Chris sent me this email:
Greetings! Google led me to your website when I was looking for help. I hope this request doesn’t end up being too difficult!
I’m not a fluent Dutch speaker (in fact, I know very little Dutch at all beyond the basics). But my grandmother is the daughter of a Dutch immigrant, and she was raised as an “American Dutch girl” in Iowa.
She just celebrated her 94th birthday, and we’ve seen a decline in her mental faculties over the last decade or so. But one thing she still remembers – are the old children’s songs that she heard as a girl from her father. She remembered the song well enough that she could even sing it to my two-month-old daughter when we came to visit!
Unfortunately, because of her mental condition, she would not be able to write the song down. But she dictated the original words (along with what I think is a non-literal English translation) to my mother, who did her best to write down the Dutch sounds phonetically. We have no idea if her phonetic words are even close to the original Dutch words.
Another complication: the language might not actually be Dutch, but Frisian, since her father came to Iowa from Ternaard, in Friesland. But if it’s possible, I’d like to find the original words to the song, as well as a more literal English translation. Here goes our best attempt at writing down the song:
Original Dutch (?):
Suza nona Popkin
Kelta lyin gropka
Mam in huis Sofear van hoos
See caneet verrupkeEnglish gloss:
Just a little calf, there
Lying in the straw there
Mother and father so far from the house
They can’t hear him crying.Thanks in advance for any direction you can provide!
Best regards,
:Chris
If anyone can help out Chris, please comment below.
Thanks in advance!
Lisa
This article was posted on Saturday, June 7th, 2008 at 10:05 pm and is filed under Children's Songs, Countries & Cultures, Dutch, Dutch Children's Songs, Friesland, Frisian, Languages, Netherlands, Questions, Readers Questions. 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.
23 Responses to “Can Someone Help with a Dutch or Frisian Children’s Song?”
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June 8th, 2008 at 4:15 pm
Fries: (something like this)
Suja deine poppe
Jeltje in de groppe
Heit en mem sa vier von huus
Ken use Jeltje net beroppe
English:
Rock your baby
Jeltje (a girl) in the ditch
Father and Mother are so far from home
Cannot call our Jeltje
June 9th, 2008 at 9:32 am
Hello,
This seems like a song from frysland. And thats a difficult dialect. If you want to have some old dutch songs i might have some lyrics for you.
Just send me a mail lh_vanden_berg@hotmail.com
June 9th, 2008 at 9:46 am
We would love to receive some old Dutch songs, preferably with English translations. We already have some Dutch songs at http://www.mamalisa.com/world/holland.html – but are always happy to add more!
Looking forward to hearing from you!
-Mama Lisa
June 9th, 2008 at 2:30 pm
Fries:
Suja deine poppe
Jeltje (?Kjeltje) in de groppe
Heit en mem sa vier von huus
Ken uuse Jeltje(?Kjeltje) net beroppe
English:
Rock your baby
Jeltje(=a girl) or (Kjeltje=calf) in the ditch
Father and Mother are so far from home
Cannot call our Jeltje (?Kjeltje)
PS. Contact the Frieske Academie in Franeker, Friesland, Holland for more accurate details.
July 14th, 2008 at 7:30 pm
This is a rather well-known nursery rhyme in Friesland, written in Frisian. There are many variations, but I will give you the text I as I used to sing it:
Suze, nanepoppe
Kealtsje yn ‘e groppe
Heit en mem sa fier fan hûs
‘k kin se net beroppe
It can be translated as:
Suze = Quiet (as said to children)
nanepoppe = cradle-baby
kealtsje = litte calf
yn ‘e groppe = in the ditch (more specifically: manure-ditch)
heit en mem = mom’ and dad
sa fier fan hûs = so far from home
‘k = I
kin = can
se = them
net = not
beroppe = reach by calling
A rough translation of the entire song might look like:
Quiet now, you little baby
little calf lying in the ditch
with your father and mother so far away
that they can’t even hear you calling
The song is written in Frisian. This is the variant I as I learnt it, but there are many variations.
