Hoffmann, Heinrich: The Story of Johnny Head-in-Air (Die Geschichte vom Hanns Guck-in-die-Luft in English)

Wenn der Hanns zur Schule ging,

stets sein Blick am Himmel hing.

Nach den Dächern, Wolken, Schwalben

schaut er aufwärts allenthalben.

Vor die eignen Füße dicht,

ja, da sah der Bursche nicht,

also daß ein jeder ruft:

»Seht den Hanns Guck-in-die-Luft!«

Kam ein Hund daher gerannt;

Hännslein blickte unverwandt

in die Luft.

Niemand ruft:

»Hanns! gib acht, der Hund ist nah!«

Was geschah?

Bauz, perdauz! – da liegen zwei,

Hund und Hännschen nebenbei.

Einst ging er an Ufers Rand

mit der Mappe in der Hand.

Nach dem blauen Himmel hoch

sah er, wo die Schwalbe flog,

also daß er kerzengrad

immer mehr zum Flusse trat.

Und die Fischlein in der Reih

sind erstaunt sehr, alle drei.

Noch ein Schritt! und plumps! der Hanns

stürzt hinab kopfüber ganz! –

Die drei Fischlein, sehr erschreckt,

haben sich sogleich versteckt.

Doch zum Glück da kommen zwei

Männer aus der Näh herbei,

und die haben ihn mit Stangen

aus dem Wasser aufgefangen.

Seht! nun steht der triefend naß!

Ei, das ist ein schlechter Spaß!

Wasser läuft dem armen Wicht

aus den Haaren ins Gesicht,

aus den Kleidern, von den Armen,

und es friert ihn zum Erbarmen.

Doch die Fischlein alle drei,

schwimmen hurtig gleich herbei;

streckens Köpflein aus der Flut,

lachen, daß man’s hören tut,

lachen fort noch lange Zeit.

Und die Mappe schwimmt schon weit.

As he trudged along to school,

It was always Johnny's rule

To be looking at the sky

And the clouds that floated by;

But what just before him lay,

In his way,

Johnny never thought about;

So that every one cried out

"Look at little Johnny there,

Little Johnny Head-In-Air!"

Running just in Johnny's way

Came a little dog one day;

Johnny's eyes were still astray

Up on high,

In the sky;

And he never heard them cry

"Johnny, mind, the dog is nigh!"

Bump!

Dump!

Down they fell, with such a thump,

Dog and Johnny in a lump!

Once, with head as high as ever,

Johnny walked beside the river.

Johnny watched the swallows trying

Which was cleverest at flying.

Oh! what fun!

Johnny watched the bright round sun

Going in and coming out;

This was all he thought about.

So he strode on, only think!

To the river's very brink,

Where the bank was high and steep,

And the water very deep;

And the fishes, in a row,

Stared to see him coming so.

One step more! oh! sad to tell!

Headlong in poor Johnny fell.

And the fishes, in dismay,

Wagged their tails and swam away.

There lay Johnny on his face,

With his nice red writing-case;

But, as they were passing by,

Two strong men had heard him cry;

And, with sticks, these two strong men

Hooked poor Johnny out again.

Oh! you should have seen him shiver

When they pulled him from the river.

He was in a sorry plight!

Dripping wet, and such a fright!

Wet all over, everywhere,

Clothes, and arms, and face, and hair:

Johnny never will forget

What it is to be so wet.

And the fishes, one, two, three,

Are come back again, you see;

Up they came the moment after,

To enjoy the fun and laughter.

Each popped out his little head,

And, to tease poor Johnny, said

"Silly little Johnny, look,

You have lost your writing-book!"