~ Thu die schönen Mädchen lieben ~
This is a porcelain stein with a lithophane (picture in the bottom that can be viewed when the stein is held up to a light) made ca. 1900. Note on cognates: Old German "th" converts to "t" and sometimes "d". Thus the first word "thu" becomes "tu" which in English is "do", all of which have very similar sounds. This sequence can also be reversed as in the German "die" becomes English "the" which both have the long "e" sound. Similarly the German "du" is the cognate of the old English "thou". The verse is an old German proverb that rhymes.
Thu die schönen Mädchen lieben, Junge Weiber nicht betrüben, Und die Alten auch nicht hassen, Und was lebt, leben lassen.	Do love the beautiful maidens, don't make the young women sad, and don't hate the old ones, and whatever lives, let live.

Translation: Les Hopper Compilation Photo credit: unknown