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What’s with this “Wren” thing?
The oldest extant version of the fable
we
are presenting here appeared in 1913 in the first volume of a two-volume anthology
of Low
Saxon folktales (Plattdeutsche
Volksmärchen “Low German Folktales”)
collected by Wilhelm Wisser (1843–1935). Read
more ...
Western Flemish Variety of Nieuwpoort, near Oostende, Belgium
Listen to
this version narrated with native pronunciation:
’t Wienterkeunienksje aa se’ nest in de karresjcheure. Up e’ ki’ woaren d’oeders
olletwêê uutgevlooh’n – ze wild’n e’ bitsje eet’n hon aal’n voer under joenksjes – en ze liejet’n de klintsjes
hêêl ollêên’ agter.
Achter e’ tietsje komt voader wienterkeunienksje were tuus.
“Wienn’ is-t-er ieër hebeurd?” zeht’n.
“Wiejen et der junder utwa’ a’nhedoan, joengetsjes? Je zie junder hêêlehan je
kluts kwiet!”
“Mo’, voader,” zehh’n ze, “’t
kwaam iejer zjuuste e’ zoew e’ hrote lillekoard verbie. Ne’ zaah-t-er zo’ kwoad
en benauwelik uut! Ne’ kêêk me’ se’ hrote ooh’n in uus nest. Dad ed uus
zo’ benauwd hemakt.”
“Aan,” zeht de voader, “en
woar is-t-’n nu?”
“Tsja,” zehhen ze, “n’is o’ hunter hehoa’n.”
“Wagt mo’,” zeht de voader, “kgon
der agter. Stille, mo’ joengetsjes! ’K gon ’um we’ kriehen.”
Toene vliejeht’n d’er agter.
Ost’n agter ’t oek’sje komt, lopt de lêêuw doa.
Mo’ ’t wienterkeunienksje is nie benauwd. Ne landt up de lêêuw se’ rik en ne’ behunt te sjcheld’n teehn um.
“Wien’ ’e’ je hie bie mien uus verloor’n," zeht’n,
“en mien joengetsjes benauwd maak’n?!”
De lêêuw trekter um niejet’n van an en ne lopt heweune deure.
Toene makt da’ klêên pernukkeltsje
um noh vele dulder. “J’e’ gie doa hin zaak’ns, zehhen ’k je! En o’ je
noh e’ kè were kêêrt,” zeht’n,
“hoan me’ wel e’ kè ziejen! ’k Doewen’t nie he-er’n,” zeht’n, en n’eft z’n êêne potsj’ up, “mo’ ’k stampn zo je rik in!”
En toene vliejegtn were no’ ze’ nest.
“Va’ la’, sè, joengetsjes," zeht’n,
“d’n
deen’n is da’ wel ofgelêêrd. D’n deen’n hon me’ nooit mè were zieën.”