(I used to work for the Akademy, and it’s in Ljouwert/Leeuwarden, not in Franeker, and most certainly nowhere near the Holland provinces.)
November 3rd, 2008 at 10:31 pm
I think that I can be of some help. I’m living in the Netherlands in the city of Zwolle in the province of Overijssel and there they have a song about: Elsje Fiederelsje. I’m working on a project for school right now for my english lessons and I stumbled upon this page so I thought maybe I can be of some help.
If you have some questions about The Netherlands just mail and I will be glad to help
September 27th, 2009 at 2:08 pm
Henk:
You sound like you know your Fries songs, so I’ll ask you about the rhyme my Frisian grandfather used to sing when he bounced me on my knee. I have no idea how to spell most Frisian words so I’m going to write them phonetically in English. My family is Dutch, but I only speak a tiny bit of the language, and no Fries.
Here it is:
Hop hop hinkje
yo et op de snicke
snitz op de reetes breer
you et op de louses der
Any ideas? Something about horses. and maybe lice?
October 31st, 2009 at 10:29 pm
can anyone out there help me find all the words to a song my freis dad would sing to us kids,went like this.you will not come out of the house tonight because your pants are ripped and your shirt hangs out ??
November 18th, 2009 at 2:08 pm
Hello Mary Lynne,
Sorry for the late reply, I haven’t visited this site for quite some time. Yes, I do know the song. As with ‘Suze, nanepoppe’, there are quite a number of variations. I will give you two versions I know of. The second one is probably closest to yours.
Hop hop, hynke,
nei Ljouwert om in skinke,
nei Snits ta om in hynsteblom,
dan gean’ wy nei Dokkum werom.
Hop hop, hynke,
nei Ljouwert om in skinke,
nei Snits ta om in wite brea,
sa gean’ alle hynderkes dea.
Hop hop = come on! on you go!
hynke = horsie (children’s name for a horse)
nei Ljouwert ta om in skinke = on to Ljouwert for a ham
nei Snits ta om in hynsteblom = on to Snits for a dandelion (litt. horse flower)
dan gean’ wy nei Dokkum werom = then we return to Dokkum
nei Snits ta om in wite brea = on to Snits for a loaf of white bread
sa gean’ alle hynderkes dea = that is the way all horses die
Ljouwert, Snits and Dokkum are Frisian cities.
November 18th, 2009 at 2:29 pm
I have tried to figure out what your last line could mean, but it is hard to tell.
you et op de louses der
‘you et’ may be the city of Ljouwert or ‘hjoed’ (today) or ‘leauwer’ (rather)
‘op de’ may be ‘hopkes’ (another children’s name for horses), ‘op de’ (on the) or perhaps ‘alle’ (all the)
‘louses’ may be ‘Ljouwerters’ (inhabitants of Ljouwert)
‘der’ may be ‘dea’ (dead)
The only combinations that make some sense to me is: ‘leauwer alle Ljouwerters dea’ (I’d rather see all the inhabitants of Ljouwert dead) or ‘hjoed alle Ljouwerters dea’ (today all inhabitants of Ljouwert (are) dead). In many versions of the song something or someone is killed or dies in the last line, so perhaps this is right, but it is hard to tell.
April 12th, 2010 at 10:58 am
Holland has few children’s songs in the minor key, but here are two:
Allen die willen naar Iesland gaan,
om kabeljouw te vangen en te vissen met verlangen,
Naar Ieseland, naar Ieseland, naar Iesland to,
Na twee-en-dertig reizen zijn ze nog niet moe
Meaning in English:
All those who’re wishing to go to Iceland ,
To catch some whiting and go fishing filled with longing,
To Iceland, to Iceland, to Iceland:
after thitry two journeys they are still not tired!
Another:
“Boerinneke van buiten
en heeft gij gene vis?”
