====== Zehn Orks ====== **//"Zehn Orks"//** ("Ten Orcs") is the song by German medieval folk band "Die Streuner" from their album "Gebet Eines Spielmanns" (2002). The text is based on Jewish song "Tsen Brider" (Yiddish for "Ten Brothers") first documented in 1901 in St. Petersburg, Russia. However, it is also obviously based on 19th century American counting song "Ten Little Injuns" also known under politically incorrect title "Ten Little Niggers" which was used in the famous Agatha Christie's novel of the same name (1939, renamed to "And Then There Were None" one year later for publication in USA). One of the early 19th century Russian translations of original songs transformed it into "Ten Jews". The US original has the story told from the 3rd person perspective, while Jewish one is sung from the 1st person. Jewish versions vary from humorous to absolutely grim where all of brothers die in concetration camp, also they introduced a chorus part sung by number of singers corresponding to remaining brothers. ===== Lyrics ===== The song is sung in broken German implying Orcs' bad grammar, but also features pronunciations mimicking Yiddish, which together lead to diffences in texts presented in various lyrics archives. The version by "Die Streuner" is based on more funny variant of the text, e.g. the last brothers survives (and thus the whole song is performed by him only), but marries non-Jew, and cannot be considered a Jew since then. ^ German ^ English ^ | Zehn Orks sennen wir gewesen | We've been ten orcs | | Haben wir nit geblieben daheim | We haven't stayed at home | | Haben Elfenstamm getroffen | Have met Elven tribe | | Sennen wir geblieben neun | Let's stay nine | | || | Neun Orks sennen wir gewesen | We've been nine orcs | | Haben wir über Zwerg gelacht | We have laughed at dwarf | | Zwerg der hat nicht mitgelacht | Dwarf haven't laughed along | | Sennen wir geblieben acht | Let's stay eight | | || | //[Chorus:]// | //[Chorus:]// | | Grishnak mit große Hammer | Grishnak with big hammer | | Zorg mit rostig Schwert | Zorg with rusty sword | | Raufen, Saufen, Schnaufen | Brawling, drinking, panting | | Bis sich nichts mehr wehrt | Until nothing fights back | | Oi-oi-oi-oi-oi, oi-oi-oi-oi-oi | Oi-oi-oi-oi-oi, oi-oi-oi-oi-oi | | //[Repeat lines 3, 4]// || | || | Acht Orks sennen wir gewesen | We've been eight orcs | | Wollten wir Menschenweiber lieben | We wanted to love human women | | Eine sennen Mann gewesen | One was a man | | Sennen wir geblieben sieben | Let's stay seven | | || | Sieben Orks sennen wir gewesen | We've been seven orcs | | Wollten wir reiten auf die Besen von die Hex' | We wanted to ride on the witches' broomsticks | | Mauer dort im Weg gestanden | There was a wall standing in the way | | Sennen wir geblieben sechs | Let's stay six | | || | //[Chorus]// | //[Chorus]// | | || | Sechs Orks sennen wir gewesen | We've been six orcs | | Haben wir ausgezogen unsere Strümpf' | We have taken off our socks | | Einer nit beliftet war | One wasn't aerified | | Sennen wir geblieben fünf | Let's stay five | | || | Fünf Orks sennen wir gewesen | We've been five orcs | | Haben wir getrunken eigen Bier | We have drunk our own beer | | Eins war mit Glykol gepanscht | One was adulterated with glycol | | Sennen wir geblieben vier | Let's stay four | | || | //[Chorus]// | //[Chorus]// | | || | Vier Orks sennen wir gewesen | We've been four orcs | | Haben wir gemacht die Bäume entzwei | We have cut in twain a tree | | Baum san leider Ent gewesen | Alas, the tree was an Ent | | Sennen wir geblieben drei | Let's stay three | | || | Drei Orks sennen wir gewesen | We've been three orcs | | Haben wir gefunden scheenes Ei | We have found a pretty egg | | Mütterchen