Hay un gran animal

A mi burro a mi burro

Caballito blanco

El cocodrilo

La bella naranja

La danza de la serpiente

La foca Ramona

Mirad, mirad allí

Un elefante se balanceaba

Last updated: 4/26/2021 10:37 AM

The songs below are part of ‘‘La pajara pinta’ The Spanish collection

compiled, adapted, translated and illustrated by Dany Rosevear

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To listen to music from these songs click on 🔊

To watch the author sing a song click on the title at:

© Dany Rosevear 2008 All rights reserved

You are free to copy, distribute, display and perform these works under the following conditions:

· you must give the original author credit

· you may not use this work for commercial purposes

· for any re-use or distribution, you must make clear to others the licence terms of this work

· any of these can be waived if you get permission from the copyright holder

Your fair use and other rights are no way affected by the above.

The Spanish Collection

It is said that children who are exposed to just 50 words of a second language before to age six begin to develop an "ear" for the sounds of that language.

It is hoped that where possible these songs will be sung in their home language. An English version is provided so children can enjoy the tunes before they have mastered Spanish. Literal translations do not always make sense to the English ear so these have been translated freely (very freely in some cases!) to complement the music and capture the spirit of each song.

You will find more Spanish songs in the collection ‘Away We Go’.

Spanish pronunciation

Spoken Spanish in both Spain and Latin America is quite distinctive from spoken English. For that reason a few lyrics are accompanied by the sounds of the Spanish language. The more distinctive sounds of letters in the words of the songs are provided to aid pronunciation in the guide below. The letters not listed are pronounced approximately as in English.

a sounds like ah (father) as in madre

i sounds like ee (feet) as in mi

e sounds like e (met) at the beginning or within a word as in leche

e sounds like ay at the end of a word as in leche

o sounds like oa (boat) as in no

u sounds like oo (boot) as in una

c sounds like th before the letters i and e as in cinco

cc sounds like ks (accident) as in accidente

j and g sounds like ch (loch) as in juego and girafa

g sounds like h (hallo) before the letters i and e as in gente

ll sounds like y (yard) as in llamas

ñ sounds like ni (onions) as in señorita

qu sounds like k as in ¿qué?

rr sounds like a Scottish r as in arroz

v sounds like b as in vaca

z sounds like th (thin) as in arroz

h is always silent unless the word is of foreign origin

u is silent after g and q as in ¿qué?

In Spain ‘d’ is spoken with a lisp, this is not so in Latin America.

There are many sites on line that provide help with pronunciation

Spanish punctuation

Written Spanish in both Spain and Latin America is also distinctive from written English; fewer capitals are used at the beginning of each line of verse, exclamation and question marks are used both at the beginning and end of sentences. However, for familiarity I have usually conformed to the English model when writing Spanish verse.

A mi burro a mi burro 🔊

Poor old donkey, he has aches and pains everywhere. Recognise the Spanish names of body part in this cumulative song; add more of your own.

Watch at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBHRx2PifOg&feature=related

March on the spot and touch parts of the body each time they are mentioned

A mi burro, a mi burro le duele la cabeza. El médico le ha puesto una gorrita negra. ¿Una gorrita negra? Mi burro enfermo está. x2 A mi burro, a mi burro le duele la garganta. El médico le ha puesta una bufanda blanca. ¿Una gorrita negra, una bufanda blanca? Mi burro enfermo está. x2 A mi burro, a mi burro le duele el corazón. El médico le ha puesto jarabe de limón. ¿Una gorrita negra, una bufanda blanca, jarabe de limón? Mi burro enfermo está. x2 Add las rodillas / un frasco de pastillas las pezuñas / emplasto de lechugas. Last verse A mi burro, a mi burro ya no le duele nada, Pero el muy perezoso… Durmiendo está en la cama. x2

My poor donkey, my donkey his head is really hurting. The doctor came and gave him a cosy knitted black cap. A cosy knitted black cap? My donkey is so ill, my donkey is so ill. My poor donkey, my donkey his throat is really hurting. The doctor came and gave him a long white woolly scarf. A cosy knitted black cap, a long white woolly scarf? My donkey is so ill, my donkey is so ill. My poor donkey, my donkey his heart is really hurting. The doctor came and gave him a spoon of lemon syrup. A cosy knitted black cap, a long white woolly scarf, a spoon of lemon syrup? My donkey is so ill, my donkey is so ill. Add knees / a bottle full of pills hoof / a poultice of green lettuce. Last verse Now my donkey, my donkey he is no longer hurting, But he’s so very lazy... He’s back in bed a-sleeping. Yes he’s so very lazy... He’s fast asleep in bed, he’s fast asleep in bed!

Caballito blanco O

This cradle song, ‘Little white horse’ has the same tune as ‘Los pollitos dicen’ another nursery favourite.

Listen at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owwWIEosUt8&feature=related

Gallop freely in and out of each other.

Caballito blanco, Sácame de aquí, Llévame a mi pueblo, Donde yo nací. Tengo, tengo, tengo, Tú no tienes nada, Tengo tres ovejas En una cabaña. Una me da leche, Otra me da lana, Y otra mantequilla Para la semana.

Gallop little white horse, Take me far away, Take me to the village, Where I was born and raised. I have, I have, I have, Everything I need; Three sheep in the meadow, Everything indeed! One that gives me warm milk, One that gives me wool, One that gives me butter, All week I am full.

El cocodrilo O

What was it the crocodile saw when he poked his head out of the cave? Let your imagination blossom.

Listen to Miriam at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSgnqIr_bVc&feature=related

Directions:

Make rhythmic movements with actions.

