Wednesday, October 29, 2008

wednesday = books

I've been thinking that I might start posting books again...every now & then.








{anyone know what's going on here, because I'm totally clueless!}

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

My German is ploddingly slooooww. But each page is a different saying or well known rhyme. The last one says, "Out of the distant sky, where the angels are, God looks so lovingly, down on each child."

gina said...

thanks anonymous - it didn't seem to make sense visually as one story so I'm so happy you confirmed it is multiple rhymes! I had no clue what the deal was with the book but just found the illustrations so interesting & the colors so beautiful that I had to share it...

Melanie O said...

Love, love, love the book! I buy vintage children's books all the time just for the illustrations and this book has exactly the kind I love the most. And, it's in German! Added bonus!

Anonymous said...

I love all of the beautiful pages! Children's books... especially vintage ones.. can be sooo inspiring! I'm a huge fan of your blog!

Anonymous said...

What you can see and read on the pictures are the beginnings of (mostly) old famous German nursery rhymes and songs. They have nothing to do with each other but the illustrations indicate the subjects of the songs. I could try to translate them if you want me to but my English is not that great. :-)

Sarah and Jack said...

I used to be involved with this German guy...many moons ago. He had some German children's books, and they were horrifying. (Things about getting your fingers chopped off for not following directions and so forth. And we won't even talk about the German bad Santa.)

When I first saw this book here I was afraid someone was going to pipe up and say it was one of those types of books! LOL

DeeAnn said...

I have no clue either what it says. :) but I'm happy your sharing books again. I'm like you I love children's books & collect them too. I think some of the real art treasures are in those books. I love the kitty cat illustration. She stole my heart.

Anne said...

rough, rough translation of the cover:

Text above picture: Small brother, come dance with me

Below picture: old-known (traditional?) children's rhymes, with illustrations by Helga Schenker

Anne said...

rough, rough translation of the first page:

Fox, you have stolen the goose
Give her back.
Otherwise the hunter will shoot you with his gun.

Laura-IH said...

Oh, someone has GOT to tell me what's going on with the giant mouse and mosquito! What the heck? Love it!

Anonymous said...

there comes a mouse, he builds a house there comes a mosquito he builds a bridge, there comes a fly but why (or where)? obviously in german it rhymes haha. Slightly disturbing book this...
grtz nicole (polka dot bunny)

Anonymous said...

The first page, the rhyme about the fox is part of an old German folksong. If you'd like to hear it, it's on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jU_yN03-i28&feature=related

Page three (translated rather free):
Bim bam beggs,
the cat doesn't like eggs,
what does she like?
bacon fried in the pan,
she's a greedy madam

Page four is part of a traditional xmas song:
Every year again,
the christ child comes down
to the earth
where the people are.

It's on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOuRLRszIcc

Anonymous said...

Page 5:
Eia popeia the porridge tastes great
if you add sugar and butter
butter, sugar, almonds
all the little kids love to eat.

Page 6:
If the kids fall asleep,
the stars wake up,
and the angels from afar
come down and
keep watch all night
over the docile kids

Page 7 is again a traditional folksong:

All the birds are here again,
all the birds, all of them.
What a singing, whistling, music making, chirping, tweeting, quavering
spring will march in
arrives with songs and sounds


Sorry, no more time for translations. Maybe another day. Have fun with your book!

Anonymous said...

One more:
The cover of the booklet is part of a traditional folksong again. It means "Brother come dance with me" and the kids sing it and dance to it like the song tells them to do. You can see and listen two kids doing it here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxVW3QKnmGY&feature=related