"Ferryman Maria" "Little human, you are like the swallow, with every beat of your wings you hover" "through God's realm of the summer sun looking for the creator's eternal day." "Love, willing to sacrifice its own life to save another, conquers night and pain:" "this is the meaning of this legend." "You,heart, are blown by the wind." "like the wave floating restlessly, which, tired, pounds on the shore," "yet remains in the arms of the wind." "You, soul, are like the light," "which has its home in heaven." "Oh, fighting against the realm of shadows," "to God the ferry ventures." "You play too loud!" "And you are too slow." "We will arrive early enough." "You only want to attach yourself to our village again." "You won't find your way back, just like the last time." "Well, I must say." "I already started a new life since then." "This evening I'll play at the child's baptism, and I'll go back tomorrow morning." "Yes, back home." "I have firmly resolved to do that." "I know you too well, fiddler." "You should pay more attention to your money." "Ah, what's it good for?" "Did you achieve anything with your wisecracking?" "Oh yes, yes." "Only your tuppence, fiddler, for the crossing, and this ferry will be mine." "Gotten after fifteen years of saving-up." "What does it help if you get the ferry in this village?" "It always remains the same toil." "Yes, yes." "But from now on I'll toil for myself, that's worth a lot." "Here's the last tuppence you need for your happiness." "Well then, until tomorrow morning!" "And tomorrow morning it will be!" "Again, the mayor's office publicly offers the post of a ferryman, in the hope that someone will answer soon, so that the ferry service to the other bank can be resumed." "Rumours among the villagers that the evil one haunts the riverside and has taken the old ferryman, are not true." "The ferryman died a completely natural death." "Hello, fiddler!" "Are you still here?" "Yes, how can you ask?" "The old ferryman is dead, your ferry is no longer in service..." "That's a very convenient excuse for you, isn't it, you old drunkard?" "No, no." "You're wrong!" "This evening I'll walk to the next bridge." "And then nothing but over to the other bank!" "I'm starting a new life!" "I have firmly resolved to do that!" "That's truly a laudable decision!" "It is!" "A laudable decision." "A laudable decision." "Yes, a laudable decision." "It has to be enjoyed!" "...and in God's green forests your souls are in prayer, your souls are in prayer." "On the heather, the fog is drifting, and the full moon comes out, and on you the golden colours are shimmering, early in the morning, in the black moor." "On the heather, there are fairy tales, marvellous and countless," "without beginning or end," "And all are called:" ""Once upon a time"" "And all are called:" ""Once upon a time."" "On the heather, many roads lead to many a girl's door, and a road I try to find that, my darling, leads me to you." "On the heather, there are fairy tales, marvellous and countless, without beginning or end, and all are called:" ""Once upon a time."" "And all are called:" ""Once upon a time."" "Well, girl, what is it that interests you so much?" "Are you dumb?" "Tell me..." "Why have you been so afraid of that beadle?" "You don't have any papers, eh?" "But what do you want here in the village, then?" "I thought I could perhaps get some job." "Get some job?" "Here in the village?" "We have no jobs here." "What shall we do with you, then?" "Do you know what, girl?" "Come in for a moment." "So..." "Maria is your name?" "Well..." "Do you know what?" "I will give you a try." "You shall become our ferryman." "But take heed of the following:" "You must be a faithful ferryman, punctual and reliable." "And always, Maria, when you hear the sound of the ploughshare, whether by day or by night, you must go out and pick up your passenger." "Don't forget: through the forest, across the moor, to the ferry house." "Good luck, then, Ferryman Maria!" "Thank you!" "Who are you, then?" "I'm the new ferryman." "Ah!" "Ferryman." "So you're here now?" "Yes." "And you will stay here?" "I think so." "All right." "Well, then, goodbye!" "Goodbye." "Hello!" "Hello!" "Help!" "Help!" "I'm being pursued!" "The pursuers!" "Very close!" "Quick!" "Quick, quick!" "You must be completely calm." "You know, I'll get herbs from the meadow." "Believe me, they'll heal the fever." "You must be calm." "There!" "Yes, yes, yes, you must be completely calm!" "It was nothing." "And now I'll get you the herbs." "... and a road I try to find, that, my darling, leads to you." "On the heather, there are " "Well, what are you doing there?" "I was looking for herbs." "A night of a full moon, and looking for herbs?" "A love potion?" "A love potion." "Night of a full moon, your magic potion, makes hearts sick of love." "Sick heart will get healthy, with a kiss from the beloved's mouth." "Sick heart will regain its health, with a kiss from the be..." "The ferry." "You must ferry me across." "I have to get over to the other bank." "I have firmly resolved to do that!" "It won't be possible today." "We can't go to the other bank today." "But why not?" "The jetty on the other bank is broken, and I can only repair it tomorrow morning." "Well, I see, again it's not meant to be." "But, do you know what?" "I'll stay with you." "Come, let's go to your hut." "No, fiddler, my hut is so small and poor." "Sit down here on this stump and wait for me." "I'll only go to the hut to get me something warm to wear." "But...you have to return soon!" "I'll be back soon." "I'm almost ready." "What's your name?" "Maria." "Maria." "Maria." "You won't go away now, no?" "No." "I won't go away now." "That's good." "You saved my life tonight." "If it hadn't been for the ferry, I alone couldn't have saved you." "Who are you, after all?" "Are you from the village?" "No, I'm a stranger here." "I have no home." "No home?" "That is tough for you." "To have a home is the greatest happiness." "Look, there on the other bank!" "There is my home country." "You should see it!" "You should see it with its big farms, with its vast meadows, and the black forests and the fields there, the vast, endless fields." "It must