Can Anyone Help with a Norwegian Rhyme with the Line, “Kan du gleme gammel Norge”?

David Russett wrote: I'm trying to find the words to a Norwegian rhyme or song. The only part I know goes something like: Kan du gleme gammel Norge? O vey! Ya, ya, gleme kan! Or it may be: Kan du huske gammel Norge? Ove! Ya, Ya, huske kan! Does anyone know the rest of this little rhyme? Some of the old Norwegians [...]

Can Anyone Help with a Rhyme Sounding Like, “Oddly boddlee finga hoof”? It's Most Likely German!

David Stewart wrote: Lisa, maybe you can help me with a poem my mother (now 78) learned from her grandmother when she was a child. I believe it is German and she has no idea what it means but has asked many people the meaning and has never found out. Your help would be greatly appreciated. [...]

Lyrics to Anna Banana and Hannah Banana with an MP3

A third grader named Marisa taught me a hand clapping rhyme called “Hannah Banana”. It comes from a jump rope rhyme called “Anna Banana”. The lyrics to “Anna Banana” are: Anna Banana Plays the piana. All she can play Is the Star Spangled Banner. Anna Banana split. “Hannah Banana”, on the other hand, is a hand clapping rhyme. [...]

Are There “Correct” Versions of Traditional Nursery Rhymes and Songs?

People often write to us looking for the correct version of a song or rhyme. Monique Palomares, who I work with on the songs and rhymes that are posted on Mama Lisa's World wrote the following about this topic… Until mass media devices were available, songs were mostly passed down through generations by oral transmission. [...]

Can Someone Help with 2 Danish or Swedish Nursery Rhymes? We Have a Recording of Them!

Lori wrote: Dear Mama Lisa, I am so excited to find this website because I have been searching for many years to find out about two Danish or Swedish nursery rhymes (you can listen to them by clicking the link). My mother’s beloved grandfather, Lars Christensen, used to bounce her on his knee and recite these [...]

Does Anyone Know a Short Poem or Rhyme about Spring?

Rebeca Garcia Mendoza wrote Hi! I'm a Spanish girl who is preparing resources to teach English to Spanish children. I'm looking for rhymes about seasons and I have a problem. I cannot find a short one of Spring. If anybody knows one, please, tell me! Thanks. If anyone can help out Rebeca, please let us know in the [...]

A Nursery Rhyme Story and Illustration

Young nursery rhyme lovers will enjoy this little story featuring Mother Goose characters.  Kids who aren't familiar with a lot of nursery rhymes can learn new ones.  I made each character linkable to a page where you can read that character's rhyme.  At the end of the story is an illustration that includes many of [...]

Handclapping Rhyme - Stella Ella Ola and Quack Dilly Oso with a YouTube Video

Uly sent me a handclapping rhyme called “Quack Dilly Oso” which she said many people actually know as “Stella Ella Ola”. Here are the words to “Quack Dilly Oso” that Uly sent me: Quack Dilly Oso Quack dilly oso, quack quack qua-ack, Saaaanyorita*, rita rita rita, velo! Velo! Velo, velo, velo, velo! One two three FOUR. *Uly wrote, [...]

Does Anyone Know a Rhyme about Moving on Different Days of the Week?

AFG wrote to me: Have you any knowledge of a rhyme which includes each day of the week and has to do with “Moving House” ? i.e… Move on Monday and . . . Move on Tuesday and . . . Move on Wednesday and . . . etc. etc AFG. If anyone can help out with [...]

Chenodia - Mother Goose in Dead Languages

Chenodia, The Classic Mother Goose (1871) by John Bigelow was just released online.  It appears to be the traditional English nursery rhymes translated into Latin and Ancient Greek. If anyone knows anything else about this text, please let us know in the comments below. Mama Lisa