376 GRAPE CULTURE AND 



Then to the Lord old Noah said : 



" The water now tastes rather bad, 



The whilst there have been drowned therein 



All beasts and mankind in their sin ; 



'Tis, therefore, Lord, I even think, 



I should prefer some other drink." 



Whereat the Lord to Eden went, 



And brought him thence the grape vine's plant 



And gave him counsel and advice 



To tend this shrub of Paradise, 



And bid him nurse it carefully; 



It pleased old Noah wondrously ! 



He made a solemn household call, 

 And summoned wife and child and all, 

 And planted vines, where'er they'd grow ; 

 Forsooth, old Noah was not slow, 

 He pressed the grape and built a cave, 

 And put it into casks to save. 



Old Noah, grateful for the boon, 



Cask upon cask did open soon, 



And with sincerest piety 



Did empty them most willingly, 



And drank yet, since the flood was o'er, 



Three hundred years, and fifty more. 



This to each prudent man does show 

 From drinking wine no harm can flow, 

 And Christian folks it warns more o'er, 

 No water in their wine to pour, 

 The whilst there have been drowned therein 

 All beasts and mankind in their sin. 



From the German of Kopish, translated by I. A. Schmidt. 



