The Apparently Dead Princess
by Erich Kästner -- translated by Prof. Mary Beth Stein
My name is Sleeping Beauty and I am
the longest slumberer of all
by day and by night.
You know, for many uninterrupted years
I appeared to be dead.
But now I have awakened!
How much is there to say,
how that came about?
A prince from Sweden came -- and
woke me with his kiss.
He gave me a kiss.
That was the end of my sleeping
In Coburg we were married.
I was the bride and sang very loudly:
"I was sleeping many years
but don't want to sleep anymore.
And, things have to become like they were once more,
because otherwise it wouldn't be like it was."
That was a party for big and small.
And all began to shout,
as if it was their business.
They shouted: "Germany, awake!"
and fell back to sleep.
That was a party for big and small.
One raised the arm and lifted the leg
and barked "Long may he live!" and "Heil!"
The impoverished stood in line
and wished each other a good appetite
instead of the opposite.
From various provinces
of the Empire they appeared and collapsed before the prince --
each and every one of them in the knee.
You don't want to free yourselves
Lackeys are lackeys.
You sleep with the past!
And all are silent. And no one cried:
"You have been sleeping for years
and shouldn't sleep any more.
And it should never become what it once was,
because otherwise it would be like it once was!"
You are lackeys. You'll remain lackeys.
You are it. And you want to be it.
It is not your business to shout:
"Germany, awake!"
If you shout, it will go to sleep!