This song is also sung in Belgium.

Er zat een klein piraatje - Dutch Children's Songs - The Netherlands - Mama Lisa's World: Children's Songs and Rhymes from Around the World  - Intro Image

Notes

The character may change, in other versions it can be a pixie, a gypsy girl, etc.…

Here's another version:

Er zat een klein zigeunermeisje
Zat een klein zigeunermeisje,
Huilend op een steen.
Huilend, huilend helemaal alleen
Sta op meisje lief en droog je traantjes af
Kies een kindje uit de kring
Met wie je dansen mag
Tra la la la lala la la la la.

English Translation:

There was a little gypsy girl
Was a little gypsy girl,
Crying on a stone.
Crying, crying all alone
Get up girl and dry your tears
Choose a child from the circle
With whom you can dance
Tra la la la la la la la!

Game Instructions

The children stand in a circle. One of them, previously chosen, is sitting in the middle, pretending to be crying. On "Sta op piraatje en droog je traantjes af" (Stand up, little pirate, and dry off your tears) this child gets up and wipes his or her cheeks. Then he or she chooses a child from the circle and they dance together on "Tra la la…" The "pirate" joins the circle, the chosen child becomes the new pirate and the game starts again.

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Thanks and Acknowledgements

Translated by Monique. Thanks to Dominic Phillips for sharing the version in the Notes. Thanks to Marion Seg for sharing her daughter's illustration of a pirate girl!