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Mieke, please hold on
to the branches of the trees
Mieke, please hold on
to the ropes of the mast.
Mieke, hou je vast
aan de takken van de bomen
Mieke, hou je vast
aan de touwen van de mast.
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Mokum's burning, Mokum's burning
in the distance, in the distance
fire, fire, fire, fire
and they have no water.
Brand in Mokum, brand in Mokum
zie eens ginder, zie eens ginder
brand, brand, brand, brand
en daar is geen water.
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Dutch canon (more canons).
Text: The word 'Mokum' is a nickname for Amsterdam. It is the jewish word for 'city'.
Commentary: Translation of an English canon, 'London's burning / Fetch the engines / Fire, fire / Pour on water'. The text probably refers to the Great Fire of London (1666). The Dutch version sounds very unlikely, because Amsterdam has a lot of water in all the canals.
Lyrics 'Brand in Mokum' on Dutch website: Nederlandse kinderliedjes B or Canons voor kinderen.
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My little toddler
what's happening in my court?
You're picking all the flowers
it's too ugly to be seen.
Please, oh my dearest mummy
promise you won't tell my daddy!
I'll be good and go to school,
pick no flowers anymore.
Klein, klein kleutertje
wat doe je in mijn hof?
Je plukt er alle bloempjes af
je maakt het veel te grof.
O, mijn lieve mamaatje
zeg het niet tegen papaatje!
Ik zal zoet naar school toe gaan
en de bloemetjes laten staan.
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My mother had a little monkey
in her kitchen on a stick.
He had a small hole in his skirt and
he had put his tail through it.
Er zat een aapje op een stokje
achter moeders keukendeur.
Hij had een gaatje in zijn rokje
en daar stak zijn staartje deur.
He had a little ring on his ring finger
it was made of pure clear gold
that's why all the people thought that
that small monkey was married.
Hij had een ringetje om z'n vingertje
en dat was van zuiver goud
daarom dachten alle mensen
dat dat aapje was getrouwd.
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Dutch children's songs with music.
Text: The first lines in Dutch are litteraly: 'There sat a little monkey on a little stick / behind mother's kitchen door'.
Oldest source (Dutch Song Database): This children's song was noted around the 1850's-1870's from the oral tradition by Johannes van Vloten (1818-1883) and published in his Nederlandsche baker- en kinderrijmen (1894). The songwriter is unknown and the song can't be dated.
Lyrics 'Er zat een aapje op een stokje' on Dutch website: Nederlandse kinderliedjes E.
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On a giant mushroom
red with many white dots
Spindle-shank the little gnome
was wobbling back and foreward.
Op een grote paddestoel
rood met witte stippen
zat kabouter Spillebeen
heen en weer te wippen.
Crack! did the mushroom
with a heavy sigh
both the legs of Spindle-shank
hoop, shot in the sky!
Krak, zei toen de paddestoel
met een diepe zucht
vlogen beide beentjes
hoepla, in de lucht!
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Dutch children's song with English translation.
Source:The lyrics were first published in toddler's magazine Kiekeboe, as addition to a story about 'little gnome Spindle-shank' (1930). The writer of the songtext is unknown.
Commentary: The melody is the same as the children's song 'Op een klein stationnetje' ('On a little train station').
Lyrics 'Op een grote paddestoel' on Dutch website: Nederlandse kinderliedjes O or Wiegeliedjes en slaapliedjes.
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On a little train station
early in the morning
seven little carriages
were waiting in a row.
And the little train driver
was blowing on his whistle
chopping, chopping, puff, puff
we take off!
Op een klein stationnetje
's morgens in de vroegte
stonden zeven wagentjes
keurig op een rij.
En het machinistje
blies al op zijn fluitje
hakke, hakke, puf, puf
weg zijn wij!
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Once there was a little man, he was not wise [smart]
he really did built a new house on ice.
But then, then the thaw came, it stopped freezing
and he lost his house and everything was sinking
oh, oh, oh, right through the ice
'cause the little man was not wise.
