Christmas 2013

Just a few pics from the last few days...

Der Struwwelpeter

"Der Struwwelpeter" is a German children's book written in 1845 by Heinrich Hoffman. Not just any old children's book though. This one goes against the convention that children's books should be fun, fluffy and friendly. The book consists of ten rhyming stories... this being the second (translated, as best I can, from German to English):

A story from the evil Friederich

The Friederich, the Friederich,

That was an arrant tyrant!

He started the fly in the house

and tore them the wings off.

He hit the chair and bird died,

the cat suffered great distress.

And hear only how evil he was:

He whipped, oh, be Gretchen even!

At fountain stand a large dog,

drank water there with his mouth.

There with the whip crept near

the bitter Friederich;

and hit the dog, the howling very,

and kicked and hit him more and more.

Then bit the dog him in the leg,

right deep into the blood.

The bitter Friederich,

the screams and wept bitterly.

However back home ran the dog

and wore the whip in the mouth.

In bed must Friedrich now into,

suffered many pain on his leg;

and the Mr Doctor sits there

and gives him bitter medicine.

The dog at Friedrich's table sat;

where he the large kitchen ate;

ate also the good liver sausage

and drank the wine for his thirst.

The whip has he brought

and takes it very carefully.

Not exactly what you expect from a children's book.