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Contents
Posts
A German Bedbug Song called “Auf der Mauer, auf der Lauer”
Thursday, November 12th, 2009RosaMaria asked me about a German song called Auf der Mauer, auf der Lauer on the Mama Lisa’s World Facebook Group. I found the YouTube video below of the song. Below the video I posted the German lyrics, followed by an English translation I did…
Auf der Mauer, auf der Lauer
sitzt ‘ne kleine Wanze.
Seht euch nur die Wanze an,
wie die Wanze tanzen kann!
Auf der Mauer, auf der Lauer
sitzt ‘ne kleine Wanze.Auf der Mauer, auf der Lauer
sitzt ‘ne kleine Wanz.
Seht euch nur die Wanz an,
wie die Wanz tanz kann!
Auf der Mauer, auf der Lauer
sitzt ‘ne kleine Wanz.Auf der Mauer, auf der Lauer
sitzt ‘ne kleine Wan.
Seht euch nur die Wan an,
wie die Wan tan kann!
Auf der Mauer, auf der Lauer
sitzt ‘ne kleine Wan.Auf der Mauer, auf der Lauer
sitzt ‘ne kleine Wa.
Seht euch nur die Wa an,
wie die Wa ta kann!
Auf der Mauer, auf der Lauer
sitzt ‘ne kleine Wa.Auf der Mauer, auf der Lauer
sitzt ‘ne kleine W.
Seht euch nur die W an,
wie die W t kann!
Auf der Mauer, auf der Lauer
sitzt ‘ne kleine W.Auf der Mauer, auf der Lauer
Sitzt ‘ne kleine -.
Seht euch nur die – an,
wie die – - kann!
Auf der Mauer, auf der Lauer
Sitzt ‘ne kleine -.This song works a bit like BINGO where you take one letter out of the word in each verse – but you pronounce the word instead of spelling it out like BINGO. In this case there are two words that work like this in the song: “wanze” (bug) and “tanzen” (dance) in German. Wanze means bedbug or bug. I’m going to use “buggy” like the diminutive for bug in my translation to keep a 5 letter word like the German word “wanze”. I used “boogie” for “dance” (the German “tanzen”). I made this change based on the sound of the words, since buggy and boogie are closer to a rhyme like the German “wanze” and “tanzen”.
English Translation
On the wall, on the lookout,
Sits a small buggy.
Look at just the buggy,
How the buggy can boogie!
On the wall, on the lookout,
Sits a small buggy.On the wall, on the lookout,
Sits a small bugg.
Look at just the bugg,
How the bugg can boog!
On the wall, on the lookout,
Sits a small bugg.On the wall, on the lookout
Sits a small bug.
Look at just the bug,
How the bug can boo!
On the wall, on the lookout
Sits a small bug.On the wall, on the lookout
Sits a small bu.
Look at just the bu,
How the bu can bo!
On the wall, on the lookout
Sits a small bu.On the wall, on the lookout
Sits a small b.
Look at just the b,
How the b can b!
On the wall, on the lookout
Sits a small b.On the wall, on the lookout
Sits a small ___.
Look at just the ___,
How the ___ can ___!
On the wall, on the lookout
Sits a small ___.I always welcome comments, criticism or corrections on my translation or on the original German lyrics.
Enjoy!
Mama Lisa
Can Someone Help with a German Lap Rhyme?
Wednesday, October 28th, 2009Gloria wrote to me:
Hi, my grandma (born in Eisleben in 1875, emigrating to the Midwest in 1902, married her second husband (my grandfather) in St. Paul, lived most of her life in Wisconsin with her third husband), recited a rhyme when dandling a baby on her extended foot, either with legs crossed at the hips (or just straight out, but the dad’s were best at that). The rest of the family did it for every baby/little child, including myself. We never saw it in print, and we only have the phonetic sound from listening to it. Phonetically, it went something like what follows. I would dearly love to know exactly what it meant, although it is obvious based on what happened to the child:
Grandma (and all the rest of us who had children) would cross her legs at her hips, sit the baby on her upper ankle, hold the baby’s two hands in hers, and bounce the baby lightly up and down, until the end of the rhyme, when she would let the child fall back, laughing, and then lift the child back up, and begin again!
