DAANTJIE GROUWS.[1]
Daantjie kom hier om te vrij,
Danie comes here for to woo.
Ja, met vrijers gaat dit soo,
Yes, 'mid wooers goes it so;
Sondags-aânts het hij vèr moet rij.
Sunday-eves he far must (O.-Eng. mote) ride.
Maartjie steek haar kop in die luch,
Martie sticks her head in the light,
Kijk soo skeef en trek terug,
Keeks so slyly and draws back,
Sit ver Daantjie glat op vlug.
Sets Danie clean on the wing.
Daantjie smeek en Daantjie bid.
Danie flatters and Danie entreats (O.-Eng. bid, to pray).
Maartjie's doof en blif maar sit.
Martie is deaf, and remains however seated.
Daantjie such vir ure lang.
Danie sighs four hour long.
Vêe die trane van sijn wang.
Wipes the tears from his cheeks (Ger. die Wangen),
Praat van hemselve op te hang,
Prattles of himself up-to-hang,
Die tijd versach[2] maar ons gevoel.
But (maar cf. Fr. mais) time softens our feelings.
Verachte liefde word ook koel.
Despised love worth (becomes) eke cool.
"Sal ik," seg hij, "nets (Ger. nichts) een gek.
"Shall I," says he, "an out-and-out gowk (fool),
Om een laffe meisie vrek?
For a laughing lassie be-driven-away?
Sij kan naar die hoenders trek."
- ↑ The text of this piece is given in that unique and interesting collection, "Robert Burns in Other Tongues," by Dr. Wm. Jacks (Glasgow : Maclehose, 1896). For help in the English translation I am indebted to my esteemed friend, Miss Frances du Toit of Rondebosch, Cape Town, an accomplished Afrikander. The language, though not the sense, I have altered so as to suggest affinity wherever it exists.
- ↑ Versach, as if Scots fer-soak, makes soak.
