis bar bugle play!"
He see a gude big hill,
Vith plenty soldier men on top,—
Ay bet he got gude chill.
"Yerusalem!" he tal his men,
"Dese French ban purty t'ick.
Ay tenk by qvarter after ten
Dey skol feel gude and sick."
And loading op his gun;
And dis mak tengs look purty strong
For Maester Vellington.
Two heads ban more sum von, yu see;
And Vellington, he say,
"Yust keep yure Yerman gang vith me,
And ve skol vinning day."
Vith guns so big sum trees;
And Yermans fight vith lager tap
And planty Brickstein cheese.
And so, betveen the two, dey chase
Dese Frenchmen to tall pines;
And old Napolyun hide his face,
And yumping back to mines.
And after vile he say,
"Ef Maester Grouchy only com,
Ve could have von to-day."
But Grouchy ban asleep at svitch,
So vat could Frenchman du?
Dis har ban all the history vich
Ay know 'bout Vaterloo.
BARBARA FRIETCHIE
Barbara Frietchie ban brave old hen, Her age it ban tree score and ten. She living in Frederick, Maryland,— It ban yust a dinky von night stand. But Barbara rise to fame, yu bet, And folks ban talking about her yet. Ef yu lak to know yust how dis ban, Ay skol tal yu story the best ay can.
Op the street com Yen-ral Yackson, Ay bet yu he ban a gude attraction; For all dese Reubs skol rubber lak hal, And some of dem calling the yen'ral "pal." Yackson, he see dem on both sides Shooting dis bunk to save deir hides. Den op in vindow he see big flag, And tenk at first he must have a yag. No: sure enuff, it ban Union Yack. So Stonevall stand on his horse's back, Yell at his men. Dey shoot, von and all, And into the gutter flag skol fall.
Den Barbara get pretty mad, yu bet, And say, "Ay skol fule dese geezers yet." She run to her bureau double haste, And, yerking out dandy peek-a-boo waist, Nail it to flagstaff, and vave it hard, And say: "Dis skol hold yu avile, old pard. Shoot, ef yu must, dis peek-a-boo, Ef it ant qvite holy enough for yu, And tak gude aim at dis old gray head, But spare yure country's flag!" she said.
Den Stonevall Yackson look purty cheap, And all his soldiers feel yust lak sheep. He say: "Dis lady skol standing pat. She ban game old party, ay tal yu dat. Who taking a shot at yon gray hair Skol get gude ticket for Golden Stair!"
All day long in Frederick town Soldiers ban marching op and down. And late dat night, ven dey leave on Soo, Dey see dis fluttering peek-a-boo. And Stonevall Yackson say, "Vat yu tenk!" And yerk out bottle and tak gude drenk.
SHERIDAN'S RIDE
Ef yu ban vise, and ay s'pose yu ban, Yu know 'bout Yeneral Sheridan; But maybe yu ant remember the day Ven he yump on horse, and den he say, "Ay'm yust about tventy-sax miles avay."
Some rebel fallers ban start big row In Vinchester. Ay ant know yust how, But ay tenk dey yump on some Yankee guys, And trying to give dem gude black eyes. So Yeneral Sheridan hear dese guns, And drank some coffee and eat some buns, And tal dis har landlord, "Gude-by, Yack, Ay skol paying my bill ven ay com back!" Den he ride so fast that sune he say, "Val, now ay ban saxteen miles avay!"
Dese cannons ban roaring gude and loud,— It ban tough game for dis Yankee crowd; And Lieut. Olson, he tal his pal, "'Ay tank we ban due to run lak hal!" So dey start to run, or else retreat,— Dis ban noder name for gude cold feet; And dey run so fast sum dey can go, Lak Russians luring dese Yaps, yu know. "Yee whiz!" say Sheridan. "Yump, old hoss! Ay tenk my soldiers get double cross, Ay s'pose yure hoofs getting purty sore, But we only got 'bout sax miles more!"
Val, Yeneral Sheridan meet his men, And he say: "It's now yust half-past ten. Ay hope ay skol never go to heaven Ef dese Rebel Svedes ant licked by eleven. Yust turn round now in yure track! Come on, yu fallers! Ve're going back!" And yu bet yure life dey vent back, tu, And put gude crimp in dis Rebel crew. But soldiers ban careless sons of guns, And the yeneral never settled for buns.
HIS POETICAL TRANSLATIONS
SPEAK GENTLY
To rule by love dan fear;
Ef yu speak rough, yu stand nice chance
To get gude smash on ear.
Ban easy to get mad;
Ef yu ant getting any coal,
By yinger, dat ban bad!
Ven he ban feeling blue,
And maybe, ven he turn gude trick.
He skol whack op vith yu.
And give gude lots of bunk,
Ef yu skol lak to getting chance
To put yure clothes in trunk.
Ay tenk dis ban gude hunch;
Den yu ant need to put yure face
On Maester Yeffries' punch!
And people skol forget
That yu ban vatching for gude chance
Tu vinning every bet!
THE BAREFOOT BOY
Blessings on yu, little man! Barefoot boy, ay tenk yu can Getting all yu lak, by yee! Yu ban gude enuff for me. Yu ant got so many clo'es, Dar ban freckles on yure nose, And ay guess yu're purty tuff, 'Cause yu ask for chew of snuff. But, by yinks, ay lak yure face, Yu can passing any place.
Yenuine po'try lak the kind
Maester Vittier wrote for yu,
Ay vould write; but never mind,
Ay can tal yu vat ay know,
Even ef dese vords ant flow
Half so slick sum poet's song.
Anyhow, ay don't mean wrong.
Ven ay see yu, little kid,
Ay skol taking off my lid.
Oder little boys ay see
Ant look half so gude to me.
Who ban having planty toys,
Vearing nicest clo'es in town,
Lak dis little Buster Brown.
Don't yu care! Ven dey grow up,
And ban shining at pink tea,
Drenking tea from china cup,
Yu skol give dem loud tee-hee.
Yu skol laugh at dis har mob
Ven dey come to yu for yob.
Barefoot boy, yu ant got cent;
But ay tal yu dis, some day
Yu got chance for president
Ef dese woters com yure vay.
Yust keep vistling all day long,
Yust keep senging little song,
And ef yu skol alvays love
Some one who ban op above,
Who ban making day and night,
He skol fix yu out all right.