This week I finally got around to animating Schneeweißchen und Rosenrot (Snow White and Rose Red) (not this Snow White), but unfortunately, the video turned out to be longer than I had hoped, so I am releasing it in 2 parts. This week I am releasing the first part and in 3 weeks, I will release the second part. If you want a listening comprehension worksheet to go with this video, you can get that by donating $5 to my Patreon page.
After the video I will be using this blog post to talk about the Rammstein song "Rosenrot" and the lyrics in it.
Let's take a look at the song "Rosenrot" by Rammstein to see if there is a connection between this story and the song.
Sah ein Mädchen ein Röslein stehen - A girl saw a little rose Blühte dort in lichten Höhen - Growing at a high altitude Sprach sie ihren Liebsten an - She asked her loved one Ob er es ihr steigen kann - If he can climb it for her.
Refrain
Sie will es und so ist es fein - She wants it and so it is fine. So war es und so wird es immer sein - This is the way it was and how it will always be Sie will es und so ist es Brauch - She wants it and this is the convention Was sie will bekommt sie auch - What she wants she gets.
Tiefe Brunnen muss man graben - One must dig deep wells Wenn man klares Wasser will - If you want clear water. Rosenrot oh Rosenrot - Rose Red, oh Rose Red Tiefe Wasser sind nicht still - Deep waters aren't still.
Der Jüngling steigt den Berg mit Qual - The young man climbed the mountain in anguish Die Aussicht ist ihm sehr egal - The view is irrelevant to him. Hat das Röslein nur im Sinn - He has the little rose in mind. Bringt es seiner Liebsten hin - He will bring it to his loved one.
(Refrain)
An seinen Stiefeln bricht ein Stein - At his food a stone breaks Will nicht mehr am Felsen sein - No longer wants to be on the cliff. Und ein Schrei tut jedem kund - And a scream manifests itself. Beide fallen in den Grund - Both fall to the ground.
(Refrain)
Music Video
So what do you think? Does this song have anything to do with the two pious sisters mentioned in this story? Absolutely not. So is there another story involving Rose Red? Not really. Strangely, this song is actually based off of a poem by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe called "Heidenröslein", which not only never says the name "Rosenrot", but also doesn't even mention a girl in the entire poem. Let's take a look at the poem to see if we can see how this Goethe-Rammstein crossover happened.
Sah ein Knab ein Röslein stehn, - A boy saw a little rose standing Röslein auf der Heiden, - Little rose on the meadow War so jung und morgenschön, - Was so young in and as lovely as the morning. Lief er schnell, es nah zu sehn, - He ran quickly to see it closely. Sah’s mit vielen Freuden. - Saw it with much joy. Röslein, Röslein, Röslein rot, - Little rose, little rose, little rose red. Röslein auf der Heiden. - Little rose on the meadow.
Knabe sprach: „Ich breche dich, - The boy spoke, "I will break you, Röslein auf der Heiden.“ - Little rose of the meadow." Röslein sprach: „Ich steche dich, - The little rose spoke: "I will poke you, Dass du ewig denkst an mich, - So that you always think of me, Und ich will’s nicht leiden.“ - And I don't want that." Röslein, Röslein, Röslein rot, - Little rose, little rose, little rose red, Röslein auf der Heiden. - Little rose on the meadow.
Und der wilde Knabe brach - The wild little boy broke ’s Röslein auf der Heiden; - The little rose on the meadow. Röslein wehrte sich und stach, - The little rose fought back and poked. Half ihm doch kein Weh und Ach, - No outcry would help Musst es eben leiden. - It had to endure it. Röslein, Röslein, Röslein rot, - Little rose, little rose, little rose red. Röslein auf der Heiden. - Little rose on the meadow.
The connection between the song and this poem are much easier to recognize. First of all, the name of the song is not necessarily in the poem, but it is very closely said. In the poem, Goethe speaks of "Röslein rot" and the Rammstein song is very close by calling her "Rosenrot". Rammstein essentially personified the rose in this poem.
While both the poem and the song are open to interpretation, here are my thoughts on the two. Goethe is writing a metaphor about how falling in love sometimes hurts. You are so enthralled with the beauty of the other person that you don't notice their little flaws. Then you try to "pick" them, like the boy did the rose, and you get hurt.
Rammstein's version, in my opinion, shows the personified version of the after effects of the poem. The boy has already picked Rose Red as his "flower". She in return makes him do things for her, which is why it is the convention that she gets what she wants. The boy climbs the mountain, which causes him pain in the same way that the boy in the poem gets hurt when he plucks the flower. In the end, the boy dies in the Rammstein version, but he was merely hurt in the poem, but let's be honest, the Rammstein version had to kill the boy, because it is Rammstein.
Comments