The Fool

Back to the executioner Forward to the peddler

 
Basel's dance of death, The fool  
 
Todt zum Narren:
WOhlauff Heyne du must jetzt springen,
Schürtze dich auff und laß dir lingen:
Dein Kolben magst jetzt wol lan bleiben,
Mein Tantz wird dir den Schweiß außtreiben.		 Death to The Fool
Well then Heyne, you must now dance.
Prepare yourself, and hurry up.
You may now leave your fool's bauble behind.
My dance will drive the sweat out of you.
 
Der Narr:
O Weh ich wolt gern Holtz aufftragen,
Und all Tag viermahl werden g'schlagen:
Vom Herren mein und seinen Knechten,
So muß ich mit dem Dürrling fechten.		 The Fool.
Oh woe. I would rather carry firewood
and be beaten up four times a day
by my lord and his servants.
Yet I must fight with this dry man.
Holbein, The queen
Holbein, Death drags the queen away.
Klein-Basel: Fool
Klein-Basel, Fool.
Drawing after Büchel

Death fetching the fool was obviously inspired by Holbein's dance of death, where Death drags the queen away (picture to the left). Death's clothes as well as his posture are copied from Holbein.

This has probably happened when Hans Kluber renovated the mural in 1568. If we compare with the mural in Klein-Basel (picture to the right), the figures are standing stiff and motionless, and neither the fool nor Death are "specially" dressed. The only thing that distinguishes the fool from all other dancers was originally just his bauble, which had a bladder attached at the end.

Back to the executioner Forward to the peddler Up to Basel's dance of death

Basel's Dance of Death Dances of death Basel Fool