Im schwarzen Walfisch zu Askalon
| Im schwarzen Walfisch zu Askalon | |
|---|---|
Herrad von Landsberg, around 1180 | |
| English | "In the Black Whale of Ascalon" |
| Other name | "Altassyrisch" |
| Text | Joseph Victor von Scheffel |
| Language |
|
| Published | 1854 |
"Im schwarzen Walfisch zu Askalon" ("In the Black Whale of Ascalon") is a popular academic commercium song. It was known as a beer-drinking song in many German speaking ancient universities. Joseph Victor von Scheffel provided the lyrics under the title Altassyrisch (Old Assyrian) 1854, the melody is from 1783 or earlier.[1]
Content
The lyrics reflect an endorsement of the
Im schwarzen Wallfisch zu Ascalon
Da trank ein Mann drei Tag',
Bis dass er steif wie ein Besenstiel
Am Marmortische lag.
'In the Black Whale at Ascalon
A man drank day by day,
Till, stiff as any broom-handle,
Upon the floor he lay.
...
In the Black Whale at Ascalon
The waiters brought the bill,
In arrow-heads on six broad tiles
To him who thus did swill.
...
In the Black Whale at Ascalon
No prophet hath renown;
And he who there would drink in peace
Must pay the money down.
In typical manner of Scheffel, it contains an anachronistic mixture of various times and eras, parodistic notions on current science,[3] as e.g. Historical criticism and interpretations of the Book of Jonah as a mere shipwrecking narrative. According to Scheffel, the guest didn't try to get back in the inn as „Aussi bini, aussi bleibi, wai Ascalun, ihr grobi Kaibi“ (I been out, I stay so, you rude Aschkelon calves). There are various additional verses, including political parodist ones and verses mocking different sorts of fraternities. The song has been used as name for traditional inns and restaurants, e.g. in Heidelberg and Bad Säckingen. In Bad Säckingen the name was used on several (consecutive) inns and was namegiver for the still existing club "Walfisch Gesellschaft Säckingen" (Walfischia), honoring Scheffel.[4]
Mathematics International
There is exactly one verse for mathematics, called 'International'.[5]
In ancient times, upon the door
Of Plato, there was writt'n:
“To each non-mathematicus
The entrance is forbidd'n.
The same stanza is available in further 13 languages, including Greek (Μελαίνῃ τῇ ἐν Φαλαίνᾳ - Melaínē (black) tē (the) en (in) Phalaína (whale)) and Volapük, which are sung one after the other.
Further reading
- Manfred Fuhrmann: Scheffels Erzählwerk: Bildungsbeflissenheit, Deutschtümelei. In dsb., Europas fremd gewordene Fundamente. Aktuelles zu Themen aus der Antike. Artemis und Winkler, Zürich 1995 ISBN 3-7608-1122-1
- Udo Kindermann: Der Dichter Scheffel, der Mineraloge Kobell und der Industrielle Zugmayer und Scheffels "Petrefaktisch Lied". In: Josef Victor von Scheffel zum 100. Todestag am 9. April 1986. Karlsruhe 1986, pp. 25–43
- Heinz Linnerz: Das Trinklied in der deutschen Dichtung von Johann Hermann Schein bis Viktor von Scheffel. Diss. phil. [masch.], Universität Köln 1952
References
- ^ Lieder-Archiv (de) (Song Archive)
- ^ Charles Godfrey Leland, Gaudeamus! Humorous Poems by Joseph Viktor von Scheffel, Ebook-Nr. 35848 on gutenberg.org
- ^ Introduction to German Poetry: A Dual-Language Book, Gustave Mathieu, Guy Stern Courier Dover Publications, 31.05.2012, including as well a translation
- ^ Hotel-Restaurant “Zum Schwarzen Walfisch” Bad Säckingen
- ^ History of Mathematics: A Supplement C. Smoryński, Springer Science & Business Media, 2008
