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German: Ach wie gut, dass niemand weiß, das ich in Rumpels Stielchen beiß...

English translation: Rumpel better play it wise, or he'll be in for a surprise!



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GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:Ach wie gut, dass niemand weiß, das ich in Rumpels Stielchen beiß...
English translation:Rumpel better play it wise, or he'll be in for a surprise!
Entered by:Courtney Sliwinski
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8:39pm Sep 27, 2007Login or register (free) for more options.
German to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters / Video game text
German term or phrase: Ach wie gut, dass niemand weiß, das ich in Rumpels Stielchen beiß...
Ach wie gut, dass niemand weiß, das ich in Rumpels Stielchen beiß …

Obviously this needs to be translated as a whole. This line is delivered by someone trying to taunt their opponent. It is a play on the Rumpelstiltskin fairytale, though the translation need not be. I am drawing a complete blank here, is anyone feeling clever?
Courtney Sliwinski
Germany
Clarification request(s) and response
writeaway: 8:41pm Sep 27, 2007: you have no ideas of your own?
Armorel Young: 8:45pm Sep 27, 2007: We need more context. What is said immediately before and after this? Do you need to retain the metre? What do you see Rumpels Stielchen referring to - how does this fit into the rest of the text?
Assem: 8:45pm Sep 27, 2007: if bite isnt sufficient use sting, otherwise add more text plz.
Stephen Sadie: 9:15pm Sep 27, 2007: Hi Courtney, we definitely need more context here, please
Frank Thomas: 9:20pm Sep 27, 2007: "in Rumpels Stielchen beißen" here means "to bite in Rumpel's little stick" which I see as a periphrasis for having oral sex. Sorry for being offensive but this is what it says.
Courtney Sliwinski: 9:54pm Sep 27, 2007: There is no more context! I can tell you that there are no sexual connotations here because they are fighting eachother. the metre does not need to be retained, it doesn't even ahve to rhyme. The character is a Kolbold, and this is probably why it was tied in to this particular fairy tale. I've drawn a complete blank here!
Courtney Sliwinski: 10:10pm Sep 27, 2007: Perhaps something along the lines of being an ankle biter (what one could call a small child)?

Assem: 10:25pm Sep 27, 2007: A small child. Also applied to small dogs = ankle biter
Assem: 10:36pm Sep 27, 2007: Oh how convienient, do not take me as a child!

does it help?
LittleBalu: 5:26am Sep 28, 2007: You say there is no context, and go on immediately to tell us that there's a fight going on and that one of the fighters is a Kobold. Well, that's what I call context! ;-) Who or what is the Kobold's opponent in this fight?
LittleBalu: 5:28am Sep 28, 2007: And who's saying the Rumpelstielchen bit to whom?
seehand: 6:57am Sep 28, 2007: Also ich würde Frank auch mit dem Stielchen zustimmen, auch wenn es sich nicht direkt um eine sexuelle Anspielung handelt, vielleicht eher als amüsanter Ausflug, so vielleicht "take a nip at Rumpelstiltskin' little dick" oder so was in der Art ...
xxxFrancis Lee: 7:56am Sep 28, 2007: Courtney: can you tell me why all of your video-game questions are classified as "Art/Literary"? With all respect, I think the category needs changing. ;-)
Courtney Sliwinski: 8:17am Sep 28, 2007: I'm sensing a bit of frustration here, but I want everyone to know, that these are excellent suggestions, and I appreciate all the help! This is really getting the ball rolling for me too!
@LittleBalu: The line is delivered by a Kobold to the player's character (the gamer has a choice of which character they want to play with, so the opponents vary). There really isn't musch more context to go on, except that there is a fight, and the Kobold is trying to annoy the player. Since they're fighting, biting is mentioned.
@Francis: You are right! I need to watch that! I think this one fits however, the fairytale reference and all.
Steffen Walter: 8:36am Sep 28, 2007: @ Francis - there is no other appropriate MAIN field to classify this question. "Art/Literary" comes closest IMHO. Would you regroup this under Tech/Eng ;-?

it's just good nobody knows I like to bite a gremlin's/kobold's nose
Explanation:
teasing the little buggers/gremlins (short creatures)




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Note added at 2 hrs (2007-09-27 23:39:12 GMT)
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...Rumpel's nose

or, more neutral:

Rumpel better play it wise or he'll be in for a surprise
Little Rumpel play it wise (!) or you'll be in for a surprise

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Note added at 1 day17 hrs (2007-09-29 13:46:29 GMT)
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this came to mind for Stielchen: toy (small weapon) or poss. other connotations


heck, I won't be very coy, I'll eat the little gremlin's/bugger's toy (for breakfast)

secretly it's my great joy - to eat the little bugger's toy.

nobody knows it's my great joy - to eat the little bugger's toy



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Note added at 1 day17 hrs (2007-09-29 13:55:26 GMT)
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..the gremlin's bugger's little toy


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Note added at 1 day17 hrs (2007-09-29 14:03:06 GMT)
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...the gremlin's/bugger's little toy



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Note added at 1 day17 hrs (2007-09-29 14:05:33 GMT)
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breakfast is served.

the little bugger's tiny toy is what I most enjoy, for breakfast.
Selected response from:

Bernhard Sulzer
Austria
Note from asker to answerer
I chose the "Rumpel better play it wise ..."
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +3suggestionKen Cox
3 +2How sweet it is that I aloneDr. Fred Thomson
3 +1it's just good nobody knows I like to bite a gremlin's/kobold's nose
Bernhard Sulzer
3Rumpelstilsken wasn't so smart! In a one-on-one, I'd have ripped him apart!Brigitte Albert
3Rumpelstilsken is my name, biting (Kobolds?) is my game!
SusieZ
3Oh how convienient that nobody knows that I bite in RumpelsStielchen
Assem


  

Answers

4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
Ach wie gut, dass niemand weiß, das ich in Rumpels Stielchen beiß … Oh how convienient that nobody knows that I bite in RumpelsStielchen

Explanation:
this is how I understand it

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Note added at 6 mins (2007-09-27 20:46:16 GMT)
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how Convenient

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Note added at 29 mins (2007-09-27 21:09:16 GMT)
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Oh how convenient that nobody in RumpelsStielchen knows that I bite !




