Can Anyone Help with a Czech or Slovak Kids Song?

Lewis Grimm wrote:

Hi. My grandmother used to sing a children’s song to me in Czech or Slovak. I believe it is about a little hunter. It went along the lines of (phonetically):

Ya simali nissli vechek…

Any ideas?

If anyone can help Lewis, please let us know in the comments below.

Thanks!

Lisa

This article was posted on Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 at 10:24 pm and is filed under Children's Songs, Countries & Cultures, Czech, Czech Republic, Languages, Mama Lisa, Questions, Readers Questions, Slovak, Slovakia. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

7 Responses to “Can Anyone Help with a Czech or Slovak Kids Song?”

  1. Jana Bínová Says:

    Já jsem malý mysliveček,
    sotva flintu nesu,
    hodím si ji přes rameno,
    a pospíchám k lesu.

    Přišel jsem tam časně z rána,
    byla ještě rosa,
    sedl jsem si pod stromeček,
    a poslouchal kosa.

    Kose, kose, černý ptáku,
    proč ty tady zpíváš,
    všechny panenky z trávy jdou,
    ty se na ně díváš.

    Všechny panenky z trávy jdou,
    jen má milá nejde,
    ona se tam posekala,
    všechna krev jí ujde.

    To mi ten kosáček zazpíval,
    v tý smutný písni svý,
    pospěšte, lidičky, pomozte,
    vezte ji k doktorovi.

    Pane doktor, já vás prosím,
    uzdravte vy mě ji,
    vždyť my se budeme v máji brát,
    už brzy budem svoji.

    Já ti tvou panenku zachráním,
    myslivečku mladý,
    počkej však s veselkou na zimu,
    máj ten znamená máry.

    V máji se můžete milovat,
    v zeleným háječku,
    po svatbě ale jí zazpíváš,
    pohřební písničku.

    Pane doktor, děkuju vám,
    že jste mi poradil,
    teď ještě abyste mou milou,
    od smrti zachránil.

    Written by an unknown author in late 18th, early 19th century.

    Translates –

    I´m a little gamekeeper (little in size)
    Barely able to lift up my rifle
    With the rifle over my shoulder
    I roam in the woods

    I came to the wood early in the morning
    The morning dew still on the grass
    Sitting there under a tree
    Blackbird´s song I was listening to

    Blackbird, blackbird, mournful bird
    I know why you´re singing
    All the girls returning from the morning mowing
    And you watch them dancing

    All the girls, except my lover
    Returning from the mowing
    She is lying in the grass
    Through wound her blood is pouring

    That´s the news the blackbird sang,
    in the mournful song
    Help me, people, hurry up
    Take her to the doctor

    Doctor, doctor, I´m begging you
    Please, do save her life
    We are just about to marry
    As soon as May arrives

    I will save your lover,
    You little gamekeeper
    But you´ll have to wait with wedding
    For to wed in May means hearse
    (an old Czech saying – May wedding foretells hearse in house)

    In the month of May, you may love
    in shades of green
    But if you´ll wed her the same month
    You´ll sing her funeral song

    Doctor, doctor, I thank you
    For the advice that you gave
    And now I beg you once again
    Save my lover´s life…

    TOUGH JOB! :-)

  2. Lisa Says:

    Thanks so much Jana! That must have been work!

    Cheers!

    Mama Lisa

  3. Jana Bínová Says:

    It’s nice to find out some people cannot forget their roots… ;-) You site has been very helpful to me – for my language studies. Thanks to you.

  4. Monique Says:

    You can hear three verses of this song sung here

  5. Erin Says:

    My mom and her sisters were trying to sing my daughter a song that their mother (my grandmother) would sing to them as babies. Only problem is, all they remember is the houpi! They know it’s somewhat like:
    Houpi, houpi,
    Geshka schnedly croupi

    Anyone know what this might be?thanks!

  6. Hana Says:

    Hi Erin,

    the song is: Houpy, houpy, kočka snědla kroupy…

    http://www.mamalisa.com/blog/can-anyone-help-with-a-czech-rhyme-that-sounds-like-hou-py-hou-py-hou-py/

    Hana

  7. Lisa Says:

    Thanks for your help Hana! -Lisa

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