Es Pennsilfaanisch Deitsch Eck (Originally published in the May 27, 1981 issue of The Shopping News)

Transcription

1 (Originally published in the May 27, 1981 issue of The Shopping News) 1 / 7

2 Tales From Pennytown (II) Die Faule Oyer Sadie Smucker, Age 12 Hoscht du schun ennichebber gsehne faule Oyer esse? Mein Daet hot noch gemeint, wann sei Onkel Elmer hot! Wu er en gleener Buh waar, waar en Mushroom-Blatz as als Mischt gholt hot bei sein Onkel Elmer. Es waar Porderrickens as es gholt hen. Eemol wann sie an Mischt laade waare, hen sie en Nescht Oyer gfunne. Oh, wie sie selli Oyer gesse hen! Sie hen en Loch gemacht in die Schaal un hen es raus zuckelt. Ugh! Sie hen s so gut gegliche, as es negscht Mol as sie kumme sin, hen sie Oyer gnumme unni Froge! Der Elmer hot gedenkt: er weisst sie mol ebbes. Wu sie kumme sin es negscht Mol, hen sie Mischt uffglaade wie gwehnlich. Noht hen sie gsucht fer Oyer. Un sie hen deel gfunne. Noht hot ihr Party gschtaert! 2 / 7

3 Awwer, oh, was waar letz? Sie hen gschpaut un gebloose wie wild! So wie sie gemacht hen! Noht sin sie bletzlich heem gange. Why, Elmer, du settscht dich schemme! Faule Oyer fer en Party? Rotten Eggs Have you ever seen anyone eat rotten eggs? My Dad still remembered when his Uncle Elmer had! When he was a little boy, there was a mushroom place that used to fetch manure from his Uncle Elmer. One time when they were loading manure, they found a nest of eggs. Oh, how they enjoyed (ate) those eggs! They made a hole in the shell and sucked it (the contents) out. Ugh! They enjoyed it so much that the next time they came, they took eggs without asking! Elmer though (to himself): he ll show them something. When they came the next time, they loaded manure as usual. Then they searched for eggs. And they found some. Then their party began! But, oh, what was wrong? They spit and they blew like crazy (wild)! My, how they carried on! 3 / 7

4 And they departed for home very suddenly. Why, Elmer, you should be ashamed of yourself! Rotten eggs for a party? Dient Net Abweisse! Pauline Zimmerman, Age 12 Wann der Daet en gleener Buh waar, hot er en gleener Schippi ghat. Er hot ihm die Boddel gewwe un hot oft gschpielt mit ihm. Een Owed is Bsuch kumme. Der Daet hot sein gleener Schippi rausgrickt un hot gschtaert abweisse mit him. Er is rumgschprunge un getschumpt mit das Schippi hatt hinnenooch. Der ganz Owed hot er s uffghalde. Der negscht Mariye waar der Schippi doht! Es bezaahlt net fer abweisse! Don t Show Off! When Dad was a small boy, he had a small sheep. He gave him the bottle and often played with 4 / 7

5 him. One evening company came. Dad got his lamb out and started to show him off. He ran about and jumped about with the little sheep hard on his heels. He kept it up the entire evening. The next morning the lamb was dead! It does not pay to show off! Two weeks ago we printed three delightful Dutch anecdotes from the pens of pupils in the famous Pennytown School, which is attended by both Old Order Amish and Old Order Mennonite children. We are indebted to the senior teacher, who encouraged her advanced pupils to write these fascinating accounts. As we read and reread these stories, we say to ourselves: if twelve-year-old youngsters can do this, why can t their elders? We again want to encourage our readers - young and old - to share with us in the dialect their experiences! Sunday morning, May 10, we worshipped for the first time with the Old Order Amish congregation at Schaefferstown. The service was held on the Fisher farm, which is located on the southern edge of Schaefferstown and adjoining on the west our Alexander Schaeffer Farm, whose ancient farmhouse dates to the early 1700s. We deeply appreciate the invitation of the Fisher family to attend this service, for it was in this house that the late (Rev.) Thomas R. Brendle was born in Tom Brendle served as a Parre (minister) in the former Reformed Church for 50 years and in his lifetime collected possibly the most important collection of Pennsylvania German folklore in existence. This collection of almost 100 notebooks is the property of Historic Schaefferstown, Inc. 5 / 7

6 Worshipping with our Old Order Mennonite or Old Order Amish brothers and sisters is always a very special experience for Bischli-Gnippli. Relatively few outsiders do, hence many of the neighbors who live in or near Old Order communities fail to appreciate the depth of the Old Order culture. Last January, we attempted to point out the significance of the Moravian musical culture, which flourishes in the ancient town of Lititz. Since the middle of the 18th century, Lititz has been an important center for Moravian (if you re real Dutch, you know it s Herrnhuter in the dialect!) music. If you - as a lifelong resident of northern Lancaster County - have never heard a Moravian anthem of the Lititz Trombone Choir or have never admired the ancient Moravian Baroque architecture (which is a direct reflection of Old World architecture in Herrnhut, now in East Germany) on Church Square in Lititz or have never heard music flow from a Tannenberg pipe organ - Tannenberg had his shop in Lititz! - you have been deprived of experiences, which by right should belong to you by virtue of your local birth! On the edge of Lititz, you will find one of the more recent Old Order Amish church districts in Lancaster County. Last summer we worshipped with this congregation on the Wenger Farm not too far from Catfish (Oregon). It was a glorious day and the service was held in the great barn. Two and a half weeks ago, we worshipped and sang with the Schaefferstown congregation, which is a short buggy ride to the north of Lititz. The Dutchman who has never sat in the midst of an Old Order Amish congregation and sung their ancient hymns - they sing from their 400-year-old Ausbund, an early German hymnal - again has failed to partake of a musical and religious experience, which is not only unique, but also deeply moving. Both traditions, the Moravian and the Amish, are equally valid. Both cultures are rooted deeply in the Protestant Reformation and flourish in Lancaster County as nowhere else in the world. How much do our children learn about this part of their heritage in school? The Moravians have always been leaders in the education of the young. In 1925, the first Old Order Amish parochial school was established in Delaware. In recent years, the Old Order Amish and the Old Order Mennonites have increasingly seen the wisdom of sending their children to their own parochial schools. If you have never visited an Old Order parochial school, you are unaware of the excellence of the Old Order parochial school education. I guess we Dutchmen still have a lot to learn about each other. Was denkscht? May 27, / 7

7 Der Brodfresser, as sich Bischli-Gnippli heest 7 / 7