Already during the first celebration of National Poetry Month here on Need Coffee, I wanted to do this: Reading the original German version of Goethe's "Der Zauberlehrling" ("The Sorcerer's Apprentice"), which inspired a lot of music and most famously among popculturists: Disney's "Fantasia" (and somehow a Nicolas Cage movie) then offer an English reading as well.

Sadly though, the available translations are covered by a newer copyright than the long-in-the-public domain original. Since we don't like to steal, I tried translating the poem myself, dreading the task since translating poetry will never ever truly work. The result, after the invaluable correction and polish by Dindrane, is a translation that is very close to the original's content. The rhyme and meter have not been emulated, which does not sadden me, since this is a narrative poem.