Yawcob Strauss and Other Poems/Der Shpider Und Der Fly


 * I reads in Yawcob's shtory book,
 * A couple veeks ago,
 * Von fired-rade boem, vot I dinks
 * Der beoples all should know.


 * Id ask dis goot conundhrum, too,
 * Vich ve should brofit by:
 * "' Vill you indo mine barlor valk ?'
 * Says der shpider off der fly."




 * Dot set me dinking, righdt avay,
 * Und vhen, von afdernoon,
 * A shbeculator he cooms in,
 * Und dells me, pooty soon,


 * He haf a silfer mine to sell,
 * Und ask me eef I puy,
 * I dink off der oxberience
 * Off dot plue-pottle fly.




 * Der oder day, vhen on der cars
 * I vent py Nie Yorck, oudt,
 * I meets a fraulein on der train,
 * Who dold me, mit a pout,


 * She likes der Deutscher shentlemens,
 * Und dells me sit peside her—
 * I dinks, inaype, I vas der fly,
 * Und she vas peen der shpider.




 * I vent indo der shmoking - car,
 * Vhere dhey vas blaying boker,
 * Und also haf somedings dhey calls
 * Der funny " leedle joker."


 * Some money id vas shanging hands,
 * Dhey wanted me to try—
 * I says, "You vas too brevious;
 * I don'd vas peen a fly!"




 * On Central Park a shmardt young man
 * Says, "Strauss, bow vas you peen?"
 * Und dake me kindly py der hand,
 * Und ask off mine Katrine.


 * He vants to shange a feefty bill,
 * Und says hees name vas Schneider—
 * Maype, berhaps he vas all righdt;
 * More like he vas a shpider.


 * Mosd efry day some shvindling chap,
 * He dries hees leedle game;
 * I cuts me oudt dot shpider biece,
 * Und poot id in a frame;
 * Righdt in mine shtore I hangs id oup,
 * Und near id, on der shly,
 * I geeps a glub, to send gvick oudt
 * Dhose shpiders "on der fly."