Saturday, May 31, 2014

Short'nin' Bread

Collection Information: Short'nin' Bread was collected on May 19th, 2014 in Dennis, Massachusetts. It belongs to a sub-genre of nursery rhymes called wake up songs. 

Informant Data: Jane Pine Wood, 52, was born and grew up in Midland, Texas. She has four younger brothers, along with her two parents. She is Irish, German, and Cajun. She was heavily influenced by Southern culture growing up, and although currently lives in Massachusetts, holds on to those roots. She is married and has two sons, and currently lives in Massachusetts.

Text:
"Three little children, lyin' in bed
Two were sick and the other 'most dead
Sent for the doctor and the doctor said,
"Give those children some short'nin' bread."

Mama's little baby loves short'nin', short'nin',
Mama's little baby loves short'nin' bread,
Mama's little baby loves short'nin', short'nin',
Mama's little baby loves short'nin' bread.

Put on the skillet, slip on the lid,
Mama's gonna make a little short'nin' bread,
That ain't all she's gonna do,
Mama's gonna make a little coffee, too.

Context: This song was popular in the South, and originated on plantations amongst slaves as a recipe for “short’nin’ bread,” which was a quick treat that was made uniquely with brown sugar instead of bleached sugar, giving it a different taste. The gist is that there is a sick child who can be cured by making this treat. It was sung to Jane by her parents when she was growing up to get them all out of bed whenever her mom was going to make these treats. She in turn sang it to her children when they were very young. It was a common knowledge song, and variations exist after doing research. 

Interpretation and Meaning: The context data explains most of this wake-up song. It is a very southern song and was often sung by slaves in the kitchen to pass the time whilst cooking all meals, including breakfast, which is how it came to be a wake-up song. Since then it has been passed down to southerners in general and is widely known in Jane’s generation.

Collector’s Information: Ben Wood, Dartmouth College ’16, Russian 13, Professor Mikhail Gronas, Spring 2014

Alizay

Collection Information: Alizay was collected on May 18th, 2014 in Hanover, New Hampshire. It belongs to a sub-genre of nursery rhymes called wake up songs.

Informant Data: I am my own informant for this collection piece. I am 20 years old and have lived my whole life on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. While my father is English, German, and a bit Swedish, my mother is Irish, German, and Creole/Cajun. I study Earth Sciences at Dartmouth College.

Context: This wake-up song is from my childhood, and my mother would sing it to me almost every morning to get my brother and me up for school. Cajun people are the African American descendants of slaves in Southern Louisiana, from when it was under French control, and as such they speak a unique dialect of French called Creole. This piece of folklore contains some Creole words, which are translated. It has been passed down from father to son and daughter for generations in my family to my mother, and from there, to myself. Presumably this originates from a time where they had to work in the fields.

Text:
“Alizay, Alizay, Alizay
You can't stay in the bed all the day

Get out of bed, Alizay
It's time to pick the meliton
Alizay, Alizay, you big cochon.”

Translation:
A meliton is a chayote (vegetable) and a cochon is a pig.

Meaning and Interpretation: This wake-up song, while short, does hold a lot of meaning, and has several important factors worth considering. Alizay is a region of France, but here it is used as a nickname for the child being addressed. The connection to French is due to the fact that, as said earlier, Creole is a dialect of French. Significant functions within the wake-up function are the referencing of the bed and wake-up times, chores to do the next day, and poking fun at the child for being as lazy as a pig. Additionally the meaning extends further in that it is carrying on a part of family history that otherwise is not mentioned very often.

Collector’s Information: Ben Wood, Dartmouth College ’16, Russian 13, Professor Mikhail Gronas, Spring 2014

Good Morn

Collection Information: Good Morn was collected on May 18th, 2014 in Hanover, New Hampshire. It belongs to a sub-genre of nursery rhymes called wake up songs.

Informant Data: Regan Roberts is an American from Virginia Beach, Virginia. She is 20 years old and while not at college lives with her mother and younger brother. She attends Dartmouth College where she is majoring in economics, while still having many other interests, such as Spanish.

Text:
“Good morn my merry sunshine,
Why do you wake so soon?
You used to wake at twelve o’clock
But now you wake at noon!”


Contextual: To wake up Regan and her brother when they were very young, her father would run in and sing this two them when it was time to get up while playing with them to get them out of bed. It is presumably from when her father was a child, but this is not confirmed, as she was too young to remember whether it was a family song or not. 

Meaning and Interpretation: This wake-up song is very short and simple, with the intent of repetition. There is also clear excitement as indicated by the exclamation point. The themes present in this example follow the expected patterns, including implying the listener is lazy to incite movement, and mentioning the coming day and the act of waking up.

