The Streamlet.

The streamlet flows in the lively
                          ground,
off into the wide sea.
The little fish poot lively too
And trigger the pike too. (FRO)
It gorges on the little fish in the
                    belly.
And the streamlet gorges on empty.

Translated by Gary Sullivan.

* * *

Das Bächlein.

Das Bächlein fließt im muntern
                            Grund,
hinaus aufs weite Meer.
Die Fischlein pupsen munter zu
und zu allererst der Hecht. (HER)
Er frießt das Fischlein in den
                    Bauch.
und frießt das Bächlein leer.

* * *

Notes

I switched back and forth between "brooklet" and "streamlet," but have finally settled on "streamlet," for the sole reason that it is the closest of the two to "stomach."

Why?

"Das Bächlein" = the rill, rivulet, streamlet, brooklet
"Das Bäuchlein" = the tummy

Add to that the switching Herbeck does between:

fließt (flows)

and

frießt (feeds on)

So there's a stomach/streamlet toggling going on in this poem, which I wanted to at least hint at. Streamlet itself doesn't cut it, of course, but I've also switched my initial translation of frießt from "feeds on" to "gorges on," given the double-meaning of "gorge" and the relevance of its second meaning to the present poem. I also sort of messed with the syntax of the last line in a vain attempt to "foreground" this.

Will doubtless be pecking at this one for a while.