Κούνια - μπέλα
This is a Greek swinging or see-saw song....
![Κούνια - μπέλα - Greek Children's Songs - Greece - Mama Lisa's World: Children's Songs and Rhymes from Around the World - Intro Image Κούνια - μπέλα - Greek Children's Songs - Greece - Mama Lisa's World: Children's Songs and Rhymes from Around the World - Intro Image](https://www.mamalisa.com/images/ml_images/swing_moc.jpg)
Κούνια - μπέλα
Swing, (My) Pretty
Children's Song
Children's Song
(Greek)
(English)
Κούνια - μπέλα
έπεσ' η κοπέλα
χτύπησε το γόνα της
και φωνάζει η νόνα της.
Swing, (my) pretty
The girl fell off
Hit her knee
And her granny is shouting.
Notes
Transliteration
Koonia bela
epes' i kopela
htipise to ghona tis
ke fonazi i nona tis
"e" as in "red"
"i" always sounds "ee"
"h" as "ch" in Scottish "loch"
"gh" a voiced "h", a gargling sound
Comments
Here's another version of this rhyme:
Κούνια, μπέλα
έσπασε η κουτέλα,
βγήκε μια κοπέλα,
που 'τρωγε σταφύλια.
Της ζήτησα μια ρώγα,
μου 'δωσε ένα μπάτσο,
έπεσα στο βάτο,
βγήκα το Σαββάτο.
Translation:
Swing, my pretty one (bella)
You broke your forehead
A girl came out
Eating grapes
I asked for one
She gave me a slap
I fell into a bush
and came out on Saturday!
Pronunciation
Koonia bella
Espase i kootela
Vyike mia kopela
Poo troye stafilia
Tis zitisa mia rogha
Moo dhose ena batso
Epesa sto vato
Vyika to savato
"s" always a hard "s", not "z"
"y" like in "you"
"dh" like "th" in the, this, there
"gh" a voiced gargling sound
*****
Many versions of this song exist. Please send us your version by emailing me. Thanks! Mama Lisa
![Watch](https://www.mamalisa.com/images/ml_images/watchEnglish.png)
Thanks!
Thanks and Acknowledgements
Many thanks to Penelope Karagouni for contributing and translating both versions of this song. She's familiar with the first one.
Illustrated by Monique Palomares.
Ευχαριστώ πολύ!