Scheckle, scheckle, reiderlein,
Ven die kinder kleinerschein
Reiden zie auf steckerlein,Ven zie greis auf verten
Reiden zie auferten
Zen zie verten,
Klip, Klop, Klip Klop
Reiden zi (then something like a scary word or sounds)“Boom stehl leckta!” really loud!
The adult lets the child fall back, usually grinning happily. (Sometimes a baby didn’t like it but others wanted you to pull them up onto your ankle and do it again! Some kids got a little dizzy if you did this action too fast! But mostly they loved it. I don’t remember their doing it with me, but I am certain they did, that’s where the phonetic sound and rhythm of the lines as I remember them come in, as well as my mother’s saying it to me when I was older and wanted her to tell me what it was, but it would always have been a phonetic memory, since she never really learned much German except what was common… the words you aren’t supposed to say!) This was done several times, until either one’s leg was tired, or the child needed a rest. I just used the phonetic version when I treated my kids as babies to the fun game, but for some reason I never asked my grandma. I was told that it meant something like, “When a child is little it rides on a stick horse, but when it tries to ride a real horse, he will go faster and fall off.” Have you ever heard this? I possibly have some of the phonetics wrongly remembered, but the rhythm and sounds and actions are still in my brain.
Thanks for any help you can give. I do like your website, I found it by way of BING. I think it is very interesting as to the German, lots of Germans settled in America. My father’s ancestors may have come from Austria, as well as Germany, but came to Wisconsin in the 1840’s, met and married, learned English, so they never spoke German at all when we knew them. A grandson, age 12, who has been learning German, took to it immediately, and loves it, as well as Norwegian, so there must be an inherited acclimation to the sound of a language.
Sincerely,
Gloria Koeser Laundrie
Thanks for sharing your song with us Gloria! If anyone can help with the German version and/or an English translation, please let us know in the comments below.
Cheers!
Mama Lisa
Pennsylvania Dutch Version of Dies Ist der Daumen – This Is the Thumb
Saturday, October 17th, 2009I’ve been asked several times for the Pennsylvania Dutch Version of the German rhyme Dies Ist der Daumen – This Is the Thumb. Today I received the version below thanks to Luke and Mary Martin. Here’s what Luke wrote…
My wife and I are also familiar with many of the German songs. This morning while looking for them, I found the finger rhyme, and your question about the Pennsylvania German variation. This is the song my father used to sing to us – seven children. Pennsylvania German has many varieties of spelling, and perhaps you can sharpen up the spelling. (My wife, Mary, and I worked at the pronunciation and spelling of the Pennsylvania German Finger Song. Mary grew up speaking Pennsylvania German.) Here it goes…
Des ist die Daume
Des ist die Daume
Der schittelt die Plaume
Der laest sie ouf
Der traught sie Haem
Und des glae Bopplemaul
Bopplet alles mit’n ahnna da Haem.This is the thumb.
This [one] shakes the plums,
This [one] picks them up,
This [one] brings them home,
And this little tattletale tells everyone at home.It was always spoken, not sung.
Thanks for your work in collecting old songs.
Luke Martin
(Pennsylvania)If anyone would like to give other variations of the spelling, feel free to in the comments below. Many thanks to Luke Martin for sending this version of the rhyme to us!
Enjoy!
Mama Lisa
Can Anyone Help with a Rhyme Sounding Like, “Oddly boddlee finga hoof”? It’s Most Likely German!
Tuesday, June 9th, 2009David 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. It goes something like this (of course the spelling is off):
Oddly boddlee finga hoof
Steck ta bow wow
Also goot
Katch s-mouse
Bow wow schnauzIf anyone can help David with the original words to this rhyme and/or a translation, please let us know in the comments below.
Thanks!
Mama Lisa
Mama Lisa Now Has a Facebook Group
Sunday, February 22nd, 2009We’d love it if you’d join the Mama Lisa Facebook Group. You can post anything you’d like about your culture. You can post your own musical recordings or YouTube videos… Links to culture and musical sites… Photos of your country… Questions about songs or cultural issues… Anything related to World Culture and Music…
Click on the icon below to access the group. If you have a Facebook account already, you just need to click on “Join the Group” to join. If you’re not a member, you simply have to sign up for free to become a member and then you can join the Mama Lisa Group…
Looking forward to seeing you in Facebook!
