„The friends“ ist eine englische Nachdichtung von Wilhelm Buschs Gedicht „Die Freunde“ aus der Sammlung „Zu guter Letzt“ (1904). Die Versübertragung stammt von Andrew Hudson.
Two besties, Fritz and Ferdinand,
Would always travel hand in hand.
And even in their love affairs
You saw at once how much they shared.
They both adored the neighbors’ Katie,
A dainty, curly‐blonde‐haired lady.
Archly did she once declare,
“Who’ll fetch for me a summer pear?
Juicy, please, but not too small?
He then shall be the best of all.”
Fritz spoke to his friend and said
“Together we’ll put our two heads;
Old Mister Schramm resides up there,
His orchards have the finest pears;
You climb up one and shake it slow,
And I’ll keep watch down here below.”
No sooner said than done, they stole
Across the yard and reached their goal.
But at the fall of the first pear,
Fritz high‐tailed it out of there.
For wily Schramm came through the leaves,
A cane in hand to whip the thieves.
Ferdinand him too could see,
And tried to scramble down the tree,
In fearfulness, and in great haste.
But when his feet on earth were placed,
Schramm’s reed did thrash him to the bone
As if to tenderize a stone.
Ferdinand, in fiery pain,
Escaped, and looked for Fritz … in vain.
He stood as rooted to the spot –
If what he saw could be forgot!
Fritz was kissed by Katy fair,
Whereupon she ate a pear.
Since this took place, go Ferdinand
And Fritz no longer hand in hand.
