Yawcob Strauss and Other Poems/Hans and Fritz

by Charles Follen Adams

HANS AND FRITZ.

Hans and Fritz were two Deutschers who lived side by side,

Remote from the world, its deceit and its pride:

With their pretzels and beer the spare moments were spent,

And the fruits of their labor were peace and content.

Hans purchased a horse of a neighbor one day,

And, lacking a part of the Geld, — as they say, —

Made a call upon Fritz to solicit a loan

To help him to pay for his beautiful roan.

Fritz kindly consented the money to lend,

And gave the required amount to his friend;

Remarking,—his own simple language to quote,—

"Berhaps it vas bedder ve make us a note."

The note was drawn up in their primitive way, —

"I, Hans, gets from Fritz feefty tollars to-day;"

When the question arose, the note being made,

"Vich von holds dot baper until it vas baid?"

"You geeps dot," says Fritz, "und den you vill know

You owes me dot money." Says Hans, "Dot ish so:

Dot makes me remempers I haf dot to bay,

Und I prings you der note und der money some day."

A month had expired, when Hans, as agreed,

Paid back the amount, and from debt he was freed.

Says Fritz, " Now dot settles us." Hans replies,

"Yaw: Now who dakes dot baper accordings by law ?"

"I geeps dot now, aind't it?" says Fritz ; " den, you see,

I alvays remempers you baid dot to me."

Says Hans, "Dot ish so: it vas now shust so blain,

Dot I knows vot to do ven I porrows again."