Mama Lisa
Barbershop Quartet recording of “Stille Nacht!” – “Silent Night” in German
Monday, December 15th, 2008Matt Huffman sent us this Barbershop Quartet recording of the first verse of “Stille Nacht! Heil’ge Nacht!”. It’s the original version of the Christmas song, “Silent Night” – which was first written as a poem in German by Joseph Mohr in 1816. Below the mp3 recording you’ll find the German lyrics, followed by an English translation.
Listen to the Barbershop Quartet version of Still Nacht – 1st verse – mp3
Stille Nacht! Heil’ge Nacht!
(German Lyrics)Stille Nacht! Heil’ge Nacht!
Alles schläft; einsam wacht
Nur das traute hoch heilige Paar.
Holder Knab’ im lockigen Haar,
Schlafe in himmlischer Ruh!
Schlafe in himmlischer Ruh!Stille Nacht! Heil’ge Nacht!
Hirten erst kundgemacht
Durch der Engel Alleluja,
Tönt es laut bei Ferne und Nah:
"Jesus der Retter ist da!"
"Jesus der Retter ist da!"Stille Nacht! Heil’ge Nacht!
Gottes Sohn, o wie lacht
Lieb’ aus deinem göttlichen Mund,
Da uns schlägt die rettende Stund’.
Jesus in deiner Geburt!
Jesus in deiner Geburt!Here’s the English translation of “Stille Nacht”. The translation is of the German song – it’s not the English song “Silent Night” – which is different…
Silent Night, Holy Night
(English Translation of the German Original)Silent night, holy night,
All’s asleep, alone awake
Only that faithful, holy couple.
The nice boy with curly hair,
Sleeps in heavenly peace,
Sleeps in heavenly peace!Silent night, holy night,
To the shepherds first announced,
By the angels’ Alleluia,
Is sounding aloud from far and near:
“Jesus the Savior is here.”
“Jesus the Savior is here.”Silent night, holy night,
O Son of God, lovingly laughs,
From your divine mouth!
Now, the hour of salvation rings for us,
Jesus, in thy birth,
Jesus, in thy birth!Many thanks to Matt Huffman for the recording. English translation by Lisa Yannucci and Monique Palomares.
Here’s a link to the long version of Stille Nacht
Here are some recent holiday music posts you might enjoy…
Short Holiday Jazz Animation
Yiddish version of Oh, Chanukah with YouTube video and lyrics
English Video of Oh Chanukah with lyrics
Video and Lyrics of Willie Take Your Little Drum
Patapan video in French with Lyrics and Translation
Good King Wenceslas with lyrics, back-story and video
Multicultural Songs about the Seasons
Wednesday, August 20th, 2008People often write me looking for songs about the four seasons, from around the world. Here are some! The links below take you to the different pages on Mama Lisa’s World of International Childrens Songs. There, you’ll find the lyrics in the original languages, with English translations.
Songs about Winter
Yuki (Snow) – Japanese
A, a, a, der Winter, der ist da (A, a, a, Winter is Here) – German
La neige tombe (The Snow is Falling) – French from Canada
Zemestoon (Winter) – Persian from Iran
Kış (Winter) – Turkish from TurkeySongs about Spring
La Primavera (Springtime) – Spanish from Peru
Haru Ga Kita (Spring Has Come) – Japanese
De Colores (All the Colors) – Spanish from Mexico & SpainSongs about Summer
Trarira, der Sommer, der ist da! (Tilitum, The Summer Has Come) – German
Songs about Autumn or Fall
Couleurs d’automne (Colors of Autumn) – French
Songs or Rhymes about All Four SeasonsJoereszäiten (Seasons) – Franconian from Lorraine Region in France
Les feuilles (Leaves) – French from CanadaWhen you get to the song pages you can access French and Spanish translations too, and in some cases mp3 recordings, midis and/or scores.
Feel free to add a song about any of the seasons in the comments below or email me.
