Bleibach, The cardinal

The cardinal

Death to the cardinal
Zuem Cardinal. Den Kopff zuruckh muest du nit ziehen. Wirst mir nit aus den händen fliehen. ich ziehe dir ab den rothen hueth, komb geschwindt der tantz ist gueth.	To the Cardinal. You must not draw your head back. You will not escape from my hands. I will take off your red hat. Come quickly, the dance is good.
The cardinal
Antwort. Du bist fürwahr ein arger Gast. Ob Dir bin ich erschrocken fast. Weil Du mir abziehst den rothen Hut, Weiß ich nicht, ob der Tanz ist gut.	Answer. You are indeed a nasty guest. I was almost frightened by you. Because you took off my red hat, I don't know whether the dance is good.

Basel, Cardinal with red hat

The cardinal is the next victim to lose his hat. In many dances, Death mentions the cardinal's red hat, and this easily rhymes with the dance being good. For example, in Basel: »Springen auff mit dem rothen Hut, Herr Cardinal, der Tantz ist gut«.

The cardinal is chided for pulling his head back. This is reminiscent of La Danse Macabre, where Death says to the archbishop: »Que vous tires la teste arriere / Archevesque: tire vous pres«. ("How you draw your head back, Archbishop ! Draw near. Are you afraid of being struck?").