My Mother gave me a book when I was little that is filled with all of the songs that her Mother sang to her and that my Mother sang to me. It is a children's book of songs titled "Kinderliederbuch" by Antje Vogel. This book is very special to me, it is something that connects me most to my Mother and my Oma. I have attempted to translate a particular song from the book: "Alle Meine Entchen."
"Alle meine Entchen schwimmen auf dem See, Köpfchen in das Wasser, Schwänschen in die Höh.
Alle meine Entchen gurren auf dem Dach, fliegt eins in die Lüfte, fliegen alle nach.
Alle meine Gänschen watscheln durch den Grund, suchen in dem Tümpeln, werden kugelrund."
"All my little ducklings swimming on the lake, little heads in the water, little tails stick up.
All my little ducklings cooing on the roof, fly to the roof, all fly to.
All my little gooses waddle through the ground, looking at the pools, perfectly round."
The translation is not perfect nor does the English sound as wonderful as the German. Hopefully I'll become better at this!
Thanks for choosing this -- every German child will learn this little song in the Kindergarten + playing the simple tunes on no matter what instrument! I think your translation is pretty good -- you even got the rhyme in the last line :-)
AntwortenLöschenMy son does not like German, because me and my husband are using it as a secret language to discuss something he shouldn't understand. But there is one thing that he absolutely loves - another rime that every German child learns while hopping in the lap of an parent:
AntwortenLöschen"Hoppe hoppe Reiter /
wenn er fällt, dann schreit er,
fällt er in den Graben,
fressen ihn die Raben.
Fällt er in den Sumpf,
dann macht der Reiter... Plumps!
Here is the English equivalent:
Hop, hop, rider
If he falls he will be crying.
If he falls into the ditch,
He will be eaten by the ravens.
If he falls into the mud,
The rider falls with a splash! - at this point you "dip" your kid into an imagined puddle.
:-) For a demonstration visit:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cD69v7mJYg&feature=related
Here is also a couple of crazy takes on "Alle meine Entchen". Warning to Natascha - this might spoil/alter your childhood memories of the rime!
Sang by a child in German:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1fnhjP-Cz0
Entchen aus Ipanema:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n88MpTf3cqo
Techno:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osspc11TRTg
Heavy-Metal:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1KuJ6HN-E4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dN4q6uTChRQ - with an intro by a full orchestra
Enjoy!