Mama Lisa
Easter Customs in Germany
Thursday, March 13th, 2008Christine von Kannen-Balgar sent me this fascinating letter, answering some questions I had about Easter customs in Germany:
Dear Lisa,
To answer to your e-mail:
1) I’ve never heard of a German custom of eating green eggs on Maundy (Green Thursday) [scroll down to the discussion of Green Dyes to see what Christine is referring to - Lisa].
2) In Germany the Catholics used to eat green vegetables on Green Thursday (and maybe also the Lutherans/Protestants).
Well, nowadays almost everything has changed! I shall try to explain to you about Maundy, Lent and Easter (and the Easter Bunny) in Germany.
What you are talking of was a matter of religion. In North Rhine Westphalia, where I come from, and in most parts of south Germany most people were Catholics, so is/was my family. When I was a child or young girl (and I am 63 now) we used to “lent”, which means that the children did not eat sweets. We collected all sweets we got in a big glass, and on Easter Sunday, when Lent was over, we put it into our “Easter baskets” with the other sweets and EGGS. The “Easter Bunny” brings little children eggs and all Easter sweets! I think nobody really knows where this custom came from. Though it is known that the Easter Bunny first became popular in Germany in the 16th century.
People in Germany also make Easter trees. They hollow out eggs, dye them and hang them on shrubs or trees.
Lent started on Ash Wednesday, the day after Carnival and ended on Easter Sunday (do you know that in Germany we have an “Easter Monday”, which is a holiday – no work?!).
On Green Thursday we used to eat spinach or green cabbage (it is a green kind/sort of cabbage) or brussels sprouts. Or any other green vegetable you can think of (winter vegetables – as you’ve written in your e-mail). But not eggs!
I don’t know what had been the custom in the 18th or 19th century, but since the beginning of the 20th century (my grandparents were born between 1874 – 1887) we have known this custom of green vegetables on Maundy. I never heart about eating green eggs on Maundy.
We eat eggs on Easter.
On Good Friday or Good Saturday we boil the eggs (they must be hard boiled, so that you can keep them for a few days). Then we colour them red, blue, yellow, green etc. or speckled with special “Easter Eggs Colouring”.
On Good Friday we used to eat fish or anything else, but never meat – a “law” of the Catholic Church.
So the Catholics were not allowed at all to eat meat on Fridays (according to Church Law, which is not a law given by Jesus but by the Institution of the Catholic Church!). But you might know that. As I said, custom and things change. Nowadays, almost nobody cares for that. We all eat meat on a Friday, and maybe this Church Law was given up!? I don’t know. But we still eat coloured eggs on Easter and give eggs, together with sweets, in a little basket, to children, sometimes also to adults.
Best wishes from Old Germany
ChristineThanks for sharing information about your customs in Germany with us Christine! Many of our customs in the US are the same. I believe a lot of them came here through the Pennsylvania Dutch (German immigrants to America).
Recently, I’ve even started to see Easter trees here too. I believe that’s a new custom.
If anyone knows more about the custom of eating green Easter eggs in Germany on Green Thursday, or if you’d like to share your customs with us, feel free to comment below or email me.
Happy Easter!
Mama Lisa
The Symbolism of the Egg
Saturday, February 23rd, 2008As Easter approaches, it’s natural to think a little about eggs!
In days gone by the egg, due to its shape, was a symbol of the earth. Thanks to its obvious association with the beginning of life, it has also been the basis of many ancient creation stories. It has been a symbol of fertility, rebirth and the cycle of life. These latter symbols are so close to what Springtime is all about that it’s no wonder it’s been an important part of Spring celebrations since pre-Christian times.
As Europe became Christian, eggs became a symbol of Easter and the resurrection of Jesus. In the past, Christians gave up eggs for Lent (the 40 days before Easter when it’s customary to give up different types of food). But even though people didn’t eat them, the hens kept laying them! So people would hard boil and decorate them. This would help preserve them longer and serve as part of the holiday festivities.
The egg is also part of the Jewish Passover holiday that takes place in the Spring. The egg is placed on the Seder plate and is a symbol of sacrifice and loss. Yet to some it also symbolizes the full cycle of life, and therefore hope and rebirth. (The egg is a more recent addition to the Seder plate compared to the other symbolic items that are found there and its symbolic meaning seems to be more open to interpretation.)