Er was er eens een mannetje dat was niet wijs
dat bouwde zijn huisje al op het ijs.
Maar toen ging het dooien en niet vriezen
en toen moest dat mannetje zijn huisje verliezen.
O, o, o, dwars door het ijs
want dat mannetje was niet wijs.
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One, two, three, four
make a hat, make a hat
one, two, three, four
make a paper hat.
Een, twee, drie, vier
hoedje van, hoedje van
een, twee, drie, vier
hoedje van papier.
Is it gone, your paper hat
make a cardboard hat instead
one, two, three, four
make a paper hat.
Heb je dan geen hoedje meer
maak er één van bordpapier
een, twee, drie, vier
hoedje van papier.
One, two, three, four
make a hat, make a hat
one, two, three, four
make a paper hat.
Een, twee, drie, vier
hoedje van, hoedje van
een, twee, drie, vier
hoedje van papier.
If the hat just doesn't fit
put it in the glass cabinet
one, two, three, four
make a paper hat.
Als het hoedje dan niet past
zet het in de glazenkast
een, twee, drie, vier
hoedje van papier.
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Dutch children's songs with music.
Commentary: The song originates probably from around 1830. It refers to the politics of that time, the Belgian Revolution of 1830. Dutch soldiers had to rush to Belgium and there were not enough uniforms. Instead of a felt or leather head, they got a parchment head. The song was probably a march.
Oldest source (Dutch Song Database): This children's song was noted around the 1850's-1870's from the oral tradition by Johannes van Vloten (1818-1883) and published in his Nederlandsche baker- en kinderrijmen (1894). The songwriter is unknown and the song can't be exactly dated.
Lyrics 'Hoedje van papier' on Dutch website: Nederlandse kinderliedjes E or Wiegeliedjes en slaapliedjes.
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Our earl from The Hague
has a son named Jantje.
If you ask: "Where lives your dad?"
he'll pinpoint the direction
with his forefinger and his thumb
he wears a feather on his hat
he's carrying a basket.
Bye, my precious Jantje!
In Den Haag daar woont een graaf
en zijn zoon heet Jantje.
Als je vraagt: "Waar woont je pa?"
dan wijst hij met zijn handje
met zijn vingertje en zijn duim
op zijn hoed draagt hij een pluim
aan zijn arm een mandje.
Dag, mijn lieve Jantje!
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Dutch children's songs with music and translation.
Text: Line 2: The name Jan (short for Johannes) has been a populair Dutch name for centuries; Jantje means 'little Jan' (Dutch language uses many diminutives, by simply putting -je or -tje behind a word or name). The name Jan was also common in noble families.
Commentary: Line 1: The earl from The Hague: From around 1000 until the 16th-18th century The Netherlands were ruled by a number of earls and dukes (there were about 15-20 shires and duchies). The provinces North-Holland and South-Holland on the coast were very important (even now the whole country is still sometimes refered to as 'Holland'). Nowadays the most important cities of The Netherlands are still situated in these two provinces, including the capital Amsterdam (North-Holland) and The Hague (South-Holland). The government still has it's seat at The Hague.
The earl from The Hague and his son in this song could very well refer to historical persons.
Oldest source (Dutch Song Database): This children's song was noted around the 1850's-1870's from the oral tradition by Johannes van Vloten (1818-1883) and published in his Nederlandsche baker- en kinderrijmen (1894). The songwriter is unknown and the song can't be exactly dated.
Lyrics 'In Den Haag daar woont een graaf' on Dutch website: Nederlandse kinderliedjes I or Wiegeliedjes en slaapliedjes.
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The owl sat in the elm tree
at nightfall in the dark
and from the distant hilltop
the cuckoo answered quiet:
coo coo, coo coo, coo coo coo coo coo coo
coo coo, coo coo, coo coo coo coo coo coo.
De uil zat in de olme
bij het vallen van de nacht
en op de gindse heuvel
daar klonk het antwoord zacht:
koekoek, koekoek, koekoe koekoe koekoek
koekoek, koekoek, koekoe koekoe koekoek.
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