Maikäfer fange
[Banater Post, Dec 15, 2014]

Do ware mer noch aarich jung, villeicht in dr zweit odr dritt Klass. In manche Johre han mer schun im April scheene, sunniche Owede ghat. Die Hutwed war so gege Weste gelee, wu die Sunn unnergang is. Mir han uns schun vorher dort vrsammelt un han im Gras gelee und abgewart. Meischtens ware mer zu dritt odr zu viert, jeder hat e altes Handtuch un a Schachtl ghat. Wann nix besseres zu finne war, a Reibhelzerschachtl hat schun jedr ufgetrieb. Wann mer so in die Richtung gschaut hat, wu die Sunn jedi Minut hat misse unnergehn, han mer die Maikäfer gsiehn und ihre Flitsche han wie Gold geglanzt. Mir sin also ufgsprung, sin dene Maikäfer nohgerennt, un han se mit dem Handtuch aus dr Luft gschlaa. Wann mr se getroff han, han mer se entwedr aus’m Handtuch odr aus’m Gras ufghob un in die Schachtl getun. Bis die Sunn unnergang is, han mer net immer unsre Schachtle gfillt, awr jeder hat doch wenigschtens a Paar Käfer in dr Schachtl ghat. Drhemm han manchi vun uns ganz eenfach die Reibhelzerschachtl mit de Maikäfer unr de Kaschte gstellt. In dr Nacht han ihre Großmottre (ihre Eltre ware jo meischtens in Russland oder sunscht irgendwu uf dr Welt) des Grawwle gheert und sich de Kopp vrbroch, ob do Meis in dr Mauer grawe. Am nächschte Tach ware die Maikäfer schun etwas damisch un ich han mit ihne die Hinkle gfiedert. Die Hinkle han se nor so gfress. Ob se wirklich gere Käfer gfresst han odr ob se gement han, dass des große Kukruzkeere ware? Mer hat jo net wisse kenne, was die Hinkle denke, nor dass se immer iwwer de Wech laafe misse, wann mr ne mitm Bizikl in die Näh kummt. Heit han mer bei uns in dr Stadt aach Maikäfer, awr die kumme erscht im Juni raus. Niemand fangt se, un niemand hat Hinkle, wu se fresse kennte...

Catching May Bugs
Translated by Nick Tullius

We were quite young at the time, maybe in the second or third grade. There were years when the evenings in April were beautiful and sunny. The meadow was facing west, towards the sunset. We gathered there, sitting in the grass and waiting. Most of the time there were three or four of us, each one carrying an old towel and a box. When no better box could be found, a matchbox would do. Looking in the direction where the sun was about to set any minute, we could see the May Beetles, their wings shining like liquid gold. We jumped up, run after those Beetles, and tried to hit them with our towels. We picked up those that we had hit, either out of the towel or from the grass, and placed them in our boxes. By the time the sun set, our boxes were not always full, but each of us had at least a few Beetles in his box. Back home, some of us placed the matchbox with the Beetles under the cupboard. During the night, our grandmothers (the parents were mostly in Russia or elsewhere in the world) heard the crawling in their box and wondered if the mice were digging their channels in the clay wall. On the next day, the May Beetles were quite dizzy and I fed mine to the chickens. The chickens really enjoyed them. I wondered if they really liked Beetles or if the thought these were kernels of corn? But you never know what chickens are thinking; you only know that they always cross the road when you approach them with your bicycle. We actually see those Beetles today in our city, but they appear only in June, so they are called June Bugs. Nobody bothers to catch them, and nobody keeps chicken to eat them.