# Wagner and Babel Fish

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wagner-and-babel-fish/487601>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [February 27, 2009, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wagner-and-babel-fish/487601 "2009-02-27T02:41:09Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\
**Post date:** [February 27, 2009, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wagner-and-babel-fish/487601/1 "2009-02-27T02:41:09Z")

</div>

Having put Das Rheingold on my new MP3 player, I was reading the [libretto](http://www.rwagner.net/libretti/rheingold/e-t-rhein.html)on the web.  
The head god, Wotan, and Loge, the god of fire, sort of like the North American Indian Coyote have captured Albreich. But I digress. Suffice it to say that I want to be Loge when I grow up.

Loge taunts Albreich:

> [@](#):
>
> Da, Vetter,  
> sitze du fest!  
> Luge Liebster,  
> dort liegt die Welt,  
> die du Lungrer gewinnen dir willst:  
> welch Stellchen, sag’,  
> bestimmst du drin mir zu Stall?

Having seen some really bad translations, including this one:

> [@](#):
>
> Sit tight there,  
> kinsman!  
> Look, my dear,  
> there lies the world  
> that you wanted to win for yourself, you loafer.  
> What spot, tell me,  
> will you allow me for my sty?

So I ran it through Babel Fish.

> [@](#):
>
> There, cousins, stick you! Peep to dearest one, there the world lies, which you Lungrer win you want: what Stellchen, sag’ , do you intend in it me for stable?

They need to work on that thing.