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Thursday 31 December 2009

Ach Vader, Niet Meer

I spotted this book on the way to the supermarket this morning. I'm surprised the kids didn't get me it for Christmas.

I was tempted to buy it, but, you know, I'm a cheapskate. Seems like a fitting last post for 2009. Maybe it's a premonition.

2 comments:

  1. I'm astonished that you didn't buy the book - you feeling alright?
    I'd have bought it, even though my Nederlands is shaky.....
    Incidentally, as the proud holder of a degree in linguistics, it always amazes me how the politics takes over from fact whenever you suggest to a Nederlands speaker that their language is basically a Low German dialect.......
    "Ach Vader, niet meer.." - Ach Vater, nicht mehr. I mean, come on.
    People who regard themselves as speaking Vlaams seem a bit more relaxed about this.
    No offence intended to any Nederlands speaker and to prove it I'm going to open a bottle of De Molen Amarillo for lunch.
    Happy New Year!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Father, dear father, come home with me now,
    The clock in the steeple strikes one;
    You said you were coming right home from the shop
    As soon as your day's work was done;
    Our fire has gone out, our house is all dark,
    And mother's been watching since tea,
    With poor brother Benny so sick in her arms
    And no one to help her but me,
    Come home! come home! come home!
    Please father, dear father, come home.

    Chorus:
    Hear the sweet voice of the child,
    Which the night-winds repeat as they roam;
    Oh who could resist this most plaintive of prayers
    "Please father, dear father, come home."

    Father, dear father, come home with me now,
    The clock in the steeple strikes two;
    The night has grown colder, and Benny is worse
    But he has been calling for you:
    Indeed he is worse, ma says he will die –
    Perhaps before morning shall dawn;
    And this is the message she sent me to bring
    "Come quickly, or he will be gone."
    Come home! come home! come home!
    Please father, dear father, come home.
    Chorus:

    Father, dear father, come home with me now,
    The clock in the steeple strikes three;
    The house is so lonely, the hours are so long,
    For poor weeping mother and me;
    Yes, we are alone, poor Benny is dead,
    And gone with the angels of light;
    And these were the very last words that he said
    "I want to kiss papa good-night."
    Come home! come home! come home!
    Please father, dear father, come home.
    Chorus

    Happy new year!

    ReplyDelete