From the boring sabbath of the witches Deadly tired, Are walking two witches and having a conversation: "Now, what do you say, brother-witch, Who is going and look How all of us live in the town! How all has been changed! Already fallen to pieces At the foot of the barren hill And the young folks, it seems Have a long time not come by - Only a vampire has stayed..." And the silvan ghost asked them: "Where are you going?" "We walk around the town - there is after all melancholy among us". "Alas, you disgusting women! Then you should at least Take me, the old one, with you." Insulting each other, They had stepped up to the edge of the wood. Towards them came the enemy-blood-sucker. He shouted vehemently, He followed them closely, Cried, as if he knew, how it is. They asked the silvan ghost: How is he? "We take the blood-sucker with us! Only do not suck blood and behave decently!" He quacked a bit, He hid his canine teeth - And has become so handsome - that he can be christened. They had fit in quickly, - Have pretended to be tourists Have eaten and drunk in the cafe "Grand Hotel". But the silvan ghost left tracks With his feet - And they were asked to leave. Whilst the silvan ghost shaved himself The vampire has disappeared, - And the silvan ghost cursed his blind confidence. And the witches strolled about a bit - And they have escaped too, Getting accustomed to the paradise. And probably however The races tempted the witches! There is much shouting and there is a risk at the races, - And there they have lost Neither much, nor little Three thousand in new money. Drenched thoroughly, pale The silvan ghost looked morosely But remembered, that here is his friend, the house-ghost - Und he began to knock: "Where is my friend, inmates?!" And they answered: "Dipsomania." Meanwhile the witches have been howling And they had spent all they had, And meanwhile the silvan ghost had drunk himself in the cafe. The bloodsucker found a widow for himself, Drank her blood, And fell asleep on the sofa.            
© Elisabeth Jelinek. Translation, 2017