Title: German Nursery Rhymes Learned In America

General Information about Item: 

• Nursery Rhyme
• Language: German
• Country of Origin: Germany
• Informant: Quincy Peters
• Date Collected: 05/17/2020

Informant Data: 

• Quincy Peters is a High School student from San Francisco, California. She considers herself to be a “spiritual liberal,” and has lived in San Francisco her whole life. Her mother is German and wanted her to know German growing up, so she enrolled Quincy in a German school program.

Contextual Data:

• Cultural Context: These German nursery rhymes were used in various ways to entertain and teach children about the world. Certain rhymes were used when parents were playing with their kids, while others were used in school settings to teach children about physical objects, like animals and baking ingredients. The main object for parent-taught nursery rhymes was to entertain children, while school-taught nursery rhymes were mainly meant as an alternative means of education.
• Social Context: These specific nursery rhymes were brought up after I had asked about the informant’s childhood, and if there were any differences between learning nursery rhymes at school versus at home.

Item:

• Advent ein Lichtlein brennt: This nursery rhyme is based on a Christmas celebration. In Germany, the Advent tradition is the preparation for the arrival of “Christkind” on his birthday, december 25th.
  • The Nursery Rhyme: Advent, Advent,
    ein Lichtlein brennt.
    Erst eins, dann zwei,
    dann drei, dann vier,
    dann steht das Christkind vor der Tür.
  • English Translation: Advent, Advent,
    A little light is burning.
    First one, then two,
    Then three, then four,
    Then Christkind stands at the door.
• Backe Backe: This nursery rhyme depicts the ingredients for a cake. It is usually sung to a child so that they hopefully remember these ingredients while baking.
  • The Nursery Rhyme: Backe, backe Kuchen,
    der Bäcker hat gerufen.
    Wer will feinen Kuchen backen,
    der muss haben 7 Sachen:
    Zucker und Salz,
    Butter und Schmalz,
    Eier und Mehl,
    Safran macht den Kuchen gelb.
    Schieb in den Ofen rein.
  • English Translation: Bake, bake the cake
    The baker has declared.
    If one wants to bake a fine cake
    He has to have these 7 things:
    Sugar and salt,
    Butter and lard,
    Eggs and flour
    Saffron makes the cake yellow,
    Slide it into the oven.
• Häschen in der Grube: This nursery rhyme is sung to a sick child in hopes that they will get better and to lift their spirits.
  • The Nursery Rhyme: Häschen in der Grube saß und schlief,
    saß und schlief.
    “Armes Häschen, bist du krank,
    daß du nicht mehr hüpfen kannst?
    Häschen hüpf! Häschen hüpf! Häschen hüpf!”
  • English Translation: Little rabbit sat in his burrow and was asleep,
    Sat and slept,
    “Poor little rabbit, are you ill,
    So you can’t hop about any more?
    Rabbit hop! Rabbit hop! Rabbit hop!”
• Hoppe Hoppe Reiter: This nursery rhyme is a popular favorite among children. They ride their parent’s knees while the parent sings this rhyme, and at the end the parent opens their knees dropping the child.
  • The Nursery Rhyme: Hoppe, hoppe, Reiter,
    Wenn er fällt, dann schreit er.
    Fällt er in die Hecken,
    Tut er sich erschrecken.
    Fällt er in den Sumpf
    Macht der Reiter plumps!
  • English Translation: Hop, hop, rider,
    If he falls, he will cry.
    If he falls into the hedges,
    He will get frightened.
    If he falls into the mud,
    The rider falls with a splash!

Associated File/Transcript: 

• Advent ein Lichtlein brennt:
• Backe Backe:
• Häschen in der Grube:
• Hoppe Hoppe Reiter:

Collector’s Comments: I found these nursery rhymes very entertaining and catchy. I can see why they’re taught to children; they’re fun and easy to memorize!

Collector’s Name: Kai Lord

Tags/Keyword:

• Nursery Rhymes
• Germany
• School
• Home