“Welnee mijn, Amelietje,
ik weet niet wat dit is!”
‘tIs haring, ‘t is paling
‘t is lekker kabeljouw-jouw-jouw
‘tIs haring, ’tis paling,
‘t is lekker kabeljouw!
“Little farmgirl from the country-side,
do’t you have any fish?”
“Well, no, my Amelie, I don’t know what this is!”
“It’s herring, it’s eel, it’s yummy whiting!
It’s herring, it’s eel, it’s yummy whiting!”
A Dutch round I loved as a child: (still do)
Avondstilte overal.
Aan de beek de nachtegaal strooit er zijn zangen, zacht, vol verlangen, door het dal.
Evening silence ev’rywhere.
By the creek, the nightingale sprinkles his songs, so filled with longing, through the valley.
April 13th, 2010 at 11:49 am
Marianne, I found the lyrics to the first song you mentioned here and the others there. Would you mind translating them for us so that we can post them on Mama Lisa’s World Netherland page, please?
March 13th, 2011 at 5:45 am
Hi, I was also wondering about a song my father – from Texel in the Netherlands sang to me and then to my kids when we were small, while bouncing on his knee. I never did learn to speak to Dutch so I am probably butchering phonetically what the song was. I just remember it was something about fair maidens and a cart and my memory of the words isn’t that great but it went something like …
Kep ma lagen? da da da da full of youngen maitiens – da da da da, da da da da, I know it ended with hup pietcha hup, hup peitcha hup… we loved that part when we were little because we’d get bounced. I know that’s not very much to go on but if anyone knows the song and perhaps an English translation I would love to hear it; thanks
June 28th, 2011 at 3:50 am
To Joanne, while reading your description I think you mean: “Ik heb mijn wagen volgeladen”
The lyrics in Dutch and the (rickety) translation:
‘k Heb mijn wagen volgeladen vol met oude wijven
Toen ze op de markt kwamen begonnen zij te kijven
Nu neem ik van mijn levensdagen
Geen oude wijven op mijn wagen
Hop paardje hop, Hop paardje hop
‘k Heb mijn wagen volgeladen vol met oude mannen
Toen ze op de markt kwamen gingen ze samenspannen
Nu neem ik van mijn levensdagen
Geen oude mannen op mijn wagen
Hop paardje hop, Hop paardje hop
‘k Heb mijn wagen volgeladen vol met jonge meisjes
Toen ze op de markt kwamen zongen zij als sijsjes
Nu neem ik van mijn levensdagen
Steeds jong meisjes op mijn wagen
Hop paardje hop, Hop paardje hop
I have loaded my wagon with old wives,
When they came to the market they started to scold
Now I will never in my life
take old wives on my wagon
Go horsey, go. Go horsey, go
I have loaded my wagon with old men
When we came to the marlet they started to conspire
Now I will never in my life
take old men on my wagon
Go horsey, go. Go horsey, go
I have loaded my wagon with youg girls
When we came to the market they started to sing like birds
Now I will take all my life
only young girls on my wagon
Go horsey, go. Go horsey, go
The melody you can hear on youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZohXkuWzGI
June 28th, 2011 at 4:15 am
To Gerrit
I have found one entry at Google about this rhyme.
This is it:
Jantje wou klimmen
al over een hek
hij scheurde zijn broekie
en brak haast z’n nek
hij draafde naar huis toe
en riep aan de deur
O moeder m’n broekie is gescheurd
en m’n hempie hangt er uit
Dekselse jongen wat hebbie nou gedaan
je zondagse broek is geheel naar de maan
jij komp vanavond de deur niet meer uit
want je broekie is gescheurd
en je hempie hangter uit
Little John wanted to climb
up a fence
He ripped his pants
and almost broke his neck
He ran back home
and called at the door
Oh mother, mijn pants are ripped and my
shirt hangs out!
You bad boy what did you do
Your best pants are completely ruined
You will not come out of the house tonight,
because your pants are ripped
and your shirt hangs out.
