Translated by Prapbulladutta Goswami from the Assamese original 104
This is a game rhyme, recited while children hide their hands.
O crane, who has taken away your hand?
—The mango, when I tried to pick it.
Where is that mango?—It fell into the wood.
What became of the wood?—The fire consumed it.
Where are the ashes?—The washerman carried them away. What did the washerman do?—Washed the king’s clothes. What became of the king?—He is out on a deer hunt.
104 Source: Folk'Literature of Assam: An Introductory Survey, Praphulladatta Goswami, Guwahati: Department of Historical and Antiquarian Studies in Assam, 1954, 42-43.
Where is that deer?—It crossed the river.
Where are the fish?—The crane ate them up. Where is that crane?—It’s perching on a bough. See, out come our hands!
Curds Gurdew 105
Translated by Anita Vacbbarajani from tbe Gujarati original Avdko daduko, dabi daduko'
This poem accompanies a game where the players spread their fingers on the floor. One player touches the space between their fingers with her finger and ‘hops’ between them as the poem is recited by all.
Durdew'burdew curds gurdew,
Drank some curd and a creeper grew Tars'towers, datura’s white flowers,
Sugar cane, dates and jaggery,
A Brahmin wandered home with me The Brahmin, he was very hungry He stood, poor soul, with his dinner bowl The bowl held many coconut pieces He gave them all to my hungry nieces!
Close yodr eyes
Tr^nsfrted by P^tbibb^ N^nd^kum^t from tbe K^nn^d^i original 'HGnna mucbcbe k^de goode'
This song is sung in a game of hidemnd-seek. The child who is ‘it’ sings this, with eyes closed, while the other children hide. When the song is over, the child then begins to look for the others.
105 Source: Chani Shah, age eleven.
Close your eyes
Wreck the nest 106
Black gram sack fell down
Our bird flies—let it out, let it out—
Your bird you should bide.
Frog, frog
TVgnsIgteci by Prgthibbg Nandakumar from the Kannada original 'Kappe kgppe baalkodtbeen'
Another short poem children sing when they are making frogs’ houses in sand. They pat wet sand into a heap on their feet to make a mould and slowly take out their feet to make a ‘house’. It is also believed that playing this game brings rain.
Frog, frog, I will give you milk Will you give me water?
Frog, frog, I will give you milk Will you give me water?
Translated by J. Devika from the Malayalam original 'Aruppotti tiruppottf
Aruppotti tiruppotti In Aruppan’s tent There sat in a circle Twelve elephants. Can’t find the comb,
106 Wreck the nest: In Kannada, this phrase also means ‘the forest itself is the nest’.
Can’t find the cloth.
Who has got it?
The dame has got it.
From the dame’s hands It’s been snatched The dame’s been spun Upon the roof-thatch.
You girl, who three cups of oil has drunk You girl, who’s bitten the drumstick trunk Stretch out the legs of the old lady Sitting in faraway Pandy.
Dumdee Dandy
The first five lines of this rhyme work as an accompaniment to clapping. The child’s hands are placed on the floor, palms down. The adult taps on them repeatedly. When the sixth line is said, the players reach out and grab each other’s ears. The rest of the poem is recited in a sing-song fashion, with the ear-holding partners rocking back and forth.
Dumdee Dandy,
Sweet sugar candy!
A sugary smack 108 Oil in the sack!
The telangi has just one leaf, I fear,
Raise your hands, and grab your ears!
107 Source: Navneet Baalgite, Mumbai: Navneet Publications (India) Ltd, 2003.
108 sugary smack: This refers to the original ‘dhammak laddoo ’. Dhammak is a thump given with the fist on the back, while a laddoo is a traditional sweet. The common collocation is meant to be humorous.
Munch-monch and sip-sup There’s some water in the cup Gulp—it’s gone!
Translated by Sumanyu Satp^tny from the Oriya original LKathatiye kahun'
Let’s tell a tale,
Let’s tell a tale.
What tale?
The head of a snail.
What head?
The urchin’s bread.
What urchin?
The oil man’s tin.
What oil man?
The musk-oil can.
What musk-oil?
Quilt foil.
What quilt?
Musk-root quilt.
What musk?
Nose tusk.
What nose?
Goat goes.
What goat?
King’s moat.
What king? . . .
Hopscotch Rhyme
Translated by Nirupama Putt from the Punjabi original 'Eereeye pambbiriye ni kehrha'
Spinning Top, O Spinning Top 109 In the game of scotch and hop Where lies your home?
In a cellar full of mangoes A courtyard of pomegranates 110 Where is Baba Nanak’s place? * * 111
Jump and do a hop Spinning Top, O Spinning Top In the game of scotch and hop Where lies your home?
Kikali kalir di
Translated by Nirupama Dutt from the Punjabi original 'Kikali kalir di' 112
This is a whirling dance for adolescent girls performed at festive occasions and during normal play. It is performed by two girls crossing their arms, holding hands and spinning around fast, chanting this rhyme. This version is being chanted at a wedding, for the brother and his newly wedded wife. The phrase 'kikali kalir di' is rhythmic nonsense to build the tempo and speed of spinning.
Kikali kalir di!
Hold hands and whirl around My brother’s turban is brown His wife’s veil is red Which she just won’t shed
Heer comes from Kashmir 113 Ranjha is of Hindustan Fair as a swan Just look at his wife She’s sharp as a knife Fast I whirl around Feet leave the ground I sit by their side And say with pride The lord has blessed Those who love have met!