A small household

A household small and fine

I have established;

he shall be my friend

who likes it well.

The woodpecker, carving wood with his beak,

built this house for me;

so that the house would have a face,

the swallow brought me mortar;

and finally, for the roof,

a toadstool was set on top.

Inside, rooms

and chambers,

cupboards and shelves,

shimmer and shine;

everything has been painted for me

for free by the butterfly, with fragrance.

O how actively in the house

the managers walk in and out.

The nimble dragonfly

fetches me water to drink;

a bee fetches me food,

and where she stole it I do not ask.

My dishes are acorn-cups,

and my jugs are pinecones;

knife, fork -

rose thorn and bird beak.

The nanny of the house is a stork,

a mole the gardener,

and the housekeeper of my house

is a little mouse.

But the cricket

singing in the silence,

the homely one - she is always at home

and knows only one tune.

But in the entire house, the best

still sleeps soundly.

In the corner, in the little bed,

between two rose-leaves,

sleeps my darling Daisy,

at her feet the crown of emperors.

Guarding her is a forget-me-not,

that never moves from the bedside;

a glow-worm with his candlelight

illuminates the room.

The quail keeps watch

the entire night,

and when the day begins,

she cries: Child Child!

Wake up quickly.

When my beloved awakens,

life rushes forward in its course.

In silk robes,

woven of summer threads,

in fluttering ribbons,

untroubled by care,

merrily we leave our tiny house

and go out into the meadow.

A fine carriage

have I ordered

to bear us

through the world.

Four grasshoppers shall

draw it, like four dappled grey horses;

They are a good team,

that can be measured against any steeds;

They have wings,

and they endure no reins.

They know well all the flowers of the meadow,

and every dewy drinking-place.

We do not go at a walking pace -

Child, can you keep up wih us?

We go at a trot,

and only with God!

Let them bear us

where they will,

and if they throw us from the carriage,

we will find a grave beneath the flowers.