Fériel's great-grandmother would sing this song to her when she was a child in Algeria.

يا يجانجل يا مجانجل - Algerian Children's Songs - Algeria - Mama Lisa's World: Children's Songs and Rhymes from Around the World - Intro Image

Notes

*Or orchard

*****

Pronunciation:

Ya Yejenjel, Ya Mejenjel

Ya Yejenjel, Ya Mejenjel
Win kountou el bareh?
Fi jenan Bousaleh
Wach klitou men tefeh ou nefekh
Khabi yedek ya mefteh.

Game Instructions

Fériel wrote, "My great-grandmother used to have us put our hands flat on the floor and she would sing the song about two kids stealing fruit from an orchard. It's a game: with her forefinger, she touched each child's hand while singing the song and the last hand she touched had to be hidden under the child's tee-shirt. When all the hands were hidden, she asked aloud if the apples were cooked. The children answered "no". She waited a few seconds then asked the question again to the children, mentioning another fruit or vegetable. The children answered "no" again. If one of them answered yes, she pretended to taste his/her hand. If it was cold, she made a grin. If it was warm, she pretended to eat it and to find it very good."

Thanks and Acknowledgements

Many thanks to Fériel Chabane for contributing this song, the French translation and the instructions. Many thanks to Melanie Magidow for providing the Arabic text. Translated to English by Monique and Lisa.

Tamemmirt!