AUERBACH’S CELLAR IN LEIPZIG
MERRY GROUP OF DRINKING COMPANIONS
FROSCH
Will no one laugh? Will no one drink?
I’ll teach you to pull faces. I think
You’re really like wet straw some days,
Yet other times you burn light’s blaze.
BRANDER
Fault falls on you; you've added nothing new!
No stupid jokes and no obscenity.
FROSCH (POURING A GLASS OF WINE OVER BRANDER’S HEAD)
There you have both!
BRANDER
You swine twice
through!
FROSCH
You wanted it, we give it free!
SIEBEL
Now those who want to fight get out!
With open breast sing round songs, swill and shout!
Right! Holla! Ho!
ALTIMEYER
Woe’s me! I’m lost,
I fear!
Some cotton wool! The beggar’s split my ear!
SIEBEL
When echoes fill this vaulted space,
You really feel the basic power of bass.
FROSCH
That’s right, let’s toss out those who take
exception.
Ah! Tara lara da!
ALTMAYER
Ah! Tara lara da!
FROSH
Our throats are now tuned to perfection.
HE SINGS
The Holy Roman Empire,
How does it hold together?
BRANDER
A nasty song! Phew, a political song,
A tiresome song! Thank God each morning time
That you don’t have to care about that realm.
At least I take it as a richly beneficial thing
That I am neither chancellor nor king.
But we must have a leader too;
We shall elect a pope. And you
All know what qualification can
Tip up the scales and raise the man.
FROSCH (SINGS)
Lady Nightingale, soar up above,
Ten thousand times greet my fair love.
SIEBEL
I will not hear of it! No greetings for that one!
FROSCH
My dear one greet and kiss! You cannot stop my fun!
HE SINGS
Draw the latch! in night’s still hour.
Draw the latch! your love wakes now.
Bolt it fast! It’s dawn at last.
SIEBEL
Yes sing, go on, sing up and boast and praise her
loudly.
I’ll have my laugh when it is due.
She took me in and she will do the same to you.
And may a goblin be her love tonight
And may he flirt with her where crossroads lie,
May some old billy, back from Blocksberg’s height,
Bleat out good night there as he gallops by.
I’d wish her some fine lad of flesh now, but
That’s much too good for that cheap slut.
That’s much too good for that cheap slut.
There’s but one greeting I would claim:
I’d smash her every window pane.
BRANDER (BANGING ON THE TABLE)
Pay heed! Pay heed! Now hear my bit!
Good sirs, admit! I know what’s fit;
Some lovesick lads sit here and thus,
In keeping with their state, I must
Treat them to this good night salute!
Take heed! A song of newest type!
Sing its refrain with all your might!
HE SINGS
In a cellar nest there was a rat
Living but on fat and butter,
Such a sack-like belly getting that
He looked like Doctor Luther.
Some poison bait the cook put out,
The world grew narrow round about-
As if he had love in his system.
CHORUS (GLEEFULLY)
As if he had love in his system.
BRANDER
He ran around and out he raced
And guzzled from each puddle’s
pool,
He gnawed and scratched throughout
the place,
Nothing eased the frenzied fool;
He sprang with many an anguished
leap,
But soon, poor beast, he was quite
beat-
As if he had love in his system.
CHORUS
As if he had love in his system.
BRANDER
In fear he fled into the
kitchen,
With bright day full sight
granting,
Fell by the stove and lay there
twitching
With pitiful, frantic panting.
His poisoner laughed at his
death,
“See how he gasps out his
last breath-
As if he had love in his
system.”
CHORUS
As if he had love in his
system.
SIEBEL
How pleased the morons are at that!
It takes much skill it seems to me
To poison an unlucky rat.
BRANDER
They’re high in your regard, I see.
ALTMAYER
A big pot-belly with a bald patch;
Misfortune’s made him tame and weak,
And now he sees in bloated rats
A natural image for his physique.
FAUST AND MEPHISTOPHELES ENTER
MEPHISTOPHELES
I must, before much time can slip,
Bring you some bright companionship,
So that you see how lightly life can run.
The folk here make each day a day of fun.
With little wit and much ease, each threads
His dance upon a narrow, circling trail-
A kitten following its tail.
When not lamenting aching heads
And while the host gives credit, they’re
Quite happy and without a care.
BRANDER
They've just come in here from a trip.
You see their funny manner. It’s my tip
They haven’t been here yet an hour.
FROSCH
My word, you’re right! So let me praise my Leipzig
now!
It’s a little Paris that gives its people culture’s
power.
SIEBEL
What do you think they are about?
FROSCH
Leave it to me! For over a full glass
I’ll draw forth these fine fellow’s past
As lightly as a child’s first tooth comes out.
They seem to me to be of high descent,
They look so proud, so full of discontent.
BRANDER
They’re swindlers- bet my bottom dollar!
ALTMAYER
Perhaps.
FROSCH
You watch. I’ll get
them steamed.
MEPHISTOPHELES
These simpletons would not detect the fiend,
Not even when he’s got them by the collar.
FAUST
My greetings, friends!
SIEBEL
Much thanks! The same
but multiplied.
SOFTLY. LOOKING ASKANCE AT MEPHISTOPHELES
Why does that fellow limp one side?
MEPHISTOPHELES
Is it all right with you if we sit by?
Instead of decent drinks, which one cannot get here,
Companionship shall satisfy.
ALTMEYER
You’re very spoilt- it would appear.
FROSCH
Departed late from Rippach? You supped, I see,
With Mr. Jack Ass before you set upon your way?
MEPHISTOPHELES
We had to ride on past today;
But talked a lot last time we met, and he
Had much to say of his dear, near relations,
And asked I send you all his warmest salutations.
HE BOWS TOWARDS FROSCH
ALTMAYER (SOFTLY)
You have it! That one knows.
SIEBEL
A crafty
customer.
FROSCH
Just wait. I’ll get him yet, the cur!
MEPHISTOPHELES
We heard, unless I’m greatly wrong,
A chorus of skilled voices ringing;
I’m sure these vaults would sound along,
Re-echoing with excellence, your singing.
FROSCH
You are, perhaps, a virtuoso?
MEPHISTOPHELES
I fear not. My desire’s strong. My power so-so.
ALTMAYER
Give us a song!
MEPHISTOPHELES
As many as are mine.
SIEBEL
Then something in a brand-new vein!
MEPHISTOPHELES
Now we have just returned from visiting Spain,
The lovely land of song and wine.
HE SINGS
Now once there lived a king
Who had an enormous flea-
FROSCH
Hear that? A flea! You get it, get the jest?
A flea’s a lovely sort of guest.
MEPHISTOPHELES (SINGING)
Now once there lived a king
Who had an enormous flea
That he loved like anything,
Like an only son was he.
He bade his tailor come,
The man came to his call-
You dress this noble one,
Fit him with pants and all.
BRANDER
And don’t forget to make the tailor see
His measuring is most exact;
And if he likes his head intact,
The trousers must be wrinkle-free.
MEPHISTOPHELES
In silk and velvet, he
Was done up for the part-
Beribboned finery,
A cross upon his heart.
At once made Minister,
With star of great degree;
His brothers and sisters were
Made court nobility.
The lords and ladies there
Were tortured by this brood,
The queen and maid, both fair,
Were bitten and were chewed.
They weren't allowed to crack them,
They weren't allowed to scratch.
But we can get right at them
And crack and choke our catch.
CHORUS (SHOUTING)
But we can get right at them
And crack and choke our catch.
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