Wenn der Pott aber nu ein Loch hat
This is a German version of "There's a Hole in My Bucket". The song originally comes from Germany, but the earliest known version was slightly different. It was called "Wenn der Beltz em Loch hat" (When the Jug Has a Hole).
Wenn der Pott aber nu ein Loch hat
If The Pot Has a Hole in It
Children's Song
Children's Song
(German)
(English)
Wenn der Pott aber nu ein Loch hat,
lieber Heinrich, lieber Heinrich?'
'Stopf 's zu liebe, liebe Liese,
liebe Liese, stopf 's zu!'
Womit soll ich's aber zustopfen,
lieber Heinrich, lieber Heinrich? –
Mit Stroh, liebe, liebe Liese,
liebe Liese, mit Stroh!
Wenn's Stroh aber nu zu lang ist,
lieber Heinrich, lieber Heinrich?' –
Hack 's ab, liebe, liebe Liese,
liebe Liese, hack 's ab!
Womit soll ich's denn abhacken,
lieber Heinrich, lieber Heinrich?' –
Mit'm Beil, liebe, liebe Liese,
liebe Liese, mit'm Beil!
Wenn's Beil aber nu zu stumpf ist,
lieber Heinrich, lieber Heinrich?' –
Mach's scharf, liebe, liebe Liese,
liebe Liese, mach's scharf!
Womit soll ich's aber scharf machen,
lieber Heinrich, lieber Heinrich?' –
Mit'm Stein, liebe, liebe Liese,
liebe Liese, mit'm Stein!
Wenn der Stein aber nu zu trocken ist,
lieber Heinrich, lieber Heinrich?' –
Mach ihn nass, liebe, liebe Liese,
liebe Liese, mach ihn nass!
Womit soll ich 'n aber nass machen,
lieber Heinrich, lieber Heinrich?' –
Mit Wasser, liebe, liebe Liese,
liebe Liese, mit Wasser!
Womit soll ich aber Wasser holen,
lieber Heinrich, lieber Heinrich?' –
Mit'm Pott, liebe, liebe Liese,
liebe Liese, mit'm Pott!
Aber wenn der Pott aber nu ein Loch hat…
If the pot has a hole in it,
Dear Henry, dear Henry?
Plug it dear, dear Lisa,
Dear Lisa, plug it.
But what should I plug it with,
Dear Henry, dear Henry?
With straw, dear, dear Lisa,
Dear Lisa with straw.
But if the straw is too long,
Dear Henry, dear Henry?
Cut it, dear, dear Lisa,
Dear Lisa, cut it.
But what should I cut it with,
Dear Henry, dear Henry?
With an axe dear, dear Lisa,
Dear Lisa, with an axe.
But if the axe is too blunt
Dear Henry, dear Henry?
Sharpen it, dear, dear Lisa,
Dear Lisa, sharpen it.
What should I sharpen it with,
Dear Henry, dear Henry?
With a stone, dear, dear Lisa,
Dear Lisa, with a stone.
If the stone is too dry,
Dear Henry, dear Henry?
Make it wet, dear, dear Lisa,
Dear Lisa, make it wet.
What should I make it wet with,
Dear Henry, dear Henry?
With water, dear, dear Lisa,
Dear Lisa, with water.
What should I fetch water with,
Dear Henry, dear Henry?
With the pot, dear, dear Lisa,
Dear Lisa, with the pot.
But if the pot has a hole in it...
Notes
Ruth Müller wrote:
The German song: Wenn der Pott aber nu ein Loch hat has a variation I grew up with. I am not sure if it was our modification or somebody else's. It goes like this:
Wenn der Topf aber nun ein Loch hat liebster Heinrich sanfter Heinrich
Stopfs zu dumme dumme Lise, dumme Lise stopfs zu...
English Translation:
If the pot has a hole, dearest Henry, gentle Henry
Plug it stupid stupid Lisa, stupid Lisa plug it...
and so on.
*****
Kurt Richter sent this version below that has a slightly different tune and the first two verses below replace the first verse above, the rest are the same. The score that goes with it is the one entitled Die dumme Liese.
"Womit soll ich den Wasser holen,
lieber Heinrich, lieber Heinrich?"
"Nimm den Topf, liebe, liebe Liese,
liebe Liese, nemm den Topf!"
("How shall I fetch the water,
dear Heinrich, dear Heinrich?"
"Take the pot, dear, dear Liese,
dear Liese, take the pot!")
"Wenn der Topf aber nun ein Loch hat,
lieber Heinrich, lieber Heinrich?"
"Stopf es zu, liebe, liebe Liese,
Liebe Liese, stopf es zu!"
("But if the pot has a hole,
dear Heinrich, dear Heinrich?"
"Plug it dear, dear Liese,
Dear Liese, plug it up!")
Kurt wrote, "I have always liked this song, perhaps because much mother sang it to me as a child, along with several others on your site. And that's all now about 70 years or so ago. Time flies and the memories are dear."
You can hear the tune that goes with the version in the notes below...
Kurt Richter created this file so you can hear the tune that goes with the version in the notes.
Thanks!
Thanks!
Thanks!
Thanks and Acknowledgements
Many thanks to David W. Solomons for contributing and translating this song. Thanks to Ruth Müller for sharing her version. Thanks to Kurt Richter for sharing another version with a midi and score.
Vielen Dank
