by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796)
Translation by Gustaf Fröding (1860 - 1911)
Wha is that at my bower‑door?"
Language: Scottish (Scots)
Available translation(s): HUN
"Wha is that at my bower-door?" "O wha is it but Findlay!" "Then gae your gate, ye'se nae be here:" "Indeed maun I," quo' Findlay; "What mak' ye, sae like a thief?" "O come and see," quo' Findlay; "Before the morn ye'll work mischief:" "Indeed will I," quo' Findlay. "Gif I rise and let you in"- "Let me in," quo' Findlay; "Ye'll keep me waukin wi' your din;" "Indeed will I," quo' Findlay; "In my bower if ye should stay"- "Let me stay," quo' Findlay; "I fear ye'll bide till break o' day;" "Indeed will I," quo' Findlay. "Here this night if ye remain"- "I'll remain," quo' Findlay; "I dread ye'll [learn]1 the gate again;" "Indeed will I," quo' Findlay. "What may pass within this bower"- "Let it pass," quo' Findlay; "Ye maun conceal till your last hour:" "Indeed will I," quo' Findlay.
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)1 Scott: "ken"
Glossary
maun = must
bide = remain
waukin = awake
din = noise
ken = know
Authorship:
- by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796), "Indeed will I, quo' Findlay", first published 1783 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Francis George Scott (1880 - 1958), "Wha is that at my bower-door?", published 1939 [ low voice and piano ], from Scottish Lyrics, Book 5, no. 6, Bayley & Ferguson; confirmed with Songs of Francis George Scott, selected and edited by Neil Mackay, Roberton Publications, Aylesbury 1980, page 96. [sung text checked 1 time]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Ferdinand Freiligrath (1810 - 1876) ; composed by Carl Loewe, Eusebius Mandyczewski.
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Wilhelm Christoph Leonhard Gerhard (1780 - 1858) , "Der kecke Finlay" ; composed by Robert Schumann.
- Also set in Russian (Русский), a translation by Samuil Yakovlevich Marschak (1887 - 1964) ; composed by Georgiy Vasil'yevich Sviridov.
- Also set in Swedish (Svenska), a translation by Gustaf Fröding (1860 - 1911) ; composed by Emil Sjögren.
- Also set in Swiss German (Schwizerdütsch), a translation by August Corrodi (1826 - 1885) ; composed by Friedrich Niggli.
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CZE Czech (Čeština) (Josef Václav Sládek) , "Kdo do komůrky mé by rád?"
- HUN Hungarian (Magyar) (Tamás Rédey) , "Ki vagy te ott a kert alatt?", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Iain Sneddon [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2003-11-20
Line count: 24
Word count: 143
Vem står på lur vid dörren?
Language: Swedish (Svenska)  after the Scottish (Scots)
Vem står på lur vid dörren? Vem där? »Å, det är bara Findlay!» Så gå er väg, I bor ej här! »Är på besök,» sa Findlay. I Kanske är en tjuv? Vem vet? »Kom ut och se,» sa Findlay. I vill bestämt nå'n dålighet. »Det händer allt,» sa Findlay. Men om jag nu lät opp för er — »Låt opp, låt opp,» sa Findlay — så fick jag ingen nattro mer. »Det händer allt,» sa Findlay. För I, I gick väl inte strax? »Jag stannar kvar,» sa Findlay. I blev nog kvar till gryningsdags. »Ja visst, ja visst,» sa Findlay. Men slapp I in — så om och men — »Släpp mig in,» sa Findlay — I kanske snart kom hit igen. »Ja visst, ja visst,» sa Findlay. Men om nå't sker, I hör jag ber, — »låt det ske,» sa Findlay — Var tyst som murn, med allt, som sker! »Är tyst som murn,» sa Findlay.
Authorship:
- by Gustaf Fröding (1860 - 1911) [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in Scottish (Scots) by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796), "Indeed will I, quo' Findlay", first published 1783
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by (Johan Gustaf) Emil Sjögren (1853 - 1918), "Vem står på lur vid dörren?", op. 34 (Fem Fröding-sånger) no. 4 (1902) [ voice and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
Researcher for this page: Johann Winkler
This text was added to the website: 2021-04-09
Line count: 24
Word count: 157