October 11th, 2012 at 2:28 pm
Does anyone know where I can get some basic children’s books in Frisian? My husband’s family is from Fryslan and I would like our daughter to learn some Frisian words. I am in Canada so I would need a company that ships to Canada.
Thank you so much,
Bethany Weening
November 25th, 2012 at 6:56 am
@Bethany: Contacting Afuk (publisher/seller) Would be the quickest, I think. You can find their website at Afuk.nl
July 8th, 2014 at 12:12 pm
Hi I have a song that was sung to me by my Grandmother who was a Dutch Fries and it goes like this (I cannot speak Frisian or Dutch so I’ll try)
Hop sa patcha
Hop sa patcha
Dat gaat sohne rohne maart
Rohne mart ist paremart
ovalopide patchers haart
Does anyone have any idea the rest of the song or the name? And whether it’s Frisian or Dutch?
May 25th, 2015 at 7:06 am
Hi Thomas, I just found this site when I was looking for the text to a song I am singinh to my youngest son (hop hop nynke). I don’t recognise the song you are looking for, but the first words sound like “hopsa paardje” which is something along the lines of “on you go little horse”. Let me know if you remember more words and I can look online.
March 31st, 2016 at 3:05 pm
Reacting on the latest message and Henk; the variation I know goes like this:
hop, hop hynke,
nei Ljouwert om in pinke,
nei Snits ta om in wyte brea,
jeie w’alle hynders dea,
op ien nei, op twa nei,
op ús lytse kedde nei,
wêr ús famke op ride mei.
(Wêr hinne, nei pake, nei beppe,
beppe stiet al yn’e doar,
mei har wyte skelkje foar).
See also online, audio:
http://www.liederenbank.nl/liedpresentatie.php?zoek=74110
My version differs a little bit from the one you can hear. At home my mom did not sing/know the part between brackets.
In translation:
Come on little horse,
to Ljouwert (Leeuwarden) for a yearling/heifer,
to Snits (Sneek) for a white loaf,
then we ride fast all horses to death,
except one, except two, except our little pony,
where our young daughter may ride.
Where to, to granddad, to granny.
Granny is already on the doorstep
wearing her white apron.
Is there a deeper layer qua significance? No idea.
It is a Frisian children’s song, usually the todler sitting astride on mommy’s/daddy’s/granddad/granny’s lap, moving up and down, sung by the (grand)parents.
Ljouwert (Leeuwarden in Dutch) is the capital of Friesland, Snits (Sneek) is the second largest city of the province.
Pinke is a young cow 1-2 years old, usually for the first time in-calf.
Jeie, to pronounce as yaaye, is riding as fast as possible.
Kedde or kêde is a small horse, something between a horse and a pony.
August 6th, 2016 at 7:16 pm
My daughter just married a man who is Friesian and I would like to find some simple books from the EU and have them mailed in the EU as shipping is much less! They are living in Sweden. I tried website but it is not correct.
September 14th, 2017 at 6:12 pm
Reading all these old questions and comments, started crying when i discovered someone looking for ” suse naene poppe “. Our mem sang that for us too… My sister here from Friesland visiting for a month, we are old and very sentimental. I have lived here 50 years in N.J. but still speak and write ” frysk “. When visiting in Friesland, no one detects i have only spoken English since 1965. We were looking for more old songs, creating small embroidery scenes for all the big and little children, with their birth dates and words of the song written on the back. Greetings to all.
November 25th, 2020 at 12:43 pm
I was searching for a song my dad used to sing to us while he bounced us on his knee. But thanks for your site: I found zo gaat de molen and some others I remember.
It was about going to Zwolle on Saturday to buy a bull.
Something like:
Hops and beerde over n druf
De morgen is een Zaterdag
A coppe wi a Zwolle
……… a bolle.
Voor wi?
Voor wi?
Voor one kleine?
(The name of the child)!!!!!