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Seven little frogs were sitting
in a farmer's ditch.
It was completely frozen
the frogs were nearly dead.
They didn't quack, they didn't croak
by hunger and by grieve.
The seven little frogs were sitting
in a farmer's ditch.
Er zaten zeven kikkertjes
al in een boerensloot.
De sloot die was bevroren
de kikkertjes half dood.
Ze kwekten niet, ze kwakten niet
van honger en verdriet.
Er zaten zeven kikkertjes
al in een boerensloot.
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Dutch children's song with music.
Lyrics: J.P. Heije.
Music: T. Steenhuis.
In: Kinderliederen (1843).
Commentary: Story couplet 2: the youngest frog claims they could sing as beautiful as nightingales if the frost was over. Story couplet 3: in the spring they sound as horrible. I would rather have one nightingale than seven frogs.
 Lyrics 'Er zaten zeven kikkertjes' on Dutch website: Kinderliedjes met muziek E or Wiegeliedjes en slaapliedjes.
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Short-jacket is ill all week
all week long, except on Sunday.
Sunday she will go to church
with a book with silver decoration.
Short-jacket is ill all week
all week long, except on Sunday.
Altijd is Kortjakje ziek
midden in de week maar 's zondags niet.
's Zondags gaat zij naar de kerk
met een boek vol zilverwerk.
Altijd is Kortjakje ziek
midden in de week maar 's zondags niet.
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Dutch children's song with music and sheet music.
Commentary: Derived of a dutch folk song from the first half of the 18th century, 'Kortjakje seer hups en fijn' ('Short-jacket very gay/frivolous and nice').
The melody of the current children's song is similar to the French song 'Ah! vous dirai-je, maman' (1771) and the English song 'Twinkle, twinkle, little star / How I wonder what you are' (1806).
Oldest source (Dutch Song Database): This children's song was noted around 1860 from the oral tradition in the collection Volkseigen (1840-1935). The songwriter is unknown.
Lyrics 'Altijd is Kortjakje ziek' on Dutch website: Kinderliedjes met muziek A or Wiegeliedjes en slaapliedjes.
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Sleep, baby, sleep
outside I saw a sheep.
The sheep it's feet were white, white
it drank it's milk so sweet, sweet.
Sleep, baby, sleep
outside I saw a sheep.
Slaap, kindje, slaap
daar buiten loopt een schaap.
Een schaap met witte voetjes
dat drinkt zijn melk zo zoetjes.
Slaap, kindje, slaap
daar buiten loopt een schaap.
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Dutch lullabies with music and translation.
Commentary: The most famous lullaby in The Netherlands (in Dutch a 'slaapliedje', 'sleeping song').
Probably connected to the German lullaby 'Schlaf, Kindlein, schlaf, der Vater hüt die Schaf' ('father herds the sheep'), which was first written down in 1611.
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 'Slaap kindje slaap' on Dutch website: Kinderliedjes met muziek S or Wiegeliedjes en slaapliedjes.
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Slow turns the windmill
the windmill, the windmill
slow turns the windmill
the windmill.
Zo gaat de molen
de molen, de molen
zo gaat de molen
de molen.
Fast turn the mill wings
the mill wings, the mill wings
fast turn the mill wings
the mill wings!
Zo gaan de wieken
de wieken, de wieken
zo gaan de wieken
de wieken!
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Dutch children's song with music.
Commentary: Song with movements of the hands. The hands are turned around each other on the rythm of the tune (second verse much faster than first verse).
Lyrics 'Zo gaat de molen' on Dutch website: Kinderliedjes met muziek Z.
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Tell-tale, skimmer cream
you cannot pass my little street.
Doggy sure will bite you
kitty will be scratching you
because of all your chattering.
Klikspaan, boterspaan
je mag niet door mijn straatje gaan.
Hondje zal je bijten
poesje zal je krabbelen
dat komt van al dat babbelen.
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There was a lady once
who wanted to make cakes
but the dough just wouldn't rise well.
The pan fell over
all the cakes were bent and curved
and her man was named Jan van Gijssen.
Er was er eens een vrouw
die koeken bakken wou
maar het meel dat wou niet rijzen.
De pan viel om
en de koeken waren krom
en haar man heette Jan van Gijssen.
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Dutch children's songs with music.
Text: Line 6, the name of the husband: many family-names in the Netherlands start with 'van', meaning: from. Usually the name of a village/city follows. In this case a patronym follows. In Dutch -sen (formerly -szn or -szoon) at the end of a name means 'son' ('zoon'). So a common last name as Jansen (Janssen, Janszn.) means 'Jan's son'.
Oldest source (Dutch Song Database): This children's song was noted around 1840 from the oral tradition in the collection Volkseigen (1840-1935). The songwriter is unknown and the song can't be dated.
Lyrics 'Er was er eens een vrouw' on Dutch website: Kinderliedjes met muziek E or Wiegeliedjes en slaapliedjes.
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Three little toddlers were sitting on a fence
sitting on a fence.
Three little toddlers were sitting on a fence
on a beautiful summery day in September.
Drie kleine kleutertjes die zaten op een hek
boven op een hek.
Drie kleine kleutertjes die zaten op een hek
op een mooie zomerse dag in september.
