Fun German Nursery Rhyme For Playing

Title: Fun German Nursery Rhyme For Playing

General Information about Item: 

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

Informant Data: 

  • Frederick Whelen is a German American student at NorthWestern University. He grew up in San Francisco, California, but often went to Germany during the summer. His dad is German and taught him German growing up.

Contextual Data:

  • Cultural Context: This German Nursery is taught to many kids as a game, but also a way for learning about animals. Frederick said that his dad used to tickle him and play with him while reciting this rhyme. Not only was this nursery rhyme fun for Fredrick, but it was informative; he was able to animal sounds and actions when he learned this nursery rhyme.
  • Social Context: Frederick brought up this nursery rhyme when I asked him whether or not his dad had taught him any as a kid. Even though Frederick is sure there are more rhymes he learned, he only remembers this one.

Item:

  • Alle Meine Entchen: In certain contexts, this game is played with children to get them to calm down or rest, but it can also be a way of play in general. Many kids learn basic animal sounds and anatomy from this nursery rhyme as well.
    • The Nursery Rhyme:

      Alle meine Entchen
      schwimmen auf dem See
      Köpfchen in das Wasser,
      Schwänzchen in die Höh’.

      Alle meine Täubchen
      sitzen auf dem Dach
      Klipper, klapper, klapp, klapp,
      fliegen übers Dach.

      Ri ra Rutsch
      Wir fahren mit der Kutsch’
      Wir fahren mit der Schneckenpost,
      wo es keinen Pfennig kost’
      Ri ra Rutsch
      Wir fahren mit der Kutsch’

    • English Translation:

      All my ducklings
      swimming on the lake
      Head in the water,
      Tail bottoms up.

      All my doves
      Sitting on the roof
      Klipper, rattle, clap, clap,
      flying over the roof.

      Ri ra slip
      We travel on the coach
      We continue with the snail mail,
      where it a penny costs
      Ri ra slip
      We travel on the coach

 

Associated File/Transcript: 

Collector’s Comments: I can see how, depending on the tone used when reciting this nursery rhyme, a child can either be lulled to sleep and calmed down or riled up. It is interesting to see how one nursery rhyme can have so many different effects on the listener.

Collector’s Name: Kai Lord

Tags/Keyword:

  • Nursery Rhymes
  • Germany
  • Home

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