In China, red eggs are given out at the one month birthday of a new baby. It’s customary to hold a Red Egg and Ginger Party at this time. Once again, the source seems to be the egg’s role as a symbol of fertility and the beginning of life.
So here we come full circle (or oval) with the egg as a wonderful symbol of birth, renewal and rebirth. This is something wonderful to consider as Springtime approaches in the northern hemisphere, where the Earth will soon come back to life!
Feel free to let us know about any special symbolism of the egg in your culture in the comments below.
Another Version of the German Carol Leise rieselt der Schnee – The Snow Quietly Falls
Monday, December 17th, 2007Recently, I posted a German song called Leise rieselt der Schnee (The Snow Quietly Falls), with a YouTube recording. Here is another YouTube recording of this song. This is a video of 2 people singing it in a park. It’s very lively!
This version has an additional verse, so I retranslated the whole song and included it. You can find the lyrics below in German and English. If you’re interested in reading a rhyming, singable English translation, check out my previous post.
Leise rieselt der Schnee
Leise rieselt der Schnee,
Still und starr ruht der See,
Weihnachlicht glänzet der wald.
Freue dich,’s Christkind kommt bald!In den Herzen wird’s warm,
Still schweigt Kummer und Harm,
Sorge des lebbens verhalt.
Freue dich,’s Christkind kommt bald!’s Kindlein, göttlich und arm,
Macht die Herzen so warm,
Strahle, du Stern überm Wald,
Freue dich, Christkind kommt bald!Bald ist heilige Nacht,
Chor der Engel erwacht,
Hört nur, wie lieblich es schallt:
Freue dich,’s Christkind kommt bald!The Snow Quietly Falls
The snow quietly falls,
The lake rests silent and still,
The woods shine in holy light
Be glad, the Christ child comes soon!It makes us feel warm in our hearts
Still and calm are sorrow and grief,
Worries of life they fade away,
Be glad, the Christ child comes soon!See the babe, divine and poor,
Makes the heart feel so warm,
Shine, star over the woods,
Be glad the Christ Child comes soon!Soon it will be the holy night,
Choir of angels awake,
Hear how lovely it sounds,
Be glad, the Christ child comes soon!Many thanks to “7syn” for letting me post her YouTube video!
-Mama Lisa
A German Christmas Song called Leise rieselt der Schnee – Softly Falls Each Snowflake
Friday, December 14th, 2007This German Christmas Carol was written by Eduard Ebel (1839-1905) and translated into English by Loralee Jo Kurzius. You can watch the YouTube video I found where you can hear it sung.
Softly Falls Each Snow Flake
(English Translation)Softly falls each snow flake
Silent and frozen the lake
Christmas shimmers from the moon.
Rejoice the Christ child comes soon!In our hearts we feel warm
Free from worries and harm
Cares of life fade far away
Come soon dear Christ-Child, we pray!Soon his journey he’ll take
Choir of angels awake
Hear how sublime it does ring
The Christ Child’s birth we will sing.Leise rieselt der Schnee
(German)Leise rieselt der Schnee,
Still und starr ruht der See,
Weihnachlicht glänzet der wald.
Freue dich,’s Christkind kommt bald!In den Herzen wird’s warm,
Still schweigt Kummer und Harm,
Sorge des lebbens verhalt.
Freue dich,’s Christkind kommt bald!Bald ist heilige Nacht,
Chor der Engel erwacht,
Hört nur, wie lieblich es schallt:
Freue dich,’s Christkind kommt bald!Many thanks to Loralee Jo Kurzius for contributing this song and for providing the translation and to “Veilchen” for letting me post her recording!
-Mama Lisa
UPDATE: Check out my later post for a version of Leise rieselt der Schnee with 4 verses and a different English translation and another YouTube video rendition of the song!
Can Anyone Help with Some Swiss German Songs?
Tuesday, October 30th, 2007Renee wrote:
I’m looking for three children’s songs my grandmother sung to me.