Collector’s Information: Ben Wood, Dartmouth College ’16, Russian 13, Professor Mikhail Gronas, Spring 2014

Fa La Ninna

Collection Information: “Fa La Ninna” was collected on May 15, 2014 in Barrington Rhode Island

Informant: The informant, Grace Maglio 22, is a babysitter.
  
Text:
Fa la ninna, fa la nanna
Fa la ninna, fa la nanna
Nella braccia della mamma
Fa la ninna bel bambin,
Fa la nanna bambin bel,
Fa la ninna, fa la nanna
Nella braccia della mamma.

Translation:
Go to sleep, go to sleepy
In the arms of your mother,
Go to sleep, lovely child,
Go to sleepy, child so lovely,
Go to sleep, go to sleepy
In the arms of your mother.

Context: Grace’s mother sang this song to her when she was an infant. A popular nursery rhyme in Italy, according to Grace, she continues to use it because she finds that it is exceptionally effective at helping infants fall asleep. Grace has babysat for over 50 families and is an experienced caregiver. Grace’s family on her mother’s side is Italian.

Meaning and Interpretation:The translations above show that the lyrics are a direct attempt to help a child to sleep, the ultimate goal of all lullabies. The English translation, however, does not account for the alliteration, and repetition of sounds that the Italian version contains. The songs’ simple structure and repetition, in combination with the high key in which it is sung, are very effective at soothing younger babies, according to Grace.

Collector’s Information: Frohman Anderson, Dartmouth College ’14, Russian 13, Professor Mikhail Gronas, Spring 2014

Uyusun Da Buyusun Ninni

Collection Information: Uyusun Da Buyusun Ninni was collected on May 10th, 2014 in Hanover, New Hampshire. It belongs to a sub-genre of nursery rhymes called lullabies.

Informant: The informant is a 23 year old male of Turkish origin, named Tuna Kent. His parents are both of full Turkish origin and he speaks fluent Turkish. He works as an analyst now in the finance industry.

Text:
Uyusunda büyüsün ninni
Tıpış tıpış yürüsün ninni
Dertlerini sürüsün ninni
Oğlum kızım uyusun ninni

Translation:
Sleep and grow, lullaby
Walk then, lullaby
Drag your troubles then, lullaby
My son, my daughter, sleep, lullaby

Context: This lullaby is typically sung from by a mother to her child. Typically mothers sing this song when their children are very young. Of course, given the genre, it is sung to children prior to bed, to assist in their transition to slumber. 

Meaning and Interpretation: This lullaby generally expresses the mother’s desire for various things for her child, including some type of benefits, whether materials such as clothes and sustenance. It could also be health, wealth, a great career, etc. In the first stanza the mother is wishing for growth and health, essentially. They use the onomatopoeic Turkish expression, “tipish.” This is a shortened version of the actual lullaby, but generally this depicts the love and concern from a mother for her child.

Collector’s Information: Malcolm Leverett, Dartmouth College ’14, Russian 13, Professor Mikhail Gronas, Spring 2014

Twinke Twinkle Little Star

Collection Information: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star was collected on May 7th, 2014 in Detroit, Michigan. It belongs to a sub-genre of nursery rhymes called lullabies.

Informant: The informant was Joanne McNeal, a 67 year old Detroit native. Joanne worked as a Daycare supervisor. She has three children: two sons and a daughter. Through her role as Daycare Supervisor she has heard and performed many lullabies and as such was an excellent person to chose as an informant.

Text:
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky.

When the blazing sun is gone,
When he nothing shines upon,
Then you show your little light,
Twinkle, twinkle all the night.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are!

Then the traveler in the dark
Thanks you for your tiny spark;
He could not see which way to go,
If you did not twinkle so.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are!

In the dark blue sky you keep,
While you thro’ my window peep,
And you never shut your eye,
Till the sun is in the sky,
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are!

Context: This lullaby can be performed by an elderly figure, whether male or female. This lullaby is sung to infant children prior to bed, in order to assist them in their slumber. The informant sang it to all her daycare children - me being one of them. Further, she sang this lullaby to her children and grandchildren.

Meaning and Interpretation: This lullaby’s intention is to put children, but primarily infants to sleep. The setting is the the night sky when people sleep. He main character is a little star in the sky. The lullaby then goes through difference characters in the night sky. This is a soft lullaby unlike the previous two without negative, morbid references.

Collector’s Information: Malcolm Leverett, Dartmouth College ’14, Russian 13, Professor Mikhail Gronas, Spring 2014

Duérmete niño

Collection Information: Duérmete Niño was collected on November 14th, 2013 in Madrid, Spain. It belongs to a sub-genre of nursery rhymes called lullabies.

