Mutter_Spieluhr Flashcards
Ein kleiner Mensch stirbt nur zum Schein
- Ein kleiner Mensch = A little person (nominative, singular, adjective ‘kleiner’ agrees with ‘Mensch’)
- stirbt = dies (present, verb ‘sterben’)
- nur zum Schein = only in appearance (prepositional phrase, dative ‘zum’ = ‘zu dem’ + noun ‘Schein’)
- Suggests that the person is not truly dead, but only appears so.
Wollte ganz alleine sein
- Wollte = wanted (past, verb ‘wollen’)
- ganz alleine = completely alone (adverbial phrase)
- sein = to be (infinitive verb)
- Implies a deliberate desire for solitude.
Das kleine Herz stand still für Stunden
- Das kleine Herz = The small heart (nominative, singular, adjective ‘kleine’ agrees with ‘Herz’)
- stand still = stood still (past, verb ‘stehen’, fixed phrase)
- für Stunden = for hours (accusative time phrase)
- Describes a heart ceasing to beat for a long period.
So hat man es für tot befunden
- So = thus (adverb)
- hat man es = one has it (impersonal subject ‘man’, accusative pronoun ‘es’)
- für tot befunden = deemed dead (verb ‘befinden’, past participle, accusative phrase ‘für tot’)
- Suggests an official or mistaken declaration of death.
Es wird verscharrt in nassem Sand
- Es wird = it is (passive, present of ‘werden’)
- verscharrt = buried (past participle of ‘verscharren’)
- in nassem Sand = in wet sand (dative prepositional phrase, adjective ‘nassem’ agrees with ‘Sand’)
- Describes a hasty burial.
Mit einer Spieluhr in der Hand
- Mit einer Spieluhr = With a music box (dative prepositional phrase)
- in der Hand = in the hand (dative)
- Highlights the eerie presence of a music box in the buried child’s hand.
Der erste Schnee das Grab bedeckt
- Der erste Schnee = The first snow (nominative)
- das Grab bedeckt = covers the grave (verb ‘bedecken’, present, accusative ‘das Grab’)
- Introduces a winter setting, covering the grave in snow.
Hat ganz sanft das Kind geweckt
- Hat geweckt = has awakened (past perfect of ‘wecken’)
- ganz sanft = very gently (adverbial phrase)
- das Kind = the child (accusative)
- Implies that the snowfall, rather than being oppressive, revives the child.
In einer kalten Winternacht
- In einer kalten Winternacht = In a cold winter night (dative prepositional phrase, adjective ‘kalten’ agrees with ‘Winternacht’)
- Sets a specific, ominous time frame.
Ist das kleine Herz erwacht
- Ist erwacht = has awakened (past perfect of ‘erwachen’, intransitive)
- das kleine Herz = the small heart (nominative)
- Confirms the revival of the child.
Als der Frost ins Kind geflogen
- Als = as/when (subordinating conjunction)
- der Frost = the frost (nominative, singular)
- ins Kind geflogen = flew into the child (past participle of ‘fliegen’, accusative ‘Kind’)
- A poetic and eerie depiction of frost entering the child.
Hat es die Spieluhr aufgezogen
- Hat aufgezogen = has wound up (past perfect of ‘aufziehen’)
- es = it (accusative pronoun, referring to the child)
- die Spieluhr = the music box (accusative object)
- Implies the child activated the music box upon revival.
Eine Melodie im Wind
- Eine Melodie = A melody (nominative)
- im Wind = in the wind (dative prepositional phrase)
- Introduces an atmospheric, ghostly sound carried by the wind.
Und aus der Erde singt das Kind
- Und aus der Erde = And from the earth (prepositional phrase, dative)
- singt das Kind = sings the child (verb ‘singen’, present, subject ‘Kind’)
- Suggests a supernatural occurrence—singing from beneath the ground.
Hoppe hoppe Reiter
- Hoppe hoppe Reiter = Hop, hop, rider (traditional German nursery rhyme phrase)
- An eerie contrast, incorporating a familiar childhood song into a dark theme.
Und kein Engel steigt herab
- Und kein Engel = And no angel (nominative, negation)
- steigt herab = descends (verb ‘herabsteigen’, present)
- Suggests the absence of divine intervention.
Mein Herz schlägt nicht mehr weiter
- Mein Herz = My heart (nominative)
- schlägt nicht mehr weiter = does not beat anymore (negation, verb ‘schlagen’, present)
- Implies the narrator’s emotional or literal death.
Nur der Regen weint am Grab
- Nur der Regen = Only the rain (nominative, adverb ‘nur’)
- weint am Grab = cries at the grave (verb ‘weinen’, present, dative ‘Grab’)
- Personifies rain as the only mourner.
Der kalte Mond in voller Pracht
- Der kalte Mond = The cold moon (nominative)
- in voller Pracht = in full splendor (prepositional phrase, dative)
- Highlights the moon’s beauty despite the somber scene.
Hört die Schreie in der Nacht
- Hört = hears (verb ‘hören’, present)
- die Schreie = the screams (accusative plural)
- in der Nacht = in the night (dative prepositional phrase)
- Implies that the moon ‘listens’ to ghostly cries.
Zwischen harten Eichendielen
- Zwischen = between (preposition)
- harten Eichendielen = hard oak floorboards (dative plural, adjective ‘harten’ agrees with ‘Eichendielen’)
- Sets the eerie location beneath a wooden structure.
Wird es mit der Spieluhr spielen
- Wird spielen = will play (future auxiliary ‘werden’ + infinitive ‘spielen’)
- es = it (subject pronoun)
- mit der Spieluhr = with the music box (dative)
- Suggests the continuation of the eerie song.
Am Totensonntag hörten sie
- Am Totensonntag = On the Day of the Dead (dative, religious reference)
- hörten sie = they heard (past of ‘hören’, plural)
- Adds a spiritual, ritualistic context.
Aus Gottes Acker diese Melodie
- Aus Gottes Acker = From God’s field (dative prepositional phrase, metaphor for a graveyard)
- diese Melodie = this melody (accusative)
- Implies the song originates from sacred ground.
Da haben sie es ausgebettet
- Da = then (adverb)
- haben sie es ausgebettet = they exhumed it (past perfect, verb ‘ausbetten’, accusative ‘es’)
- Suggests the child’s body was removed from its grave.
Das kleine Herz im Kind gerettet
- Das kleine Herz = The small heart (accusative, adjective ‘kleine’ agrees with ‘Herz’)
- im Kind = in the child (dative prepositional phrase)
- gerettet = saved (past participle of ‘retten’)
- Implies a supernatural or miraculous rescue.
Und auf der Erde singt das Kind
- Und auf der Erde = And on the earth (dative prepositional phrase)
- singt das Kind = sings the child (verb ‘singen’, present, subject ‘Kind’)
- Ends with the child continuing to sing, now above ground.