'K Zag Twee Beren Broodjes Smeren
The oldest version of this song was collected in the Netherlands circa 1850.
'K Zag Twee Beren Broodjes Smeren
I Saw Two Bears Making Sandwiches
Children's Song
Children's Song
(Dutch)
(English)
'k Zag twee beren broodjes smeren,
O, dat was een wonder.
't Was een wonder boven wonder
dat die beren smeren konden.
Hi hi hi, ha ha ha!
'k Stond er bij en ik keek er naar.
'k Zag twee apen nootjes kraken,
O, dat was een wonder.
't Was een wonder boven wonder
dat die apen nootjes kraken konden.
Hi hi hi, ha ha ha!
'k Stond er bij en ik keek er naar.
'k Zag twee ossen kolen lossen
O, dat was een wonder.
't Was een wonder boven wonder
dat die ossen lossen konden.
Hi hi hi, ha ha ha!
'k Stond er bij en ik keek er naar.
'k Zag twee hennen de hoek omrennen
O, dat was een wonder.
't Was een wonder boven wonder
dat die hennen omnennen konden.
Hi hi hi, ha ha ha!
'k Stond er bij en ik keek er naar.
'k Zag twee mussen elkaar kussen
O, dat was een wonder.
't Was een wonder boven wonder
dat die mussen kussen konden.
Hi hi hi, ha ha ha!
'k Stond er bij en ik keek er naar.
'k Zag twee vliegen kindjes wiegen
O, dat was een wonder.
't Was een wonder boven wonder
dat die vliegen wiegen konden.
Hi hi hi, ha ha ha!
'k Stond er bij en ik keek er naar.
'k Zag twee koeien bootjes roeien
O, dat was een wonder.
't Was een wonder boven wonder
dat die koeie roeien konden.
Hi hi hi, ha ha ha!
'k Stond er bij en ik keek er naar.
'k Zag twee ganzen tango dansen
O, dat was een wonder.
't Was een wonder boven wonder
dat die gazen dansen konden.
Hi hi hi, ha ha ha!
'k Stond er bij en ik keek er naar.
'k Zag twee slangen de was ophangen
O, dat was een wonder.
't Was een wonder boven wonder
dat die slangen ophangen konden.
Hi hi hi, ha ha ha!
'k Stond er bij en ik keek er naar.
'k Zag twee vossen moto-crossen
O, dat was een wonder.
't Was een wonder boven wonder
dat die vossen crossen konden.
Hi hi hi, ha ha ha!
'k Stond er bij en ik keek er naar.
'k Zag twee blieken tabak sjieken
O, dat was een wonder.
't Was een wonder boven wonder
dat die blieken sjieken konden.
Hi hi hi, ha ha ha!
'k Stond er bij en ik keek er naar.
'k Zag twee vlooien lakens plooien
O, dat was een wonder.
't Was een wonder boven wonder
dat die vlooien plooien konden.
Hi hi hi, ha ha ha!
'k Stond er bij en ik keek er naar.
'k Zag twee uilen tabak snuiven
O, dat was een wonder.
't Was een wonder boven wonder
dat die uilen snuiven konden.
Hi hi hi, ha ha ha!
'k Stond er bij en ik keek er naar.
'k Zag twee leeuwen dit liedje kwelen
O, dat was een wonder.
't Was een wonder boven wonder
dat die leeuwen kwelen konden.
Hi hi hi, ha ha ha!
'k Stond er bij en ik keek er naar
I saw two bears making sandwiches,
Oh, that was a miracle.
Lo and behold, it was a miracle
That those bears could make sandwiches.
Hee hee hee, ha ha ha!
I stood there and I watched them.
I saw two monkeys cracking nuts,
Oh, that was a miracle.
Lo and behold, it was a miracle
That those monkeys could crack nuts.
Hee hee hee, ha ha ha!
I stood there and I watched them.
I saw two oxen unloading coal,
Oh, that was a miracle.
Lo and behold, it was a miracle
That those oxen could unload coal.
Hee hee hee, ha ha ha!
I stood there and I watched them.
I saw two hens running around the corner,
Oh, that was a miracle.
Lo and behold, it was a miracle
That those hens could run around the corner.
Hee hee hee, ha ha ha!
