by Peter Berryman
The Country of the Winter Miracles
When my brother Jeff and I were kids on McDonald Street in Appleton, WI, we shared a bedroom. Every Christmas eve we would honor a tradition that he and I had invented: We would tie knots in all of our socks and throw them at each other in the dark.
I'm surprised this didn't catch on. Anyway, in a similar spirit of holiday creativity, I offer the following translations of popular Christmas songs. These were achieved without human assistance, using the automatic translation site at:
I have translated them from English to French, then from French to German, and finally from German back into English. See if you can guess the songs. Answers at the end. Some of these are at least as good as the originals.
1. -- Rudolph the red smelled annuitant had a very much shining nose, and if you never see it, you could say even it rougeoie. Whole other annuitant had the habit to laugh it and names requires; They can be connected never poor Rudolph with no annuitant play. Then a brumeuse of Christmas watches out, Santa came, in order to indicate: "Rudolph with your in such a way shining nose do not lead you mean sleigh this evening?" Then, as that liked annuitant it, like it outside with glee cried to "Rudolph the red smelled annuitant you with history will downward deal."
2. -- I saw Mommy, which embraces the father Christmas under the mistletoe past night. She did not see me creeping down from the stairs, in order to have piaulement; It thought that I upward in my room which can be put down remplié fast fallen asleep. Then I saw chatouillement the father Christmas de Mommy under its in such a way neigeux space bar of beard; Ah, what a laughter it would have been, if the dad saw only Mommy, which embraces the father Christmas the past night.
3. -- Had matured snowman a merry lucky soul with orncobpfeife and one button nose and two eyes, which were made of the coal. Matured snowman a Feenerzaehlung indicate it, it in snow made, but the children know he come to the life one day. It must have given old hat from silk from the magic of the fact, which they found. For, if they set it on its head, it began, in order to dance. Matured o was completely living snowman that he could be, and the children said it could and just laugh the same play as you and me.
4. -- If you sound the bell, blade bell, which bells of sounding the rock of the blade bell balance, and which blade bells ring the snow, and leaving from the Scheffeln of the pleasure to jump, which maintain the blade hop, began sounds the bell, the blade bell, bell ringing of bells of sounding the rock of the blade bell in the time of the blade bell, those and prancing in the place of Bell of sounding in the matured sky _ what hour dances bright, it well to hour over tilts night time where a party of bell of blade time of dent over is received to slip with a horse against part of blade of sleigh of, takes your foot back sounds around mixture of Clock and in foot of blade what bell of blade, what bell of blade, what rock of bell of blade.
5. -- They do not improve the clock outside you better Schreidorsch better not, as I am you saying, why the father Christmas comes to the city, it make a list and it examines twice; To uncover go, which is unpleasant and nice. The father Christmas comes to the city it you sees, if you are sleeping him know, if you are aroused it to know, whether you were bad, or are good in intéret the quality so well! O! They improve the clock outside! They do not improve the Schreidorsch better, I are saying you, why the father Christmas comes to the city. The father Christmas comes to the city.
6. -- The Kastanien, which roasts on an open fire, matures handle pinching at it carols from Yule marée nose sung of a choir and the people, which were equipped upward as Esquimaux. Everyone knows a truthahn, and from the assistance of mistletoe to sleep in order to make the season bright tots the letters with its eyes embrasés all evils will have this evening. They know this Santa on its way the fact that he is assigned toy a considerable number, and which will notice goodies on its child of sleigh and each nut/mother, in order to see whether that really can fly annuitant. And in such a way I offer to the children of one to ninety-two this simple expression, although they are said summers to much mark, merry Christmas in very different kind you.
7. -- The bells of Sleigh ring, are to you in the lane snow hearing are beautiful sparkling view of A, are us this lucky evening, which goes to the country of the winter miracles. A party is bluebird, to remain over here is a new bird, which it sings a song to love, because we go the length, which goes to the country of the winter miracles. On the meadow we can build snowman then pretend that it is Parson brown it says: Are you married? we will say: No man, but you can make the work, if you are in city. Later, will we (verschw50ren), than us dream by the fire without mastering fear, the plans, which we made, by going to the country of the winter miracles.
One of my favorites is the translation, in number five,
of "You better watch out" into "They do not improve
the clock outside." More inventive than a sock fight.
ANSWERS:
1 Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, ©1949, J. Marks
2 I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus ©1952, T. Connor
3 Frosty the Snowman ©1950, Nelson/Rollins
4 Jingle Bell Rock © Bobby Helms
5 Santa Claus Is Coming To Town ©1934, Coots/Gillespie
6 The Christmas Song ©1946, Mel Torme
7 Winter Wonderland ©1934, Smith/Barnard
Peaceful wishes to all for the coming winter from all of us here at Whither Zither International.