Roots - Translation of Sally and Clara's wedding journal, Die Sonne
Translation of ‘The Sun’ Page 1 (as shown in Sally and Clara slideshow)
In today’s edition, we present to the reader the portrait specially prepared for us by painter Junker of two famous personalities.
We do not think it necessary to give further details about their lives, since readers of our journal are already sufficiently acquainted with them.
In the following articles we could not refrain from repeatedly making reference to the announcement alongside, all the more so since in the next 3 or 4 weeks, there will be little or no opportunity to occupy ourselves from the portrayed.
Our intuition has lead us to discover that the two in question intend to sail away quietly (we could be mistaken on this point).
However, they will not be taking us with them. All Civil and Military Authorities are requested to search for the young couple and return them unharmed to Hermannstr. 3 in Frankfurt.
Personal Details
He
Name: from the Old Testament
Stature: comme il faut
Face: without glasses
Hair: pasted with cosmetics
Nose: above mouth
Mouth: aperture
Beard: faint
Teeth: 32
She
Name: not from the New Testament
Stature: clinging
Face: as he
Hair: natural
Nose: grown onto face
Mouth: for kissing
Beard: absent
Teeth: pearls
Distinguishing feature: much in love
Translation ‘The Sun’ Page 2
Sally’s Ten Marriage Commandments
and he said to her as follows:
1. I am I, your husband, and therefore you are me as well and that says it all
2. You must follow me and belong to me and therefore my wish is your wish
3. You must not come too often to my business to fetch me because you can only help me when I have nothing to do.
4. You must not have your circle of friends for coffee morning gossip nor go to theirs. If I go to a coffee house it is something different!
5. You must not ask for a new hat every season
6. You must not ask for two new dresses every season
7. You must not suffer from nerves and faint when you want to get your way
8. You must not burn the food and have ready good food or I might at times come home very late
9. You must not want to go away to the spa but do what you do at home or in the Main
10. You will tell me tonight!
Clara’s Ten Marriage Commandments
and she said to him as follows:
1. I am your wife, who has taken you out of the barren land of bachelorhood to choose you for my husband
2. You must only think of me and if you as much as think of another woman, you will bring my anger upon you because I am jealous
3. You must not call me in vain apart from giving me my weekly household allowance and even that costs you dear
4. You must keep Sundays to go for walks with me
5. Honour your mother-in-law above all so that all will be well with you in your marriage
6. You must not smoke in the lounge
7. You must not take snuff
8. You must not go out alone in the evenings and the front door key is altogether an unknown instrument for you
9. You must take me every year to the Spa and if I am unable to come in the summer, as is often the case, you must make it up to me in the winter
10. I shall tell you tonight!
Mother Henrietta must have been famous for her potato salad hence: CLARA’S PARTING
H: Do you really want to leave me
Cannot you let go of Sally
Want to part and leave my home?
Who will prepare for you the salad
of potatoes, gherkins and much more
made so beautifully by me?
C: Dearest Mama, be not so cross
take this page and look and read
see the exact recipe have I written
not a fairy tale, you see,
but how to prepare it early and late
H: Dear Clara, this salad, this perfect salad
you’ll never make it as well as I
though you have a pretty face.
So do come back and stay with me
I promise to prepare for you
a salad always wonderful and fresh
C: The salad with gherkins and potatoes
I’ll forget, but ne’er my Love!
or I would be very foolish
but send the salad to my home
for I’ll eat after the wedding feast!
Clara’s love will not die on salad
**************
Announcements
RUN AWAY
Our daughter Clara. Most likely changed her name
Alexander and Henriette Elsäesser
CHANGE OF ADDRESS
As from today I shall no longer live with
my parents but with my Sally
Frankfurt 12 June 1892
Extracts from The Sun