Kindergarten Lanternenfest

Chrissie and Matthew had their kindergarten's Lanternenfest last Tuesday evening.  The night began with a little role playing of Rumpelstilskin performed by the "vorschule" kids.  The children that are 5/6 years old.  The teacher, Frau Epple, had been reading to the children the Grimm's fairy tale version of "Rumpelstilzchen."

Chrissie and a boy named Tyler had a speaking role at the beginning.

Here is the script:  (forgive me on translation I am still slowly learning the language)

            Chrissie: Guten Abend meine Herren  (Good evening (my) Gentlemen)

            Tyler:  Guten Abend meine Damen. (Good evening (my) Ladies)

            Chrissie/Tyler: Guten Abend liebe Kinder  (Good evening dear children)
            Chrissie: Wir wollen euch heute ein Marchen vor spielen.  (Today we want to perform for you a fairy tale).

            Tyler: von Marchen Rumpelstilzchen.  (The fairy tale is Rumpelstiltskin).                                                Chrissie/Tyler: viel Spass.  (Have fun!)

Then all the children ended with a recitation of a passage from the fairy tale.  It comes from the point where Rumpelstilzchen is dancing around the fire on the night before he is going to take the King's child:

"Heute back'ich, morgen brau'ich

ubermorgen hol'ich der Konigin ihr Kind

ach, wie gut, dass niemand weiss

das ist Rumpelstilzchen heiss!"

"Today I bake, tomorrow I brew,

tomorrow I get the Queen's child

oh how good that no one knows

that I am called Rumpelstiltskin.

 Then the night ended with a walk around the neighborhood holding lanterns and singing lantern songs.  This time I learned more about the tradition of the lanterns.  They come out when the winter nights get longer.  There are traditional Lanternenfests.  But there are also informal lantern walks with the parents in the evenings.  A nice way to get the children out of the house during those long winter nights.