Feelings and family

Baloniku

Fari, fara, farum

Grozik

Kawaliry

Kwiatek dla mamy/Flowers for mother

Mam chusteczkę haftowaną

Ola chce wyjechać

Stoi różyczka

Synkopa/The big dig

 

31/03/2015 14:14

 

The songs below are part ofKaruzelaThe Polish collection compiled, adapted, translated and illustrated by Dany Rosevear

Return to the ‘Singing games for children’ home page

 

To listen to music from these songs click on O

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

 

© Dany Rosevear 2010 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 Polish Collection

 

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 Polish. Literal translations do not always make sense to the English ear so these have been translated freely to complement the music and capture the spirit of the song.

You will find more Polish songs in Hop Skip and Away We Go

 

Polish pronunciation guide

 

Spoken Polish is quite different from spoken English. The guide is provided to aid the pronunciation of some of the more distinctive sounds in the Polish language. The letters not listed below are pronounced approximately as in English. There are 32 characters in the Polish alphabet. Stress falls on the last but one syllable.

 

a        sounds like ah (father)  

ą        sounds like French on

c        sounds like c (dance)     

ć /ci   sounds like ch (cello)

ch      sounds like ch (loch)

cz      sounds like ch (church)

d       sounds like d (dance) but in final position is unvoiced and more like t

dz      sounds like dz (adze) but like j (jewel) when followed by an i

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

ę        sounds like French ain                     

g        sounds like g (go) but in final position is unvoiced and more like k

h       is never silent sounds like ch (loch)

i         sounds like ee (feet)                

j         sounds like y (yes)                          

ł         sounds like w (wake) but in final position is unvoiced and more like f

ń/ni   sounds like ni (onions)

o        sounds like o (gone)

ó        sounds like oo (boot)    

r        slightly rolled as in Spanish

ś/si     a very very soft sh no equivalent in English

sz       sounds like sh (ship)

u       sounds like u (duke) or as in una

w       sounds like v(vote)

y        sounds like i (ship) but harder

ź/zi    sounds like z/zh (azure)

ż/ rz  sounds like French j (Jean)

 

If you have a Polish parent to help you with the pronunciation you will find these songs not too difficult to learn despite the spelling!

There are also sites on line including You Tube to help you sing in the original language.


 

 

Baloniku

 

This Polish circle game, ‘The little balloon’, is a great favourite with the very young. It is traditionally chanted but could be sung to a basic tune.

 

Watch at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FR4DmgQTqsQ  or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyNyUyZpXe8

 

 

Baloniku nasz malutki,

Rośnij, rośnij, okraglutki.

Balon rośnie,

Źe aź starch,

Przebral miarę

No!.... TRACH!

Our little balloon is growing,

Bigger and bigger,

Our balloon rises,

We are scared,

It is enormous,

Oh no! ... BANG!

Children stand together, holding hands, in a small tight circle. Bigger and bigger breaths are blown after each line as the circle expands.

 

Hands are held for as long as possible as the circle becomes increasingly larger.

On ‘BANG!’ all fall down.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

Fari, fara, farum O

 

Also called ‘Wesoły pląs’ this is a tongue in cheek song about friendship. Encourage children to discuss how they feel when forsaken by a friend and also how they can manage rejection.

 

Find a simple version at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=re87hmAuNeA

 

Children begin in a circle of pairs holding hands in skating position.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Dwóm tańczyć się zachciało, zachciało, zachciało,

Lecz to się nie udało,

Fari, fara, farum.

We’ll dance along together, together, together,

But we won’t dance forever,

Fari, fara, farum.

 

Kłócili się ze sobą,  ze sobą, ze sobą,

SPOKEN: Ja nie chcę tańczyć z tobą!

Fari, fara, farum.

We quarrel with each other, each other, each other,

SPOKEN: I really can’t be bothered!

Fari, fara, farum.

 

Poszukam więc innego, innego, innego,

Do tańca zdolniejszego,

Fari, fara, farum.

I’m looking for another, another, another,

A cheerful dancing partner,

Fari, fara, farum.

 

Zatańczymy więc wesoło, wesoło, wesoło,

Niech się rozchmurzy czoło,

Fari, fara, farum.

Our dance will be so merry, so merry, so merry,

Now everyone is happy,

Fari, fara, farum.

 

Pairs facing clockwise skip round the circle.

 

 

 

 

 

Still holding hands tussle making a sawing action.

Drop hands and wag finger or put hands on hips and stamp raising voice.

 

 

Walk around until a new partner is found. Resume skating position.