One was: Here comes the bear, where does he want to go? He wants to go to (name of child)’s
house. She would say this in Swiss German.The next was: Rumpity bumpity halter stock, vermind. She would also speak in Swiss German and I am unsure of the rest of it. The middle of the song she asked how many fingers she held up. If you were correct, the song continued, if not, she went back to the beginning. But the end was: What do you want water or wine? If you wanted water she would vigorously rub your back. If it was wine she would tell you were too young for wine and slap your behind.
The third was a song she would sing while walking with us. She would hold both our hands and she would criss cross hers and swing us from side to side while saying (hail a room boom boom) and I think it referred to the kaiser – something about kick him in the pants.
If you could help in Swiss and English I thank you.
ReneeIf anyone can help Renee with any of these songs or nursery rhymes, please comment below.
Thanks!
Lisa
Could Someone Please Check My English Translation of a German Nursery Rhyme?
Monday, July 23rd, 2007I received the German nursery rhyme below without an English translation in 2001. I just came across it on my computer. It seemed like such a nice one that I decided to try to translate it. I would greatly appreciate it if a German English speaker could check my English translation below to make sure it’s correct. (I’m particularly questioning the two middle lines.) Then it can be added to my collection of traditional German songs and nursery rhymes!
Hans Hat Hosen An
(German)Hans hat Hosen an und die sind rund.
Gretchen hat ein Huetchen auf und das ist bunt.
Das ist nichts muss anders kommen,
Das ist nichts muss ander kommen.
Hans hat Hosen an und die sind bunt.
Gretchen hat ein Huetchen auf und das ist rund.Hans Wears Pants
(English)Hans wears pants and they are round.
Gretchen wears a hat and that is colorful.
That is nothing must appear differently,
That is nothing must appear otherwise.
Hans wears pants and they are colorful.
Gretchen wears a hat and that is round.Please comment below or email me if you can help.
Thanks in advance!
Lisa
Can Someone Help with an Old German Nursery Rhyme?
Saturday, June 23rd, 2007I received this email today:
I’m wondering if you have info on an old German nursery rhyme? We just returned from a trip to Germany with my elderly mother (American, but German parents), who asked many people about it. Almost everyone knew of it, but no one could remember the words, most of them stopping, humorously enough, in the same place as my mother’s memory did, knowing only the first few lines.
It’s something about a cat sitting behind a warm stove, cleaning its face. My mother wrote down the first few lines, perhaps more phonetically than correctly, as follows:
Bitcha, batcha, beta
Hintern offen stehterSchmickt sein steuffli
Schmicht sein shuAny way of getting the complete and correct version of the words?
Thanks,
BGB
If anyone can help out with this nursery rhyme, please comment below or email me.
Thanks!
Lisa
Can Anyone Help with a German Song/Rhyme that Begins Like “Vender kinder klinderzine”?
Thursday, June 14th, 2007Tami wrote:
Mama Lisa,
My name is Tami Best and I am looking for some help with a song. I am working on getting the original and English translation to a German children’s song/rhyme that has been passed down from generations. My dad is turing 60 and I am trying to suprise him with this for his birthday, as this was a song sung to him by his German immigrant grandparents and then carried on by his parents. They are all gone now and I am left with two versions, one from my dad and one from his sister. I am hoping that they will be a little recognizable as one song you already have. If you could please help me that would be wonderful! This has been a semi-frustrating experience.
Version one
Vinder kinder klienderzine
Uh riden see how stickeline
Uh vinder grocer vair
Dinder Rinden see how fair
Dender fair sed trip trip trop
Smitzer kinder rider up
Kaboosdolecktee (or Kaboosdoleckter)Version two
Vender kinder klinderzine
A gridenzy how steckerline
Vender gratzer Vare
Den der ridenzy how fare
Den der fare sed triptriptrop
Smister Kinder Rider Op
Kaboospy Dolliker
Kaboop DollikseyAny direction or assistance would be greatly appreciated. Thank you very much Tami Best
If anyone can help Tami out with this song, please comment below or email me.
Thanks!
Lisa
International Scouting Campfire Songs – “Can you send us one from your country?”
