The Abbess

Todt zur Eptissin: GNädige Fraw Eptissin rein, Wie habt ihr so ein Bäuchlein klein: Doch wil ich euch das nicht verweissen, Ich wolt mich eh in Finger beissen.	Death to The Abbess Gracious Mrs. Abbess, pure [lady], how come you have such a little belly? Still, I will not hold that against you, I would sooner bite myself in the finger.

Die Eptissin: ICh hab gelesen auß dem Psalter In dem Chore vor dem Fronalter: Nun wil mich helffen hie kein betten, Ich muß hie dem Todt auch nachtretten.	The Abbess. I have read from the Psalter, in the choir before the Lord's altar. Now no praying will avail me, I too must here step after Death.

Klein-Basel, Abbess

Heidelberg, Nun

Death comments on the abbess being slightly pregnant. The abbess apparently ignores Death's smart-ass remarks, and keeps on wailing. There are two reasons for this:

The first reason is that in the text tradition known as Oberdeutscher vierzeiliger Totentanz, the humans' complaints have been written many years, before Death's speeches were added, creating a dialogue. Therefore it's very typical that people speak at cross purposes.

The other reason is that the abbess didn't become pregnant before a more recent renovation of the mural — at a time where there was no longer respect for Catholic ecclesiasticals.

The picture to the left is from Klein-Basel, where we can see how the painting in Groß-Basel once looked. The abbess smilingly carries her head on one side, just like the nun in Heidelberg, and the text is also very reminiscent of the dialogue in Heidelberg. In Klein-Basel Death does not comment on the abbess's' belly.

At the museum in Basel there's still a fragment of the abbess.

Klein-Basel
Fraw Eptissen ir mosen auch dran Der todt wil mit uch getantz hain Nun springent noch rechten sitten Ich wil uch wider flehen noch bitten	Mrs. Abbess, you must also over there. Death will have a dance with you. Now dance after proper tradition. I will neither implore nor beg you.

Ich han gelesen die ge psalter In dem kor vor fronalter Nun hilft hie kein bitten Ich moitz den todt noch tretten	I have read the Psalter, in the choir before the Lord's altar. Now no praying avails here. I must step after Death.

As one can see, Death's original speech has been more general and the abbess has been more like the nun in Heidelberg. In fact the two last lines of the abbess's speech — in both Klein- and Groß-Basel — are the same as the nun's in Heidelberg.