Chorus. Then honor to whom honor's due!
Ma'am Baubo ahead! and lead the crew!
A good fat sow, and ma'am on her back,
Then follow the witches all in a pack.
Voice. Which way didst thou come?
Voice. By the Ilsenstein! Peeped into an owl's nest, mother of mine! What a pair of eyes!
Voice. To hell with your flurry! Why ride in such hurry!
Voice. The hag be confounded! My skin flie has wounded!
Witches [chorus]. The way is broad, the way is long,
What means this noisy, crazy throng?
The broom it scratches, the fork it flicks,
The child is stifled, the mother breaks.
Wizards [semi-chorus]. Like housed-up snails we're creeping on,
The women all ahead are gone.
When to the Bad One's house we go,
She gains a thousand steps, you know.
The other half. We take it not precisely so;
What she in thousand steps can go,
Make all the haste she ever can,
'Tis done in just one leap by man.
Voice [above]. Come on, come on, from Felsensee!
Voices [from below]. We'd gladly join your airy way. For wash and clean us as much as we will, We always prove unfruitful still.