To My Grandfather

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Barmen, December 20, 1833


O you dear Grandfather, who always treat us so kindly,

Always helping us when our work isn’t going so smoothly,

While you were here, you told me many a beautiful story

Of Cercyon and Theseus, and Argus the hundred-eyed monster,

The Minotaur, Ariadne, and Aegeus drowned in the ocean,

The Golden Fleece, the Argonauts and Jason defiant[1]

Mighty Hercules, Danaus, and Cadmus the hero,

And — I can’t remember all of the things that you told me;

Well, I wish you, Grandfather, a Happy New Year and a gay one,

Long, long years to come, with plenty of joy and no worries,

Everything good in life that can possibly happen to people,

All this is wished for you by your loving, affectionate grandson.


Friedr. Engels

  1. Argonauts (Greek mythology) -the heroes who sailed with Jason in the Argo to Colchis in quest of the Golden Fleece guarded by the dragon