1. Open and close hands like crocodile jaws. Hands make cave over head.

2. Place chin on back of hands with elbows out.

3. Look from one side to the other with hands to brow.

4. Shrug and throw hands out to the side.

5. Hands to face and look horrified.

1. El cocodrilo se metió en la cueva, 2. De pronto asomó la cabeza, 3. Miró para una lado y al otro. 5. ¿Y qué pasó? t¿Y qué pasó? 1. Que el cocodrilo se metió en la cueva, 2. De pronto asomó la cabeza, 3. Miró para una lado y al otro. 4. ¿Y qué pasó? ¿Y qué pasó? 5. Se sorprendió ¡Aaah!

Old crocodile he crawled into his cavern, He poked his head out all of a sudden, He looked from one side to the other. What happens next? What happens next? That crocodile he crawled into his cavern, He poked his head out all of a sudden, He looked from one side to the other. What happens next? What happens next? A big surprise! Aaah!

La bella naranja O

This traditional children’s nursery rhyme from Argentina can be sung as a round.

Could the lion and the king be symbolic and linked to coins of the realm? The ‘worm’ however is a creative translation conceit!

Watch at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRU7hCiCYXU

Directions:

Stand in a circle with every other child labelled orange or lemon. Oranges and lemons bob up and down alternately to the pulse of the music. This will need some practice initially.

Al pom pón de la bella naranja, Que hay un rey que no existe en francia. A la gusaní, a la gusanó, Al pom pón saltará el león.

Pom, pom, pom to the beautiful orange, Kings of France are indeed not so common. Wiggly little worm, wiggly little worm, Pom, pom, pom to the skipping lion.

La danza de la serpiente O

Poor old snake, he’s come down from the mountain to look for his long lost tail. This game is great fun but requires careful co-operation skills.

Watch at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rBlhSs5jXg

Make a circle with snake in the centre.

Directions:

All clap rhythmically as the snake weaves in and out of those making the circle, stopping to face a child on ‘Y eres tú’. This child then crawls under snake’s legs and grabs its waist to join in a wavy dance. The dancing continues with the head of the serpent choosing a new child each time to repeat the actions until all members of the circle form part of the snake’s tail. If the snake becomes too long, split it into new ones to make the lines more manageable.

Esta es la danza de la serpiente, Qué bajó del monte, Para buscar a su co-li-ta, Qué perdió aquí? Y eres tú, y eres tú, mi propio tú, El pedacito de co-o-o-li-ta?

Join us in dancing with the serpent, Who came down the mountain, Looking for his lost little tai-ail. Where ever has he lost it? And is it you, and is it you, And is it you, that’s his little bitty tail?

La foca Ramona O

We’re off to the circus to make big stretchy movements.

Watch at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0h1lEdQzvE

Spread out around the room.

La foca Ramona, trabaja en un circo, Tiene una pelota, muy grande y redonda. La avienta hacia arriba, la avienta hacia abajo, Se sienta y saluda, y come pescado. Uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh! The good seal Ramona, Performs in a circus, She plays with a ball that Is round and enormous. Her tail it fans upwards, Her tail it fans downwards, She sits there and greets us, And eats lots of fishes. Uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh!

Walk round clapping hands. Hold large ball above head. Roll hands up high then down low. Squat and wave. Eat fish with both hands. Flap flippers.

Mirad, mirad allí 🔊

‘It is an elephant!’

Stand in a circle and sing the song through with the actions below. Second time hum (mmmmmh) words of first phrase then sing and continue actions as before. Each time the song is repeated replace cumulatively each phrase with humming until the whole song is being hummed and mimed. Last time sing all words of the song with the actions.

Watch at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDM1-dakTVM

Mirad, mirad allí, en el tejado aquel, Hay un gran animal, que en bicicleta va. Un elefante es, Y como ya sabeis, Con la trompa delante y el rabo atrás! Look on the roof up there, It is not rude to stare, For a huge animal, Is on a bicycle. It is an elephant, That’s what I really meant, In front you see a long trunk And a tail behind!

Circle eyes with thumb and forefinger, look up. Draw a roof with the fingers. Make a big gesture with hands. Make cycling actions with closed fists. Flap big elephant ears. Wag forefinger. Wave trunk. Make tail and waggle rear end.

Un elefante se balanceaba O

Learn Spanish number names with this traditional singing game.

Listen at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQBX2XMBIFo

Practice walking heel to toe in time to the music before attempting this game as these movements demand a high level of physical control. You will need plenty of room and a safe surface on which to fall at the end of the song!

Make a large circle with 2 or 3 leaders inside.

Un elefante se balanceaba, Sobre la tela de una araña, Como veía, que resistía Fue a llamar a otro elefante. One elephant tried balancing with great care, Out on the fine web of a spider, Saw it was strong not made to be broken, So one more elephant came up behind her. Dos elefantes se balanceaban, Sobre la tela de una araña. Como veían, que resistía Fueron a llamar a otro elefante. Two elephants tried balancing... etc. Tres elefantes... Three elephants... Cuatro elefantes... Four elephants... Cinco elefantes se balanceaban, Sobre la tela de una araña. Como veían, que no resistía Five elephants tried balancing with great care Out on the fine web of a spider, Too many big’uns, soon it was broken, SPOKEN: Cinco, cuatro, tres, dos, una… Mira como caen los elefantes! SPOKEN: Five, four, three, two, one... Watch all those elephant nose divers!

With an arm waving like a trunk the leaders plod along putting heel in front of the toe. Each leader then chooses another child from the circle. This child places a hand on the leader’s shoulder and waves a ‘trunk’ with the other. Sequence is repeated as above Last time move as before. On the last line encourage the leader of each line of elephants to search for a safe place to fall away from the other groups.

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