Drachen ist vorbeigekommen | Mother Dragon was coming to | | Sennen wir geblieben zwei | Let's stay two | | || | //[Chorus]// | //[Chorus]// | | || | Zwei Orks sennen wir gewesen | We've been two orcs | | Hatten wir zu Essen leider keiner | Alas, to eat we have none | | Als Briderchen geschlafen hat | When little brother fell asleep | | Bin ich mir geblieben einer | I stayed alone | | || | Ein Ork bin ich mir gewesen | I have been an orc on my own | | Wollt' ich andere Orks zurick | I wanted other orcs back | | Seitdem bin ich auf der Suche | Since then I've been looking | | Nach einen guten F...rau | For a good f...emale | | || | //[Chorus x2]// | //[Chorus x2]// | ----------------------------------- ===== Translation into Nûrlâm ===== For the sake of meter, Nûrlâm version is translated "Nuk honk uruk" ("Ten Orc-brothers"). It hardly could be sung exactly to Die Streuner's song without some melody alternation. Also some causes of death and numbers were swapped for better rhyme (Dwarf and Ent encounter). Broomstick ride ended with drowning in a lake instead of crashing into the wall, other lines were re-phrased a little less. The joke in the last line wasn't preserved as "fuck" and "female" ("Fick" & "Frau" in German) do not start with the same letter in Nûrlâm. "Socks/stockings" was translated as "foot-wrap". "Glycol" was replaced "Glu kulâ..." (literally translated as "Piss is...", also wrong tense here -- Present instead of Past). Almost all 3rd person verb endings were dropped, many clitic postpositions became prepositions. ==== The Result ==== Nuk honk uruk dak kuz Daknarirnuz or kîf Dakhoguz golug-hai Agh dakirnuz krith Krith honk uruk dak kuz Dakgrishuz orn pirishi Orn thakuzûk' ornogsi Agh dakirnuz skri [Chorus:] Grishnâkh sha za bha drang Agh Zorg sha smaulûrz lag Gaskat, akrat, fofat Zi narash hazdat Oi-oi-oi-oi-oi, oi-oi-oi-oi-oi Gaskat, akrat, fofat Zi narash hazdat Skri honk uruk dak kuz Dakirmuz htolut tarkniz Ash norsi thakuzûk' Agh dakirnuz udug Udug honk ur'k dak kuz Dakirmuz bamut bhîgholf kûrzhob Ash dulâkuzâ tala rink Agh dakirnuz ink [Chorus] Ink honk uruk dak kuz Dak gaiguz thul-fraghum ob dak Ash narzûpâkuz' Agh dakirnuz krâk Krâk honk uruk dak kuz Dakshoguz hîmb îmob Glu kulâ or ash kralt Agh dakirnuz hant [Chorus] Hant honk uruk dak kuz Daklaluz gazatûr Ta ûsuz hok dakob fik Agh dakirnuz krig Krig honk uruk dak kuz Dak gimbuz mûd nîr fird Lûg krankniz tuduzul' Agh dakirnuz krul [Chorus] Krul honk uruk dak kuz Dakbrusuz throkhat narash Amil honkdab thuloruz' Da irnuz ash Ashûk uruk dakuz Da irmuz kruskâtut honk isk Amilah dasog Ash nîr firniz [Chorus x2] ==== Gloss and Back translation ==== ^ Nûrlâm ^ Gloss ^ Translation back ^ | **NUK HONK URUK** | Ten brother orc | **TEN ORC-BROTHERS** | | || | Nuk honk uruk dak kuz | Ten brother orc we be.PST | Ten orc-brothers we were | | Daknarirnuz or kîf | 3PL=NEG-stay-PST at lair | We didn't stay at home | | Dakhoguz golug-hai | 3PL=meet-PST elf-tribe | We have met elf-tribe | | Agh dakirnuz krith | And 3PL=stay-PST nine | And we stayed nine | | || | Krith honk uruk dak kuz | Nine brother orc we be.PST | Nine orc-brothers we were | | Dakgrishuz orn pirishi | 3PL=cleave-PST tree half=ILL | We were cutting trees in half | | Orn thakuzûk' ornogsi | Tree look-PST-PFV-3SG ent=ESS | Tree appeared to be an ent | | Agh dakirnuz skri | And 3PL=stay-PST eight | And we stayed eight | | || | //[Chorus:]// | | | | Grishnâkh sha za bha drang | Grishnâkh with this huge hammer | Grishnâkh with giant hammer | | Agh Zorg sha smaulûrz lag | And Zorg with rusty sword | And Zorg with rusty sword | | Gaskat, akrat, fofat | Brawl-GERV, drink-GERV, pant-GERV | Brawling, drinking, panting | | Zi narash hazdat | Until