Informant: The informant was Guillermo Oliveros, a 65 year old Spaniard who was born in Madrid, Spain. He stayed in Madrid his entire life, while his two siblings moved throughout Spain. Her met his Madridian while in college, and they have remained in Madrid where they have five children together.

Text:
    Duérmete niño
    Duémeter ya
    Que viene el coco
    Y te llevará

    Duérmete niño
    Duéremete ya
    Que viene el coco
    Y te comerá

Translation:
    Sleep my baby,
    Sleep, baby, do!
    The boogeyman’s coming
    And he will take you.

    Sleep my baby,
    Sleep, baby, do!
    The boogeyman’s coming
    And he will eat you.

Context: This lullaby can be performed by an elderly figure, whether male or female. This lullaby is sung to infant children prior to bed, in order to assist them in their slumber. The informant sang it to his grandchildren in my presence and we further discussed the context of this lullaby in particular. He couldn’t recall whether his parents or grandparents sung this song to him, but he has certainly sung it to his children and grandchildren.

Meaning and Interpretation: This lullaby’s intention is to put children, but primarily infants to sleep. The boogeyman is a monster often referenced in context with slumber, dreams and sleeping. This lullaby tells children to go to sleep or the boogeyman will come and eat you. However, the sounds are soothing enough that it will put children and infants to sleep. While infants may not understand the meaning behind the lullaby, some children will. This is also a part of the series of lullabies that are a bit scary and morbid; however, still put children to sleep.

Collector’s Information: Malcolm Leverett, Dartmouth College ’14, Russian 13, Professor Mikhail Gronas, Spring 2014

Rock-A-Bye Baby

Collection Information: Rock-a-bye Baby was collected on April 28th, 2014 in Southfield, Michigan. It belongs to a sub-genre of nursery rhymes called lullabies.

Informant: The informant was Jean Lewis, a 78 year old African-American woman who was born in Galveston, Texas. She along with her two sisters and one brother spent the majority of her adolescence in Galveston. She met her husband in Galveston and moved to Michigan where she raised her two children.

Text:
    Rock-a-bye baby
    On the tree top,
    When the wind blows,
    The cradle will rock,
    When the bough breaks,
    The cradle will fall,
    And down will come baby,
    Cradle and all

Context: This lullaby is often performed by a motherly figure often a mother or grandmother. These lullabies are sung to infant children prior to bed, in order to assist them in their slumber. The informant recalls her mother and grandmother singing this lullaby to her. Further, she has furthered this folklore by singing it to her daughter and grandchildren.

Meaning and Interpretation: I interpreted this lullaby is one of the many slightly morbid but seemingly funny lullabies. This lullaby’s intention is to put children, but primarily infants to sleep. The informant corroborated this sentiment. Many of the statements in the lullaby make no sense to the audience but the soothing sounds of the lullaby are what ultimately put the child to sleep.

Collector’s Information: Malcolm Leverett, Dartmouth College ’14, Russian 13, Professor Mikhail Gronas, Spring 2014

Row Your Boat

Collection Information: Pretty Ponies was collected on May 22nd, 2014 in Brewster, Massachusetts. It belongs to the folkloric genre called lullabies. 

Informant Data: The informant is Marcel Consiglio, who is 20 years old and a student at Merrimack College in Massachusetts. He is Dominican and Italian in heritage, and spend seven years  of his childhood in England

Text:
Row row row your boat,
Gently down the stream,
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,
Life is but a dream


Context: This lullaby was sung to Marcel by his preschool teacher to all of her students during nap time at age 3 and 4, to put them all to sleep. It is a very widely known lullaby and common among all children, at least when we were both growing up. 

Interpretation and Meaning: A classic and very simple lullaby known by all generations, this lullaby has sensible but unrelated lyrics, implying that the message of the lullaby is not in fact the most important part, but how it makes the child feel, which is a common lullaby theme. Simple words like “row”, “boat”, “gently”, “stream”, and “dream” are all easily understood by small children and focusing on those words within their rhyming pattern sooths the child to sleep. Additionally the idea that life is but a dream allows the child to transition from the world of reality that they live in into the dream world where they can use their imagination.

Collector’s Information: Ben Wood, Dartmouth ’16, Russian 13, Professor Mikhail Gronas, Spring 2014 

Scarborough Fair

Collection Information: Pretty Ponies was collected on May 21st, 2014 at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire. It belongs to the folkloric genre called lullabies. 

Informant Data: The informant is Sarah Young, a 20 year-old student at Dartmouth College. She is from Cleveland, Ohio and her family is Western European, especially English and Irish. She is studying engineering at Dartmouth.

Text:
Are you goin' to Scarborough Fair? Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme.
Remember me to one who lives there, she once was a true love of mine.

