St. Anthony's Sermon to the Fish

The last few weeks have been busy with end of the school year activities. This year was especially full of senior recitals, end of the year art shows and band concerts. At one senior recital we listened to a mezzo-soprano sing three delightful pieces in German: St. Anthony's Sermon to the Fish, Rhine Legend, and Who Thought up this Little Song?

I was so taken with St. Anthony's Sermon to the Fish (we were handed text copies in German and English) that I thought it would be a fun post. So here it is for you to ponder and enjoy.

Blessed be,
Joel

* * * * *
St. Anthony's Sermon to the Fish

At sermon time Anthony
finds the church empty!
He goes to the rivers
and preaches to the fish!
They flap with their tails!
They gleam in the sunshine, they gleam!

The carp with roe
have all congregated;
their jaws gaping,
intent on listening!
Never did a sermon
so please the fish!

Sharp-snouted pike,
that fence continually,
swam up in a hurry
to hear the holy man!
Even those odd creatures
that continually fast:
I mean the codfish,
appear for the sermon!
Never did a sermon
so please the codfish.

Good eels and sturgeon
that people of quality relish,
even they condescend
to attend the sermon!
Crayfish, too, and turtles,
usually slow boats,
climb hurriedly from the depths
to hear this voice!
Never did a sermon
so please the crayfish!

Fish big and fish small!
Of quality and common!
They raise their heads
like rational creatures!
At God's command
they listen to the sermon.

The sermon finished,
each one turns away!
The pike remain thieves,
the eels great lovers;
the sermon was pleasing,
they all stay the same!

The crabs go backwards;
the codfish stay fat;
the carp gorge a lot,
the sermon's forgotten!
The sermon was pleasing,
they all stay the same!