no-one fight.back-GERV | Until no one fighting back | | Oi-oi-oi-oi-oi, oi-oi-oi-oi-oi | | | | //[Repeat lines 3, 4]// | | | | || | Skri honk uruk dak kuz | Eight brother orc we be.PST | Eight orc-brothers we were | | Dakirmuz htolut tarkniz | 3PL=want-PST fuck-INF human-woman | We wanted to fuck human women | | Ash norsi thakuzûk' | One male=ESS look-PST-PFV-3SG | One appeared to be a male | | Agh dakirnuz udug | And 3PL=stay-PST seven | And we stayed seven | | || | Udug honk ur'k dak kuz | Seven brother orc we be.PST | Seven orc-bros we were | | Dakirmuz bamut bhîgholf kûrzhob | 3PL=want-PST ride-INF brush-branch witch=GEN | We wanted to ride witches' broomsticks | | Ash dulâkuzâ tala rink | One damage-PASS-PST-3SG above lake | One was broken above the lake | | Agh dakirnuz ink | And 3PL=stay-PST six | And we stayed six | | || | //[Chorus]// | | | | || | Ink honk uruk dak kuz | Six brother orc we be.PST | Six orc-brothers we were | | Dak gaiguz thul-fraghum ob dak | We take.off-PST foot=wrap-DEF of we | We took off our socks | | Ash narzûpâkuz' | One NEG-ventilate-PASS-PST-3SG | One wasn't aerified | | Agh dakirnuz krâk | And 3PL=stay-PST five | And we stayed five | | || | Krâk honk uruk dak kuz | Five brother orc we be.PST | Five orc-brothers we were | | Dakshoguz hîmb îmob | 3PL=drink-PST beer self=GEN | We were drinking our own beer | | Glu kulâ or ash kralt | Piss be.PRES-3SG at one barrel | There is a piss in one barrel | | Agh dakirnuz hant | And 3PL=stay-PST four | And we stayed four | | || | //[Chorus]// | | | | || | Hant honk uruk dak kuz | Four brother orc we be.PST | Four orc-brothers we were | | Daklaluz gazatûr | 3PL=laugh-PST dwarf=DAT | We have laughed at the dwarf | | Ta ûsuz hok dakob fik | He think-PST joke we=GEN bad | He thought our jokes we bad | | Agh dakirnuz krig | And 3PL=stay-PST three | And we stayed three | | || | Krig honk uruk dak kuz | Three brother orc we be.PST | Three orc-brothers we were | | Dak gimbuz mûd nîr fird | We find-PST some pretty egg | We have found some pretty eggs | | Lûg krankniz tuduzul' | Dragon mother guard-PST=3PL.OBJ-3SG | Mother-dragon was guarding them | | Agh dakirnuz krul | And 3PL=stay-PST two | And we stayed two | | || | //[Chorus]// | | | | || | Krul honk uruk dak kuz | Two brother orc we be.PST | Two orc-brothers we were | | Dakbrusuz throkhat narash | 3PL=have-PST eat-GERV no-one | We had nothing to eat | | Amil honkdab thuloruz' | REL-time brother=I.GEN over=sleep-PST | When my brother fell asleep | | Da irnuz ash | I stay-PST one | I stayed the one | | || | Ashûk uruk dakuz | One=all orc 1SG=be.PST | I was a lonely orc | | Da irmuz kruskâtut honk isk | I want-PST back=come-INF brother other | I wanted other brothers back | | Amilah dasog | REL-time-ELA 1SG-seek | Since then I'm looking | | Ash nîr firniz | One good wife | For a nice wife | | || | //[Chorus x2]// | | | ==== Meter comparison ==== ^ Version ^ Line length ^^^^^^^^ ^ ::: ^ Stance ^^^^ Chorus ^^^^ ^ ::: ^ 1 ^ 2 ^ 3 ^ 4 ^ 1 ^ 2 ^ 3 ^ 4 ^ ^ Zehn Orks | 8 | 8--12 | 7--11 | 7--8 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 5 | ^ Tsen Brider | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 8 | 5 | ^ Nuk Honk Uruk | 6 | 6--9 | 5--8 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | ----------------- ===== Links ===== * [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iud4qvJ7x_8|Die Streuner – Zehn Orks on YouTube]] * [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efK-difrlR8|Tsen Brider on YouTube]] (version by Zupfgeigenhansel) * [[wp>And_Then_There_Were_None|"And Then There Were None"]] (Agatha Cristie's novel) * [[https://www.musik-for.uni-oldenburg.de/tsenbrider/|Analysis of "Tsen Brider"]] (in German)