I stood there and I watched them.
I saw two sparrows kissing each other,
Oh, that was a miracle.
Lo and behold, it was a miracle
That those sparrows could kiss.
Hee hee hee, ha ha ha!
I stood there and I watched them.
I saw two flies rocking their kids to sleep,
Oh, that was a miracle.
Lo and behold, it was a miracle
That those flies could rock their kids.
Hee hee hee, ha ha ha!
I stood there and I watched them.
I saw two cows rowing boats,
Oh, that was a miracle.
Lo and behold, it was a miracle
That those cows could row.
Hee hee hee, ha ha ha!
I stood there and I watched them.
I saw two geese dancing the tango,
Oh, that was a miracle.
Lo and behold, it was a miracle
That those geese could dance.
Hee hee hee, ha ha ha!
I stood there and I watched them.
I saw two snakes hanging the laundry,
Oh, that was a miracle.
Lo and behold, it was a miracle
That those snakes could hang the laundry.
Hee hee hee, ha ha ha!
I stood there and I watched them.
I saw two foxes cross-country motorcycle racing,
Oh, that was a miracle.
Lo and behold, it was a miracle
That those foxes could motorcycle race.
Hee hee hee, ha ha ha!
I stood there and I watched them.
I saw two minnows pruning tobacco,
Oh, that was a miracle.
Lo and behold, it was a miracle
That those minnows could prune tobacco.
Hee hee hee, ha ha ha!
I stood there and I watched them.
I saw two fleas folding sheets,
Oh, that was a miracle.
Lo and behold, it was a miracle
That those fleas could fold sheets.
Hee hee hee, ha ha ha!
I stood there and I watched them.
I saw two owls sniffing tobacco,
Oh, that was a miracle.
Lo and behold, it was a miracle
That those owls could sniff tobacco.
Hee hee hee, ha ha ha!
I stood there and I watched them.
I saw two lions droning this song,
Oh, that was a miracle.
Lo and behold, it was a miracle
That those lions could drone this song.
Hee hee hee, ha ha ha!
I stood there and I watched them.
Notes
Niklas wrote the following notes about the song:
"The 'k is a short form of 'ik' (I), the 't a short form of 'het' (it). Abbreviations like this are often used in rhymes and songs to preserve the rhythm, an example in English would be the 't in 'T was the night before Christmas...
'Wonder boven wonder' (wonder on top of wonder) is a Dutch expression roughly equivalent to the English 'Lo and behold'.
The song is a collection of silly rhymes on animals. The verses all follow the same pattern:
I saw two -x- do -y-
Oh it was a wonder
't was a wonder on a wonder (Lo and behold, what a wonder)
that this -x- could -y-
hi-hi-hi. ha-ha-ha
I stood there and watched them."
Niklas wrote:
Re. The 2nd verse - "I often sang a variation:
'k zag twee apen nootjes rapen - I saw two monkeys collecting nuts (because the 'rapen' makes a better rime then the 'kraken')."
Re. The 13th verse - "I remember a version with a better rhyme:
'K zag twee uilen kaartjes ruilen - I saw two owls trading cards."
Re. The last verse - "Kwelen is a pejorative for singing... like butchering a song."
Comments
Petra wrote, "We are all from Antwerpen in Belgium originally now living in the UK and my mum sings this to my daughter so we can teach her Flemish."
Hunter sent this lovely note with the recording below...
"I recently stumbled upon your site 'Mama Lisa's World of Children and International Culture" and really appreciate the project. With the help of your site I learned how to play the Dutch children's song 'K zag twee beren' much to the delight of my friends in Belgium. I noticed there were already videos posted I thought I would at least pass along the recording I made of a handful of my favorite verses in case you find it useful.
Thank you for your wonderful contribution to the internet and the world connected."
Many thanks to Hunter Jeffreys for singing this song for us!
Thanks!
Thanks!
Thanks and Acknowledgements
Thanks to Tine Deschryver and Kim Welkenhuysen for contributing this song. Thanks also to Petra for contributing the second verse. Thanks to Niklas Oberfeld for the longer version of the song, a score and his comments. Translation by Niklas Oberfeld and Lisa Yannucci. Image graphically edited by Lisa.
Dank u wel!
