Then Herr Paumgartner struck the table a bang with his knife, and
announced to the company that Herr Vollrad, a worthy _Meistersinger_,[28]
would favour them with a song. Herr Vollrad at once rose to his feet,
cleared his throat, and sang such an excellent song in the _Gueldne
Tonweis_[29] of Herr Vogelgesang that everybody's heart leapt with joy,
and even Frederick recovered himself from his awkward embarrassment again.
After Herr Vollrad had sung several other excellent songs to several other
excellent tunes, such as the _Suesser Ton_, the _Krummzinkenweis_, the
_Gebluemte Paradiesweis_, the _Frisch Pomeranzenweis_, &c., he called
upon any one else at the table who understood anything of the sweet and
delectable art of the _Meistersinger_ also to honour them with a song. Then
Reinhold rose to his feet and said that if he might be allowed to accompany
himself on his lute in the Italian fashion he would give them a song,
keeping, however, strictly to the German tune. As nobody had any objection
he fetched his instrument, and, after a little tuneful prelude, began the
following song:--

Where is the little fount
Where sparkles the spicy wine?
From forth its golden depths
Its golden sparkles mount
And dance 'fore the gladdened eye.
This beautiful little fount
Wherein the golden wine
Sparkles--who made it,
With thoughtful skill and fine,
With such high art and industry,
That praise deserve so well?
This little fount so gay,
Wrought with high art and fine,
Was fashioned by one
Who ne'er an artist was--
But a brave young cooper he,
His veins with rich wine glowing,
His heart with true love singing,
And ever lovingly--
For that's young cooper's way
In all the things he does.

This song pleased them all down to the ground, but none more so
than Master Martin, whose eyes sparkled with pleasure and delight.
Without heeding Vollrad, who had almost too much to say about Hans
Mueller's _Stumpfe Schossweis_, which the youth had caught excellently
well,--Master Martin, without heeding him, rose from his seat, and,
lifting his _passglas_[30] above his head, called aloud, "Come here,
honest cooper and _Meistersinger_, come here and drain this glass with
me, your Master Martin." R