Wednesday, January 24th, 2007Larraine wrote to me looking for Scouting Campfire Songs from around the world. Here’s what she wrote, followed by my response with some suggested songs and sites to go to for help:
Dear Mama Lisa,
It has been suggested that I contact you with my request. I am the sketch producer of “The Live Wyre Gang Show” from the N.W. of England. (I’m also a cub leader).
Our Gang show is about to go into rehearsals and I have written a set to Celebrate 100 years of scouting, its finale is an International Camp fire. I would very much like to include as many International songs as possible, certainly at least one from each continent, so I wondered if you would be able to tell me where the best place to find the words and music of the songs you believe your members would vote for as their favourite. Detail/a picture of their uniforms, both boys and girls, their flags and any other details you think will be useful.
Thank you
Yours in scouting
Larraine EastwoodPS. I notice you have many songs from all over the world but I don’t know which ones are scouting campfire songs and would really appreciate your help.
I know of two scouting (or Girl Guides) songs on Mama Lisa’s World. I’m linking to them below. One is the Maori stick tossing song ‘E Papa Waiari’ from New Zealand. The other is Banana Sweet from Ghana, Africa.
Some sites for Scouting lyrics are:
American Boy Scout Songs
Camp-Songs
Guides and Scouts Europe – Regional French Songs
Siempre Scout – Canciones Generales – Spanish Scout Campfire Songs
Canzioniere Scout – Italian Scout Songs
Canzoniere e Liturgie di TUTTOSCOUT.ORG – Italian Scout Songs
GruppenstundenTipps: Lieder – German Scout SongsI think a good way to find more songs would be to type “scout songs” into Google in different languages. Just find an online dictionary to find out how “scout” and “song” are said in the other language and do a search. A good place to start that has free online dictionaries is www.freedict.com.
If anyone can suggest any other scout campfire songs or sites with scout songs from other countries, please comment below.
Thanks!
Lisa
Many thanks to Monique Palomares of Mama Lisa’s World en français for help with this post!
Looking for a German Nursery Rhyme
Monday, January 15th, 2007Mark wrote:
I’ve been trying to find out the name of a nursery rhyme my mother used to say to me in the early ’60s. It was a knee bouncer and she would lean me over backwards during some of the rhyme.
I’ll try to write what I remember to give you a hint of what it was. It sounded to me like this…..
Hutsy, gutsy geiler, hummin stuck de steiler (or something very similiar).
Anything anyone could do to help out would really be appreciated.
Mark
If anyone can help with the words to this nursery rhyme (and possibly an English translation), please comment below.
Thanks!
Lisa
How to Find Sheet Music, Tunes and MP3’s on Mama Lisa’s World
Saturday, January 6th, 2007In addition to this blog, I also host Mama Lisa’s World. Mama Lisa’s World is a large collection of children’s songs and rhymes from countries all around the globe.
Matt, a music teacher from Rhode Island, wrote a question to me, the other day, about Mama Lisa’s World:
Hey Mama,
I love the concept of your site. It’s been exciting to watch it grow. My only frustration is not being able to find either written (preferably) or audio music to accompany the lyrics. How do I find the tunes for all these great lyrics?
Matt
Music Teacher, Rhode Island, USAHere’s what I wrote back, I’m sharing it with you, in case it helps you too…
Hey Matt,
Thanks for writing!
We’ve just added basic sheet music to a lot of songs on the Germany, France, Hungary, Spain and Mexico pages – plus many others.
We’re now in the process of converting the whole site to a database. We’re halfway through. Hopefully by the summer we’ll have a feature that will let you do a search on songs that have sheet music, midis or mp3’s. Midis play the tune of a song. MP3’s are recordings – usually of someone singing the song.
But for now, the songs on the countries that are in the database are working on a simple system. On the country pages they have symbols next to the song if they have special features. Here’s the key…
KEY TO SYMBOLS
– this song has sheet music
Midi – this song has a Midi tune
MP3 – this song has an MP3 recording
– this song has a Video recording
If there’s anything in particular you’re looking for, you’re welcome to ask – in case I know if we have it or not – I may be able to guide you to the right place to find what you’re looking for.
And, of course, we’re always looking for more sheet music, midi’s and mp3’s, so if you’d like to contribute any from your culture, we’d be thrilled!
I hope this helps!