What did they talk about, those toddlers on the fence
toddlers on the fence.
What did they talk about, those toddlers on the fence
on that beautiful summery day in September?
Waarover spraken zij, die drie daar op dat hek
boven op dat hek?
Waarover spraken zij, die drie daar op dat hek
op die mooie zomerse dag in september?
'T was about butterflies and cornflowers blue
cornflowers blue.
'T was about butterflies and cornflowers blue
on that beautiful summery day in September.
't Was over krekeltjes en korenbloemen blauw
korenbloemen blauw.
't Was over krekeltjes en korenbloemen blauw
op die mooie zomerse dag in september.
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Dutch children's song with music and sheet music.
Lyrics (English poem): Kate Greenaway.
Translation and music: Catharina van Rennes (1858-1940).
Text: Couplet 3: in Dutch literally 'krekeltjes' (little crickets) instead of 'butterflies'. Couplet 3, first sentence: in the original Dutch text the order of the words is also turned around (blue behind the noun instead of before it).
Lyrics 'Drie kleine kleutertjes die zaten op een hek' on Dutch website: Kinderliedjes met muziek D or Wiegeliedjes en slaapliedjes.
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Three times three is nine for sure
and everyone sings as he likes
three times three is nine for sure
and Peter sings his song.
Drie maal drie is negen
en ieder zingt zijn eigen lied
drie maal drie is negen
en Peter zingt zijn lied.
And Peter has to sing a song now
troelala, troelala
Peter has to sing a song now
troelala lala!
En Peter moet een liedje zingen
troelala, troelala
Peter moet een liedje zingen
troelala lala!
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Tickling nibbling child's fist
who's entering my cottage...?
Kniebel knabbel knuisje
wie komt er in mijn huisje...?
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Duych children's rhyme.
Commentary: Little child's play. The adult 'walks' with his fingers over the wrist of the baby or little child, towards the palm of the hand. On the last word, he tickles the palm.
The adult also can kneel down, and say the rhyme while he opens his arms wide. The young child can run towards him en fall in his arms for a big hug.
Text: First line: A 'knuistje' is not litteraly a fist, but the hand of a baby or very young child, with the fingers easily bent half closed or fully closed.
Source: The rhyme is probably derived from a sentence of the fairy-tale of Hansel and Gretel in which the witch says: "Knibbel knabbel knuistje, wie knabbelt er aan mijn huisje?" ('Stinting nibbling child's fist, who's nibbling at my house?').
Lyrics 'Kniebel knabbel knuisje' on Dutch website: Kinderliedjes met muziek K.
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Today I saw a stand with dolls
oh, oh, oh!
The dolls were very beautiful
so, so, so!
The trader made a little trip
and all the dolls became confused.
And they all did like this
yes, they all did like this
yes, they all did like this.
Ik stond laatst voor een poppenkraam
o, o, o!
Daar zag ik mooie poppen staan
zo, zo, zo!
De poppenkoopman ging op reis
de poppen raakten van de wijs.
Ze deden allemaal zo
ze deden allemaal zo
ze deden allemaal zo!
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Dutch children's song translated in English.
Commentary: Song with motions of the hand. Line 2: surprised face, hands beside face, head nodding left-right-left. Line 4: indicate size with hand: small, higher, big. Line 7: child can make up a motion with his hands, everyone imitates this in line 8-9.
Oldest source (Dutch Song Database): This children's song was noted around 1840 from the oral tradition in the collection Volkseigen (1840-1935). The songwriter is unknown and the song can't be dated.
Lyrics 'Ik stond laatst voor een poppenkraam' on Dutch website: Kinderliedjes met muziek I or Wiegeliedjes en slaapliedjes.
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A train went on a journey
from Amsterdam to Rotterdam
behind the little windows
were sitting many child-e-ren
and they did like this, and they did like this
behind all those windows
and they did like this, and they did like this
hi ha ho!
Een treintje ging uit rijden
van Amsterdam naar Rotterdam
en achter al die raampjes
daar zaten zoveel kindertjes
en die deden zo en die deden zo
achter al die raampjes
en die deden zo en die deden zo
hi ha ho!
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Dutch children's song with music.
Songwriter: Herman Broekhuizen (1922-2012).
In: radio programme Kleutertje luister, 'Toddler listen' (1946-1975).
Commentary: song with motions of the hand. Line 5: a child makes up a motion, like waving. Line 6, 8-9: the other children imitate the motion.
This children's song is so commonly known, that most people think it is a traditional children's song.
Lyrics 'Een treintje ging uit rijden' on Dutch website: Kinderliedjes met muziek T or Wiegeliedjes en slaapliedjes.
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Two girls sheltered from the rain
under mum's umbrella.
Hanneke and Janneke
they were best friends for ever.
And their wooden shoes did click, click, click
and the rain was tapping tick, tick, tick
on mother's umbrella
on mother's umbrella.
Onder moeders paraplu
liepen eens twee kindjes.
Hanneke en Janneke
dat waren dikke vrindjes.
En hun klompjes gingen van klik, klak, klik
en de regen deed van tik, tak, tik
op moeders paraplu
op moeders paraplu.
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