AUERBACH'S CELLAR IN LEIPZIG.

SET OF MERRY COMPANIONS.

FROSCH.

Is no one laughing? - no one drinking?
Come, come, a truce to sober thinking!
Hang these long faces come, be sprightly!
What, you that used to blaze so brightly!
All dull and damp smoking together
Like dunghill straw in rainy weather?

BRANDER.

"Tis your fault that we are not jolly Have you no beastliness, no folly To treat us to to-night?

FROSCH (throws a glass of wine over BRANDER'S head).

SIEBEL.

Come, come, we'll have no civil war
We'll have no difference of opinion
In this our absolute dominion.
Whoever quarrels, kick him out
Now raise the chorus round about
Lift every voice, and swill, and shout

-

Help! help! I am lost

bring me cotton! the cheers

Will split open my skull, and play hell with my ears.

SIEBEL.

When the arches ring again,

We feel the bass in full power then.

FROSCH.

Right, right, say I, with all my heart;

If any one in evil part

Takes any thing, that here is done,

Why, kick him out, the bitch's son.

A most offensive song. Thank God each day,
Rising from bed, that you have nought to say
With governing this Romish empire; I
Greatly rejoice and bless my stars therefore,
I am not Emperor or Chancellor;

Still I see no sufficient reason why

We should not have a ruler;

I propose

That we elect a Pope what qualification
Should mark a candidate for consecration,
All of ye know.

(Sings.)

Undo the door in stilly night

Open latch

For thy sake

thy love keeps watch;
is he awake,

Shut-to the door at morning's light.

Yes! sing, sing on

SIEBEL.

a little while sing on!

Sing her sweet praises! I will laugh anon.

Me she deceived, and thee she is deceiving,

Devil that she is whom there is no believing

Has played the same tricks with each man that sought

her

--

I wish some goblin of the forest caught her

On a cross-road

or that, from the witch-dances
On Blocksberg, trotting home, an old buck-goat,
With his long-bearded chin and meg-a-geg throat,
Made up to her - 'tis some such brute she fancies;
A young fellow of proper flesh and blood,
To be thus thrown away were far too good;
From me no serenading should she gain,
Other than dashing in each window-pane.

BRANDER (striking on the table).

Silence there silence all attend to me
Gentlemen, I know life, and how to live;
And, as some of us seem in love to be,
A song for love-sick people will I give.
Your merry singer is the best physician
For a poor devil in such sad condition.

Here all of you attend come, cease your chat

tering

And listen to a song of the first pattern
And all join in the chorus:

(Sings.)

Once in a cellar lived a rat,

Whose paunch each day grew smoother;
He dined on butter, supped on fat,
And looked like Doctor Luther.
The cook put poison in his way,
And when our poor rat tasted it,
He felt a cramping in his heart,
As fierce as if Love wasted it.

As fierce as if Love wasted it.

And he ran round, and out he ran,

And looking for a cure, he

Drank at each puddle, gnawed, and scratched,
And raved in perfect fury.

In pain he fell in pain he sprang,
The cook with pleasure gazed at it;
Poor creature felt at heart a pang,
As fierce as if Love wasted it.

As fierce as if Love wasted it.

And torture drove him at noon-day
To run into the kitchen;

He fell down on the hearth, and lay

Convulsing there and screeching.