be very beautiful, your home country." "But why did you flee then?" "Flee?" "I didn't flee." "We fought, and I was pursued." "Then your home country has a lot of enemies?" "It had, yes." "But now we're in the midst of the battle to chase them away." "And that's why I must at all costs get across as quickly as possible." "You know, every single man is needed over there." "Everyone." "But for that, you have to get well first." "I'll be back soon." "So, here I am." "What do you think I want here?" "How should I know?" "Well, listen." "This evening, there'll be a big harvest dance in the village" "I'm inviting you." "We go there together." "That's not possible." "What?" "It's not possible?" "No, it's not possible." "But why not?" "Because I don't want to." "Don't make a fuss, girl." "So, you really don't want to?" "No, I really don't want to." "Just wait, I'll show you." "Last night I lost the other spur." "Too bad; so I don't have a use for this one either." "Give it to me." "So." "I'll keep the spur as a souvenir." "and everytime I pass it by I'll think of you, when you're no longer here." "Are you very sad about it?" "That I have to leave so soon?" "Yes." "Come." "Hello, Ferryman!" "Hello!" "The shortest road to the village is over the moor." "But it's a very dangerous road." "You are probably very afraid of the moor?" "See, I told you how dangerous the moor is." "Did you have fear?" " Yes." "For me?" "Yes." "Hello, fiddler!" "Where are you going?" " I must go home." "You can't be serious!" "Now of all things!" "And who will strike up for the harvest festival today?" "The devil take your harvest festival!" "That's none of my business." "Don't make such a fuss." "Come, stay here!" "Right this evening you are needed urgently." "No way." "I won't do it." "And furthermore, my E-string has snapped." "For us you can even play without the E-string." "You're all I need." "I promise:" "I will return." "Will you come soon?" "Do you know what?" "You must wait for me here, I'll be back at once." "Yes?" "On the heather flowers bloom, on the road and everywhere..." "Hey fiddler, will it all be ready?" "But it's far too dark, you can't see anything anymore." "You must be quicker." "I must hurry very much." "I have to get across at once." "Immediately!" "I think you should better wait for the night." "Then you can reach the other bank safe and unseen." "No, no, no..." "I have to get across at once." "Can't you understand that?" "Yes." "If you say so." "Do you believe me that I have to get across?" "Yes, I believe you." "Will you think of me?" "Yes." "Will you always think of me?" "Yes." "Who are you?" "Where do you come from and where are you going?" "Tomorrow you will move on again." "I will return, just as I promised you." "And you won't be here anymore." "Because you are a person without a home!" "Now I have a home!" "Because I know..." "I love you." "Forgive me, Maria." "Forgive me." "I wronged you." "But your forehead burns like fire!" "Friends!" "Coming back, friends!" "The battle begins, I'll soon be with you." "Nothing's lost, nothing's lost, yes, yes!" "We will win!" "We will win!" "We will win!" "Friends..." "There!" "The man!" "You must be calm, you must be completely calm." "Now I must away!" "The battle begins!" "Now I must away." "The drummer all year and all day long has struck the calfskin loudly." "And every roll and every beat beat awake our tired hearts." "We marched to the battle!" "The fog is gathering heavily in the valley, in whirls without rest." "A pale shadow is crawling along, with a haircloth tight and heavy he is covering up the earth." "Me, too, pale death has chosen for the coming day." "but my last breath is beaten awake by the drummer with the beat of the drum." "I have felt victory!" "Don't, don't go away now!" "Don't leave me alone!" "Don't!" "You must be completely calm." "You must be completely calm." "You must be completely calm, it's nothing at all." "It's nothing." "Where... where do you want to go?" "Do you want to go into the village?" "Did you ferry a wounded rider across?" "No." "Are you completely sure about it?" "Yes, yes, completely sure." "Everyday I take across so many people that I can't remember everyone exactly." "And this spur here?" "I found it under the ploughshare." "You must have ferried him across!" "No, no, I know nothing!" "Hello!" "Now I remember:" "yesterday I took across a man, he wore a dark coat, and high boots." "Where did he go?" "Into the village." "All right, lead me into the village." "There is the village." "Have you seen a wounded man here in the village?" "No." "Ah, look here!" "You brought your sweetheart along, too!" "That's why you were so prudish this morning!" "You have to know about things like that." "Let's dance together." "I see, yes yes." "We will throw dice for a dance with the girl." "We'll fix that in no time." "One..." "Six!" "Come." "Haven't you won a dance with me at dice?" "I have no time." "I must find the man." "But you have won a dance with me at dice!" "So you're one of these!" "You already had this fellow in your ferry house this morning!" "I noticed it all!" "Well, peasants!" "This is your ferryman!" "Dear Lord, dear Lord, save him!" "Save him, save him." "Take me as a sacrifice, but save him." "For thine is the kingdom, and the power," "and the glory for ever." "Amen." "You can't defeat me with a prayer." "Rise!" "Tonight no bell rings in the village!" "Come!" "Why didn't you tell me at once that the man is in your hut?" "Because I love him." "Maria?" "Maria!" "We have no time to lose." "Rise!" "Come!" "Even if you are Death himself:" "have mercy, leave him to me!" "Leave him to me!" "What is this love worth to you?" "I could die for him." "No." "Move!" "I must have him before dawn." "So much that I could die for him." "Could die for him." "So much that I could die for him." "Are you sure this is the right path?" "Yes, it's the right path." "If you lead me astray here..." "No, it's the right path." "Quick!" "Move on!" "Before the sun rises." "Dear Lord, dear lord, mercifully accept my sacrifice." "Let me die for him." "The way to the other bank is open for you." "For me?" "No, Maria." "For the two of us." "Hello!" "The home country!"