Froschermandl English translation
von Arik Brauer

Frog-Manikin

Going on five, the best time,
The alley is filled with people
The frog-manikin comes around the corner
What is he hiding in his sacks?
Two bottles filled with water
And a drum in the bag
And - in a preserving glass - a water frog.


He beats the drum beautifully,
All people stand still,
He takes the water bottles,
Guzzles down both of them,
He raises the water frog up high,
He opens his mouth quickly
He presses it in,
He swallows it down.

Everybody claps their hands,
And the ones who know the frog-manikin,
Sit down on the curbstone,
Because the best is to come now.
He opens his mouth again
Comes out a water-jet
Comes a rainbow,
Comes the frog flying out.


Fire brigade and police
And the society against cruelty to animals,
Chase away the frog-manikin from his corner,
And take away his frog.
Now, the corner is empty,
No more drumming to hear,
Nobody is standing still,
Nothing to see anymore.