 

 

 

With hands still crossed and facing each other skip round on the spot.


 

 

Grozik O

 

‘The broken basket’; ‘Grozikthough means to threaten. A circle game.

 

Watch at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2b0rGC2QC0Y&feature=related  or

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcszK9thoog

 

Children stand opposite a partner in a space holding hands.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Poszło dziewczę po ziele, po ziele, po ziele,

Nazbierało niewiele, niewiele, hej!

Przyszedł do niej braciszek,

Połamał jej koszyczek.

To her garden Krisha flew,

Krisha flew, Krisha flew,

Gathering fresh herbs just a few, just a few, hey!

Then her brother passing by,

Broke her basket, made her cry.

 

Oj ty, ty, oj, ty, ty!

Za koszyczek zapłać mi!

Oj ty, ty, oj, ty, ty!

Za koszyczek zapłać mi!

Hey, hey, hey, what a day!

For my basket you must pay!

Hey, hey, hey, what a day!

For my basket you must pay!

 

Children skip round in a circle first one way then the other.

Stop place hands on hips and stamp three times then clap three times.

 

Holding elbow shake first right finger then left finger at partner.

Turn around on the spot. Repeat last two actions.

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

Kawaliry O

 

Many maidens are not satisfied with the quality of their young suitors. This girl dreams of what might be, of finding one more suited to her high aspirations.

 

Watch at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDtCc80ihpo

 

 

Directions: 

Children, stand in a circle holding hands.

1: Walk in to the centre and out twice.

2: Place left hand on hip and right hand in the air, skip sideways right round the circle. Second time reverse arms and skip to the left.

3: With both hands on hips skip with right then left foot forward in sequence.

4: Repeat sideways skipping as in (2), first right then left.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


1. Po cóześta kawaliry, przyśli?

}x2

O-jo-jo-joj do!

2. Moja izba nie do wasyj myśli,

O-jo-jo-joj do!

 

3. Moja izba z ciosanego drzewa,

}x2

O-jo-jo-joj do!

4. Nie takiego kawalira trzeba,

O-jo-jo-joj do! 

 

Oj, trzeba mi kawalira pana, O-jo...

Nie takiego, jak ja jezdem sama,

O-jo... 

 

Zebym za nim piechty nie chodziła,

O-jo...

W seść par kuni karetą jeździła,

O-jo...

 

Zeby była karyta z oknami!

O-jo...

Zeby były kunie pod piórami,

O-jo...

 

Chyba żebym ciebie pokochała,

O-jo...

To bym piechty i boso biegała,

O-jo...

}x2

Pray young fellow tell me why you’ve come here, Oi-yoi-yoi-yo-do!

You’ll not find a welcome in my

house it’s clear, Oi-yoi-yoi-yo-do!

 

It’s a house of timber roughly hewn too,

}x2

Oi-yoi-yoi-yo-do!

And it needs a much more princely

man than you, Oi-yoi-yoi-yo-do!  

 

Finer far a noble cavaliero, Oi-yoi...

You won’t do, alas I’m better off alone, Oi-yoi...

 

Must I wander in my dreams to find him, Oi-yoi...

I would ride a carriage drawn by horses,

Oi-yoi....

 

Six fine horses decked in plumed feathers! Oi-yoi...

Pull that carriage with its shiny windows,  Oi-yoi....

 

But if I could show him how my love stood, Oi-yoi...

I would surely travel running barefoot,

Oi-yoi....

 

 


 

Kwiatek dla mamy / Flowers for mother O

 

A song for Mothering Sunday written by my Polish friend Maria Zofia Tomaszewska and translated by myself Dany Rosevear.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Kwiatka trzypłatka dziś narysuję sama,

A potem dostanie go moja droga mama.

Today I’m drawing a three petalled flower,

A present from me to my kindest, dearest mother.

Chorus

Mamo, mamo, mamo, mamo!

Mamo, mamo, mamo, posłuchaj mnie.

Mamo, mamo, mamo, mamo!

Mamo, mamo, mamo ja kocham cię.

Mother, mother, mother, mother,

Mother, mother, mother, listen, please do!

Mother, mother, mother, mother,

Mother, mother, mother, I love you!

 

Kwiatków trzypłatków bukiecik już gotowy,

Gdy kartka się pognie, to narysuję nowy.

Now I have drawn a three petalled flower,

And if it tears I will draw for you another.

