Bro, bro, brille
This game was mentioned in print in Danish for the 1st time in 1730's. It's a Danish version of the London Bridge game.
Bro, bro, brille
Bridge, Bridge, Glasses
Singing Game
Singing Game
(Danish)
(English)
Bro, bro, brille!
Klokken ringer el've,
kejseren står på sit høje hvide slot,
så hvidt som et kridt,
så sort som et kul.
Fare, fare, krigsmand,
døden skal du lide,
den, som kommer allersidst,
skal i den sorte gryde.
Første gang så la'r vi ham gå,
anden gang så lige så,
tredie gang så ta'r vi ham
og putter ham i gryden!
Bridge, bridge, glasses
The bell rings eleven,
The emperor stands on his high white castle
As white as chalk,
As black as coal.
Danger, danger, war-man,
You will suffer death,
And the one that comes at the end,
Must go in the black pot.
The first time, we let him go,
The second time, so again,
The third time, we'll take him
And put him in the pot!
Notes
According to this site (in Danish), this game was originally about choosing between heaven and hell. Another site claims the tug of war game at the end symbolized life and death. In the old days, the two sides were the sun and moon, the moon symbolizing the underworld. According to Wikipedia (Norwegian version), the "bridge" spans the river that separates the land of the living from the dead.
Game Instructions
Two children hold hands and put their arms up in the air forming a "bridge". Each of those two kids is a side - in the old days it was the moon side and the sun side. The other kids go under the "bridge" in single file while singing this song. At the end of the song, the two kids forming the bridge put down their arms, capturing the child underneath in the "black pot". That child has to choose one side to go behind. They keep doing this until all of the kids have chosen a side. At the end, both sides play a game of tug of war to decide which side wins. The tug of war can be played either with a rope or they can go behind the kids forming the bridge and pull the kids.
Comments
This is also played in Norway where it's also called "Bro, bro brille". It's played in Sweden under the name of "Bro, bro breja" and in Iceland as "Brúarleikur".
Thanks!
