Jon Johanning wrote:

>The recording I have (CBS/Hungaroton with Marton and Ramey--and don't you
>Bartok experts be telling me I have the wrong one!) does not have the
>spoken prologue. I wonder if there is a recording which has it in German or
>English, since I don't know Hungarian. Or even better, where is an easily
>accessible source of the text, in either of the former languages? ...

the Haitink/von Otter/Tomlinson recording on EMI (CDC 7243 5 56162 2 7)
records the prologue and includes it in the libretto.  Here's the
translation provided:

   Hi, tune I hide,
   where, where shall I hide it,
   it was, it was not: outside or inside?

   Old tune, hi, what does it mean,
   men and women?

   Now hear the song.
   You look, I look at you.
   Our eyes' curtain - the eyelashes -opens:

   where is the stage: outside or inside,
   men and women?

   Bitter and happy
   well-known things,
   the world outside full with hosts,
   but not that will cause our death,
   men and women.

   We look at each other, look,
   sing the tune.
   Who knows from where we bring it?
   Let's hear it and wonder at it,
   men and women.
   *(The curtain rises behind him.)*

   The music sounds, the flame burns,
   the performance can begin.
   My eyes' curtain - the eylashes - open.

   Clap when they close,

   men and women.

   Ancient castle, ancient too is the legend
   which tells about it -
   you listen to it.

   Translated by Christopher Hassall
   (c) Universal Edition

Walter Meyer