Yawcob Strauss and Other Poems/The Puzzled Dutchman
THE PUZZLED DUTCHMAN.
- I'm a proken-hearted Deutscher,
- Vot's villed mit crief und shame.
- I dells you vot der drouple ish:
- I doosn't know my name.
- You dinks dis fery vunny, eh ?
- Ven you der schtory hear,
- You vill not vender den so mooch,
- It vas so schtrange und queer.
- Mine moder had dwo leedle twins;
- Dey vas me und mine broder:
- Ve lookt so fery mooch alike,
- No von knew vich vrom toder.
- Von off der poys vas "Yawcob,"
- Und "Hans" der Oder's name:
- But den it made no tifferent;
- Ve both got called der same.
- Vell! von off us got tead, —
- Yaw, Mynheer, dot ish so!
- But vedder Hans or Yawcob,
- Mine moder she don'd know.
- Und so I am in drouples:
- I gan't kit droo mine hed
- ''Vedder I'm Hans vot's lifing,
- Or Yawcob vot is tead!