Chorus

 


 

 

Mam chusteczkę haftowaną O

 

‘My handkerchief’ is a legendary Polish kissing game popularly played at weddings like this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utnPzH6Lb3c

 

The traditional Polish game is different from the one described below; During the song a child walks round the middle of the circle hanky in hand.. At the end the child with the handkerchief gives it to a person of their choice. They then spread the handkerchief on the floor, sit on it and give the chosen child a kiss. The selected person becomes the new chooser, the children sing the song again and the fun goes on.

The English game and ‘translation’ below makes for a less demonstrative game!

 

Listen at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRI7c0Yoga0&feature=related

Watch at:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bda6boC3LUY&feature=related  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Mam chusteczkę haftowaną,

Co ma cztery rogi,

Kogo kocham, kogo lubię,

Rzucę mu pod nogi.

Here’s my little handkerchief,

Embroidered at four corners,

Where do I drop that handkerchief,

And who shall I ignore sir?

 

Tego kocham, tego lubię,

Tego pocałuję,

A chusteczkę haftowaną ,

Tobie podatuje!

Is it this one, is it that one?

None of these will do sir!

Maybe this one, surely that one,

It’s this one I’ll choose sir!

 

The players sit in a circle while another child walks round the outside with a handkerchief pointing to each child from ‘Is it this one...’ and finally dropping the hanky behind one child.

This child rises, grabs the hanky, chases and tries to catch the chooser. The chooser tries to return to the empty space in the circle before this happens.

If successful the new child becomes the chooser and the game continues. If the child succeeds in catching the chooser, the same child returns to their original spot and the chooser stays in role.

 

In some versions the one who is caught is ‘out’ and sits in the middle of the circle.

 


 

 

Ola chce wyjechać O

 

A gentle song where children take turns to face into the circle.

 

Watch at:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cSzvzv-K3U .

 

 

Directions: 

Make a circle holding hands and facing outwards. The circle moves gently round to the left. Each time the song is sung a new child’s name is substituted for Ola and on the last line that child turns to face the centre of the circle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Ola chce wyjechać w daleki świat,

ale mama bardzo płacze,

że jej więcej nie zobaczy,

Ola się odwróci i do mamy wróci.

Ola wants to go and see the wide world,

But her mother calls out sadly,

That she’d miss her daughter badly,

Ola’s hears her fears and tears, turns and says I’ll stay here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

Stoi różyczka O

 

We have measles like ‘Ring a ring a roses’ comes from a time when childhood illnesses were often fatal. ‘Różyczka ‘is the Polish word for German measles or rubella.

 

Listen at: http://chomikuj.pl/andrzej0716?fid=187640983

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Stoi różyczka, w czerwonym wieńcu,

My się kłaniamy jako książęciu.

We have measles, with lots of red spots.

We bow like princes, we don’t care - not one jot.

 

Ty różyczko dobrze wiesz, dobrze wiesz, dobrze wiesz,

Kogo kochasz, tego bierz, tego bierz.

Measles, measles, yes we know, yes we know, yes we know,

Choose a partner, round you go, round you go.

Children stand in a circle holding hands; a child stands in the middle looking sad The circle moves to the left. Step left with left foot, cross right foot in front of left, step left, cross right foot behind the left. Stop and bow low to the child in the middle.

 

The circle side skips round to the right. The child in the middle chooses another child from the ring which stands still clapping as the two in the centre skip round holding hands. The first child then joins the circle leaving their partner to continue the game.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Synkopa/The big dig O

 

A syncopated song written by Maria Zofia Tomaszewska and translated by Dany Rosevear.

Hear it in Polish at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWtpASMQkTI

 

Mój mały syn kopał, syn kopał, rów kopał

Az raz się dokopał, dokopał

Do złota

Z tego złota dałam zrobić pierścionek, pierścionek, pierścionek

Który oczko miał niebiesko zielone, zielone, zielone.

Mój mały syn kopał syn kopał pod mostem

Az raz się dokopał, dokopał

Do kostek

A te kości zanieśliśmy do Muzeum Paleontologicznego.

Powiedzieli, że to palec dinozaura

Diplodoka wielkiego.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My son went digging down, digging down,

underground.

And there some gold he found, gold he found,

underground, underground.

From that shiny little nugget he made me,

A gold ring, a gold ring.

In the middle was a round stone that sparkled;

Bright blue-green, bright blue-green.

 

My son went digging down, digging down,

underground.

And there some bones he found, bones he found,

underground, underground.

At the dinosaur museum they saw us,

Informed us, in chorus,

It’s the finger of the great brontosaurus,

His claw was, enormous!

 

It's time for digging down, digging down,

underground.

It's time for digging down, digging down,

underground, underground.


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