Can Anyone Help with a Czech Rhyme that Sounds Like “Hou-py, hou-py, hou-py”?
October 14th, 2009

Anna wrote:

Do you know the nursery rhyme that begins:

Hou-py, hou-py, hou-py,
Ko-cka sue-dla krou-py
Do-cour hruch

I’ll try my best to write this poem-rhyme out for you. Of course, I will not be able to add the correct accent marks, punctuations marks, etc. The writing I have to copy is very small, so I hope my letters are accurate! Here goes!

Hou-pa-cka

hou-py, hou-py, hou-py!
ko-cka sue-dla krou-py,
ko-cour hrac
na ka-mnach;
ko-la-la se hue-va-ly,
ze jim ta-ky ne-da-ly.
hou-py, hou-py, hou-py!
by-ly vsec-ky hlou-py.

A friend of mine gave me a beautiful framed gift of this rhyme… he says his grandfather would sing it to him. But he doesn’t know what it means.

My mother is Czech, Vlasta, but she no longer can help me with this.

Your help would be very nice.

Thank you, Anna Vdolek Bratney

If anyone knows the correct spelling of the rhyme and/or if you can provide an English translation, please let us know in the comments below.

Thanks in advance!

Mama Lisa

This article was posted on Wednesday, October 14th, 2009 at 9:47 am and is filed under Czech, Czech Nursery Rhymes, Czech Republic, Flower Arranging, Languages, Mama Lisa, Nursery Rhymes, Poetry, Questions, Readers Questions. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

6 Responses to “Can Anyone Help with a Czech Rhyme that Sounds Like “Hou-py, hou-py, hou-py”?”

  1. Maarten Ouwehand Says:
    October 15th, 2009 at 6:39 am

    On this site: http://www.jevicko.org/paloucek/foukani/noty.aspx
    I found a version with music-notation:

    HOU-PY HOU-PY
    KOČ-KA SNĚD-LA KROU-PY
    KO-COUR HRÁCH NA KAM-NÁCH
    KO-ŤA-TA SE HNĚ-VA-LA
    ŽE JIM TAK-KY NE-DA-LA

    And here: http://www.fisher-price.com/fp.aspx?st=172050&e=activityDetail&cid=197300&ctypecode=np&ccat=play_and_learn&minRelAge=3&maxRelAge=6

    I found a longer version.
    I’m no Czech but perhaps is this google-translation a little helpful ..;-)
    Rock, rock, rock

    Rock, rock, rock, cat ate hail
    cat games in kamnách,
    kittens are angry that they did not give too.
    Rock, rock, rock, were all stupid.

    Rock, rock, rock, cat ate hail
    kittens and millet, the furnace ran,
    dragged to the pond, where fish caught,
    was not to fiddle, hiding under rocks.

    And the last one: http://www.life4us.cz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=37&Itemid=1

    This version is even longer …I think…;-)

    Maarten

  2. Lisa Says:
    October 15th, 2009 at 9:10 pm

    Thanks for all your help Maarten! That’s wonderful! If anyone can provide another translation that would be great.

    Mama Lisa

  3. Lisa Says:
    October 17th, 2009 at 5:44 pm

    Judy Goodman Rayner wrote:

    Houpacka
    Houpy houpy houpy
    Kocka snedla kroupy
    kocour hrach
    na kamnach… Read More
    kotata se hnevala
    ze jim taky nedala
    houpy houpy houpy
    byly vsecky hloupy

    Translation:
    Rocking rocking rocking the baby
    the cat ate the barley
    the tomcat ate the peas
    on the stove
    kittens were angry
    that they didn’t get anything
    rocking rocking rocking the baby
    they were all silly

    Thanks Judy! -Mama Lisa

  4. fran rhodes Says:
    February 19th, 2010 at 10:14 pm

    I have been looking for translation of Houpy song… if you found anything more please email.

  5. Lisa Says:
    February 20th, 2010 at 3:25 pm

    Hi,

    I would check here from time to time to see if anyone writes in. Also, you can sign up to be notified of follow up comments via email.

    Cheers!

    Mama Lisa

  6. Hana Says:
    April 1st, 2010 at 4:36 am

    Hey,

    I was looking at your easter egg dying page and then, browsing, I got here.
    The translation you got above (Oct 17th, 09) is spot on. I am Czech btw.

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