The wizard's apprentice

The old witch-master

has finally gone away!

And now I too shall invoke his spirits

and bring them to life by my will.

His words and work

I have noted, and the method,

and with the might of these spirits,

I shall also work wonders!

Flow! Flow

many ways,

so that to my purpose

the water will run,

and with a rich, full splash

it will all land in the tub.

Now come, old broomstick!

Take your foul rag wrapping

(you have long been our servant!)

and fulfill my wishes.

Stand on two legs,

and let there be a head on top.

Hurry now and go

with the water-pail!

Flow, flow

many ways

so that to my purpose

the water will run,

and with a rich, full splash

it will all land in the tub.

Look! he is running to the banks below,

truly! he is already at the river,

and lightning-quick he's back again

to dump the water swiftly;

and now already he's gone a second time!

Oh how the basin is filling!

Now every basin

has been filled with water!

Stand still! Stop!

For we have

of your gifts

had enough!

Oh! I've just noticed: woe, woe,

I have forgotten the magic word!

Oh, the word to use at the end,

to make him what he was...

oh! he is so agile as he runs and brings the water!

Would that you were just an old broomstick again!

More and more water

is he bringing in so rapidly.

Oh! a hundred rivers

have burst in upon me.

No! no longer

can I permit this to continue.

I will seize him,

the perfidious thing.

Oh! I'm growing more and more frightened!

What a face, what a glare!

Oh you offspring of hell!

Do you mean to drown the entire house?

I can already see across every threshold

streams of water running.

Wicked broom!

It will not listen.

Stick that you once were,

just stand still once more!

Finally, if you

will not let off,

I will grab you,

I will hold you,

and quickly split this old wood

with a sharp axe.

Look! he's coming again!

How I will set upon you now,

you gremlin! there, I've knocked you down.

Crash! goes the smooth, sharp blade.

Really a true stroke.

Look, he is cut in two:

and now I can hope

to breethe freely now.

Woe! Woe!

Both pieces

are standing up in haste,

ready-made servants

rising in stature!

Help me! oh higher powers!

And they run, and it grows wetter and wetter

in the hall and on the steps:

What an appalling flood!

Lord and Master! hear me call!

Ah! the Master is coming!

Sir, I am in a huge mess:

I have summoned spirits

that I cannot dispell.

"To the corner,

broomstick, broomstick!

Be done.

For as a spirit

you shall be called for my purpose

henceforth only by your old Master."