Zwei Groschen

Contents

German text
Vocabulary
English translation
Comments by readers

German Text

Ein Kind weinte auf der Straße.
Ein Herr fragte:"Warum weinst du, mein Kind?"
"Ich habe einen Groschen verloren, den meine Mutter mir geschenkt hat."
"Nun, das ist kein großer Verlust. Weine nicht länger. Hier ist ein anderer Groschen."
    Das Kind dankte dem Herrn. Aber plötzlich begann es wiederum zu weinen. Der Herr fragte erstaunt: "Warum weinst du denn wieder?"
    "Wenn ich den ersten Groschen noch hätte, so würde ich jezt zwei Groschen haben."

Vocabulary

weinen = to weep
auf der Straße = in the street
verloren = lost
schenken = to give (a present)
nun = well then
der Verlust, -es, -e = the loss
länge = any longer
plötzlich = suddenly
wiederum = again
erstaunt = astonished
ich hätte = I had

A Translation

    A child was crying on the street. A gentleman asked, "Why are you crying, my child."
    "I have lost a groschen which my mother had given me."
    "Well, that is no great loss. Weep no more. Here is another groschen." The child thanked the gentleman, but suddenly began to cry again.
    The man asked, astonished, "Why are you crying again?"
    "If I still had the first groschen, now I would have two groschen."

Does anyone Know what a Groschen is?

jaiken@du.edu:
A Groschen is an Austrian coin. They are small like a dime, but thinner. For more info on Austrian currencies: http://www.wilkinsons.com/Packrat/Coins/Austria

bvosteen@venus.net:
My computer translator called a Groschen a penny, and the information on it being an Austrian coin sounds right; but I think it is used in German as an expression for small change or spending money. My father would often ask my mother for a Groschen when he was on his way to work, and needed some money for tobacco or a haircut.