I came across two curious and rare Middle High German poems recently. They are attested in the manuscript of the National Museum in Prague, Cod. X A 12, also known as the Liederbuch der Clara Hätzlerin. Clara Hätzlerin is the name of the professional scribe who created this book, one of the most important literary manuscripts in German language from the 15th century. It was probably composed in Augsburg in 1470 or 1471 and contains mostly love poetry in many different forms. The two small poems I transcribe and translate here are at the beginning of the book, in the folios 2r/v. I found them interesting as a testimony of simple humorist poetry, so common at all times.

no du solt sein This is how you should be:
ob dem tisch ain adler at the table an eagle,
vff dem veld ain leo on the field a lion,
vff der gassen ain pfaw in the alleys a peacock,
jn der kirchen ain lamb at church a lamb
jn dem pett ain aff in bed an ape.


Es baden am mentag die truncken On Monday the drunkards take a bath,
Am Afftermentag* die Keuchen on Tuesday the chaste,
Am mittwoch die witzigen on Wednesday the funny,
Am donerstag die gryndig** vnd lausig sind on Thursday the ones who have an itchy rash and lice.
Am freytag baden die vngehorsamen On Friday take a bath the disobedient,
Am samstage die hochuerttigen on Saturday the arrogant.

* I like the expression After Monday for Tuesday.

** The Lexer Dictionary grintec refers the latin terms glabrius, scabidus, scabiosus. The modern German has the substantive Grind, which can mean the scab after a wound or a form of seborrhea, especially in newborn babies. As the verse also mentions lice, it makes perfect sense if it refers to some form of dermatitis in the head and face.