Charles G. Leland wrote the following English translation of
"Häring und Auster" by Josef Viktor von Scheffel.


THE HERRING

A herring loved an oyster,
An oyster in the South;
And all the herring longed for
Was a kiss from her pearly mouth.

But the oyster, she was scornful,
And always stayed at home;
Shut up in her proud shell castle,
Where never a kiss could come.

But one summer-eve she opened
Her shell by a special grace:
For she fain in the ocean mirror
Would look at her lovely face.

The herring came swimming quickly,
And darted his head right in;
And, "Now," said he, "or never,
Sweet love, a kiss I'll win!"

But as to reach his darling,
Too far his head he leaned,
SNAP! came the shells together,
And he was guillotined.

All in the rosy sunlight
He floated from the shore;
And from his throat came gurgling,
"I'll never love oyster more!"


pages 146 - 147 of
Gaudeamus! Humorous Poems translated from the German of Joseph Victor Scheffel and others, Boston: James R. Osgood and Company, 1872.