Es Pennsilfaanisch Deitsch Eck
(Originally published in the May 25, 1988 issue of The Shopping News)
GEDANKE IWWER PISSEBETT
(Part II)
By Daniel A. Swope
Viel Gedanke sin mir darich der Kopp deweil as ich gschafft hab. Wie kummt’s, hot’s mich gewunnert, as unser Voreldre gelannt hen den Ungraut zu esse un zu koche as er so gut schmackt? No hawwich an die Ebbelbeem geguckt un gewunnert, wie hot mei Grossdaadi, der Jonathan Swope, all die Sadde Ebbel ausgemacht zu blanze? – Alde Aart wie Rust, Banana, Grimes Golden, Baldwin, Jonathan un es bescht vun ne all, Smokehouse. No hawwich alle gebott uffschteh misse fer mich schtrecke un hab an die Wolke geguckt un des hot mich gemaahnt wie ich ganz glee waar un hab als gewunnert was in die Wolke is? – Baawoll?
Mei Finger waare babbich un dreckich vun der Saft in die Watzle un schteiff vun die Kelt, awwer iwwerdemm bin ich heem, schtolz mit meim Pissebett! Awwer die Mammie hot ebmols gsaat, ich hett en net so gut gebutzt! Ya well, es waar mei Druwwel dewaert fer schpaeder der gut Pissebett esse.
Seller Baamgaarde is nau en Karichhof un mei Eldre sin datt vergraawe. Awwer ich vergess mei Lewes net die Blessier was ich ghat hab Pissebett suche uff sellem Grund.
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Many thoughts went through my head while I was working. How was it, I wondered, that our ancestors learned to eat dandelion and to cook it that it tastes so good? Then I looked at the apple trees and wondered, how did my grandfather, Jonathan Swope, decide to plant all those kinds of apples? – old varieties like Rust, Banana, Grimes Golden, Baldwin, Jonathan, and the best of them all, Smokehouse. Then ever so often I had to stand up and stretch and looked at the clouds and remembered when I was a little boy I used to wonder what was in the clouds? – cotton? – My fingers were sticky and dirty from the sap in the roots, and stiff from the cold weather, but after a while I went home, proud with my dandelion. But sometimes Mom said I didn’t clean it very well! Oh well, it was worth my trouble to eat the good dandelion later on. – That orchard is now a cemetery, and my parents are buried there. But I will never in my life forget the pleasure I had in hunting dandelion on that ground.
DR. DANIEL A. SWOPE
The author of GEDANKE IWWER PISSEBETT, Dr. Daniel A. Swope, is a native of Frystown, Berks County, PA. He is a member of the faculty of the Department of Marketing at the University of Maryland in College Park, MD. He and his wife, Betty, live at 4800 Laguna Road, College Park, MD 20740. Dan is an enthusiast of the PA German dialect and folklore and regularly attends Grundsau Lodges #12 and 17. His brother, Curtis Swope, frequently does the “Eibinnerei” (pledging) at these lodges and some of these have appeared in this column. Daniel and Curtis were reared in a family that operated a store in Frystown for many years. Mention should be made of the fact that Dr. Swope is an excellent photographer.
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We are deeply indebted to Dr. Dan for this timely contribution to our humble ECK.
May 25, 1988
En Bischli-Gnippli
as abbaddich Pissebett gleicht