Mama Lisa
Recipe for Pebernodder Cookies plus a Kids Game called Mouse
Monday, December 11th, 2006Pfeffernüsse is a traditional German Christmas cookie. Pfeffernüsse literally translates into English as pepper-nut. That’s because most traditional recipes for these cookies are spicy and call for pepper. I believe the “nut” part is because they were traditionally shaped like little balls or nuts. That’s where you get peppernut.
These cookies are also traditional at Christmastime in Denmark. In Danish they’re called pebernødder. They can also be found in English speaking countries. In the U.S. they’re called pfeffernuesse.
Laurel Skelton was nice enough to send me a recipe. Here’s what she wrote:
I have several recipes, but some call for baking soda, and produce a fluffier cookie – NOT what I consider classic Pebernodder. Following is the recipe that produces the smallest, nut-like cookie, but it doesn’t call for much spice. So I make the cookies with a combination of the recipes I have, adding spices from the others to this basic recipe:
PEBERNODDER (Peppernuts)
2 1/2 cups Flour
1 cup Sugar
1 cup Butter
2 Eggs
1 teaspoon Cardamom
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon White Pepper
Grated Lemon RindTake out butter early to soften.
Sift dry ingredients into large mixing bowl. Add butter and eggs and grated lemon rind. Mix well. Kneed with hands until dough is smooth.
Let rest about 1 hour. Then roll out into ropes the thickness of a pencil, and cut into pieces about the size of a pea. Bake on greased cookie sheet in 325 degree F oven until golden brown (about 10 to 12 minutes).
(I omit the lemon rind, add 1 Tablespoon of Molasses and use the following spices: 4 t. Cardamom, 2 t. White Pepper, 2 1/2 t. Ginger, 3/4 t. Cloves.)
Laurel had asked me about a game that kids play with pebernødder. I posted her question on my blog. The first person to respond said that pebernødder were used like tokens for payment when playing games.
More recently, we got a response by Karin Parnis, who used to play a game called Mouse (Mus in Danish), with these cookies. Here’s what Karin wrote:
I used to play a game called “mus” or “mouse” with my grandmother. You must have at least 3 people to play. You line up 10 or so pebbernodder on the table and point one of them out while the person who is “it” closes his eyes. He can then eat the pebbernodder one by one until he touches the “mouse” and the other players shout “MOUSE”. You keep taking turns to be “it” until you’re sick of eating pebbernodder or until there are none left!
Many thanks to Karin and Laurel for writing!
If anyone would like to share other holiday recipes or traditions, please feel free to comment below or email me.
Lisa
UPDATE: I made these cookies both ways. I found both to be very tasty. My children liked the 1st recipe best, but my husband preferred the spicier ones.
*****
The pfeffernuesse that you see in the US are often made with baking soda and even baking powder. They’re also made into 3/4″ balls before baking – so that they’re a larger, fluffier cookie. When they cool off a little, they’re coated with powdered sugar.
The version above, especially the first version of the recipe, is pretty mild. They’re sort of like a slightly spicy tasting, crunchy, sugar cookie. Yum-my!
In the second version above, you taste white pepper mixed with sweet cookie.
You can tell in the photo above that most of mine came out a little bigger than they were supposed to. My kids helped roll them – so they were all sorts of sizes. But it was a great project to do with kids. For my 5 year old daughter, it was like playing with play dough. It was fun for her, yet she was a big help!
Great Link for Language Learning
Monday, December 4th, 2006If you’re trying to learn a new language, I’d recommend checking out LanguageGuide.org.
Users visit different theme related pages (i.e. about insects, the family, the farm). Each page has images related to the theme. You place your cursor over the images and hear their names pronounced and see them spelled out in the language you choose.
Because it’s visually based, these pages can be used by anyone in the world, regardless of your native language.
Here are the languages they have:
English (English)
Italian (Italiano)
Arabic (عربي;)
Spanish (Español)
Portuguese (Português)
Mandarin Chinese (普通话)
French (Français)
Russian (Русский)
Japanese (日本語 Nihongo)
German (Deutsch)
Hebrew (עברית)So if you’re interested in learning any of these languages, or improving your skills, check it out!
-Lisa
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