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Note added at 1 hr (2007-09-27 22:24:28 GMT)
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ankle-biter = small child yes

see link

http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/ankle-biter.html

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Note added at 1 hr (2007-09-27 22:34:26 GMT)
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in this case it might be ok to say :

Oh how convienient that nobody take me as a child!


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Note added at 1 hr (2007-09-27 22:35:21 GMT)
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or :

Oh how convienient, do not take me as a child!


Assem
Syria
Native speaker of: Native in ArabicArabic, Native in EnglishEnglish
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
Ach wie gut, dass niemand weiß, das ich in Rumpels Stielchen beiß … Rumpelstilsken wasn't so smart! In a one-on-one, I'd have ripped him apart!

Explanation:
Some more grandstanding, Kobold style! ;-)

Brigitte Albert
Canada
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 4
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
Ach wie gut, dass niemand weiß, das ich in Rumpels Stielchen beiß … How sweet it is that I alone

Explanation:
Know that I can bite you to the bone.

Dr. Fred Thomson
United States
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 41

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree Michaela Pschierer-Barnfather: Love the rhime!
12 hrs
  -> Thank you, Michaela.

agree Brigitte Albert: Nice way with the words and you kept the "Ach wie gut, ... ."
1 day21 hrs
  -> Thank you, Brigitte
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
Ach wie gut, dass niemand weiß, das ich in Rumpels Stielchen beiß … Rumpelstilsken is my name, biting (Kobolds?) is my game!

Explanation:
don't what he's biting, nor whether the actually bite / eat/ nibble. But maybe something like that will work....

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Note added at 2 hrs (2007-09-27 23:05:36 GMT)
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don't *know* what he's biting...

maybe also something like "biting / fighting / eating punks like you / (or some other degrading term) is my game....

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Note added at 2 hrs (2007-09-27 23:19:56 GMT)
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oh, "Stielchen"? Do they fight with swords? Or is the "stielchen referring to the opponen'ts neck / head?

Maybe something like:

Ain't it nice, biting these guys heads off / chomping those (whatever) into bits and pieces is my favorite passtime / what I do before breakfast ...

SusieZ
United States
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +3
Ach wie gut, dass niemand weiß, das ich in Rumpels Stielchen beiß … suggestion

Explanation:
This is pure speculation...

First off, I imagine that Kobolds are physically tough opponents -- not too smart, but gleefully violent and never afraid of a fight.

Second, it would help to know what sort of weapon the Kobold's opponent is wielding in this situation -- in particular, whether it is weapon with a shank or shaft, such as a spear, hammer, or even arrows (any of which could be derisively called 'Stielchen').

Given all that, you could imagine the meaning as something like 'if you think that's a weapon, you're in for a surprise -- I eat weapons like that for breakfast and pick my teeth with the splinters!'.



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Note added at 16 hrs (2007-09-28 12:44:10 GMT)
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Hmmm -- in response to the other answers, maybe you could use 'I'm a master of martial arts, so you'd better watch your private parts!'

Ken Cox
Netherlands
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 36

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree Bernhard Sulzer: I like your thinking, but wouldn't it be the kobold-like creature that is being bitten? what do you think?
49 mins

agree Rebecca Garber: I like your last suggestion, which seems to match the context: kobold insulting player.
17 hrs

agree seehand: Dein letzter Vorschlag gefällt mir auch gut
18 hrs
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Ach wie gut, dass niemand weiß, das ich in Rumpels Stielchen beiß … it's just good nobody knows I like to bite a gremlin's/kobold's nose

Explanation:
teasing the little buggers/gremlins (short creatures)




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Note added at 2 hrs (2007-09-27 23:39:12 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

...Rumpel's nose

or, more neutral:

Rumpel better play it wise or he'll be in for a surprise
Little Rumpel play it wise (!) or you'll be in for a surprise

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day17 hrs (2007-09-29 13:46:29 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

this came to mind for Stielchen: toy (small weapon) or poss. other connotations


heck, I won't be very coy, I'll eat the little gremlin's/bugger's toy (for breakfast)

secretly it's my great joy - to eat the little bugger's toy.

nobody knows it's my great joy - to eat the little bugger's toy



--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day17 hrs (2007-09-29 13:55:26 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

..the gremlin's bugger's little toy


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day17 hrs (2007-09-29 14:03:06 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

...the gremlin's/bugger's little toy



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Note added at 1 day17 hrs (2007-09-29 14:05:33 GMT)
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breakfast is served.

the little bugger's tiny toy is what I most enjoy, for breakfast.

Bernhard Sulzer
Austria
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 44
Note from asker to answerer
I chose the "Rumpel better play it wise ..."

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree Katharina Loos: I quite like this. It has to be "Rumpel´s nose" of course, since a gremlin is saying this who is just about to bite him.
7 hrs
  -> thank you, inkweaver, I now think it's also possible to think of it as a tiny little weapon, a toy easily destroyed
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