Tell her to make me a cambric shirt (On the side of a hill in the deep forest green).
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme (Tracing a sparrow on snow-crested ground).
Without no seams nor needlework (Blankets and bedclothes the child of the mountain).
Then she'll be a true love of mine (Sleeps unaware of the clarion call).

Tell her to find me an acre of land (On the side of a hill, a sprinkling of leaves).
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme (Washes the grave with silvery tears).
Between salt water and the sea strands (A soldier cleans and polishes a gun).
Then she'll be a true love of mine.

Tell her to reap it in a sickle of leather (War bellows, blazing in scarlet battalions).
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme (Generals order their soldiers to kill).
And gather it all in a bunch of heather (And to fight for a cause they've long ago forgotten).
Then she'll be a true love of mine.

Are you going to Scarborough Fair? Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme.
Remember me to one who lives there, she once was a true love of mine.

For clarification, the words in parentheses are the words of the second verse, because when the song is sung, it is repeated a second time with different lyrics to the same melody.


Context: This lullaby is one version of the classic lullaby Scarborough Fair, which dates back hundreds of years to England. It was sung to Sarah by her mother, and it seems like her mother must have been a fan of Simon and Garfunkel, because this is the version they used in their iconic rendition of the song. Either that or Sarah cannot quite remember how it went, because she was unsure at points understandably, because it was sung to her and her siblings when they were very young to put them to sleep. 

Interpretation and Meaning: This centuries old lullaby centers on the idea of a man seeking permission to marry a woman. To get her hand in marriage he must complete a set of impossible tasks. This idea does not really come across to the child of course because it is both spoken in an older version of English and it is complicated to keep track of. In this way this lullaby is double sided, it is entertaining for the singer and the melodic cadence is soothing.

Collector’s Information: Ben Wood, Dartmouth ’16, Russian 13, Professor Mikhail Gronas, Spring 2014 

Hush Little Baby (2 Different Versions)

Version 1:

Collection Information: Pretty Ponies was collected on May 21st , 2014 at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire. It belongs to the folkloric genre called lullabies. 

Informant Data: The informant is Michael Snider, a 20 year-old student at Dartmouth College. He is from Colorado, USA and grew up with two older brothers and an older sister. His family is English and Irish. He is studying government and economics at Dartmouth.

Text:
Hush little baby don't say a word.
Papa's gonna buy you a mockingbird



And if that mockingbird won't sing,
Papa's gonna buy you a diamond ring



And if that diamond ring turns brass,
Papa's gonna buy you a looking glass


And if that looking glass gets broke,
Papa's gonna buy you a billy goat



And if that billy goat won't pull,
Papa's gonna buy you a cart and bull



And if that cart and bull fall down,
You'll still be the sweetest little baby in town


Context: This is a lullaby that was sung to him and his siblings when they were young children by his mother.  It was sung to them before they went to sleep, presumably to help them get to sleep. Michael is pretty sure that it was sung to his mother as well. This lullaby is very common and exists in many many different variations.

Meaning and Interpretation: Again, this classic lullaby relies on entreaties to the child to go to sleep, with promises to please the child. It has a slow and soft rhythm. Additionally the most important part of this lullaby is the imagery it provides. Each line is an image for the child to think about and get them ready for bed instead of worrying about the past day or being too excited to sleep.

Collector’s Information: Ben Wood, Dartmouth ’16, Russian 13, Professor Mikhail Gronas, Spring 2014


Version 2:

Collection Information: “Hush Little Baby” was collected on May 15, 2014 in Barrington, Rhode Island

Informant: The informant, Grace Maglio 22, is a babysitter
  
Text:
Hush, little baby, don't say a word,

Mama's going to buy you a mockingbird.

And if that mockingbird don't sing,

Mama's going to buy you a diamond ring.

And if that diamond ring turns brass,

Mama's going to buy you a looking glass.

And if that looking glass gets broke,

Mama's going to buy you a billy goat.

And if that billy goat won't pull,

Mama's going to buy you a cart and bull.

And if that cart and bull turn over,

Mama's going to buy you a dog named Rover.

And if that dog named Rover won't bark,

Mama's going to buy you a horse and cart.

And if that horse and cart fall down,

You'll still be the sweetest little baby in town.

Context: Grace’s mother sang this song to her when she was an infant. A popular nursery rhyme according to Grace, she continues to use it because she finds that it is exceptionally effective at helping infants fall asleep. Grace has babysat for over 50 families and is an experienced caregiver.

Meaning and Interpretation: “Hush Little Baby” fits the lullaby model quite well. There is little meaning to the lyrics of the song, except for a caregiver’s desire to give to the child, but it uses melody, rhyme, and soothing tones, along with a physical rocking of the child to ease them to sleep. Grace says that often times by the end of the song she will continue to hum it without the lyrics and the melody’s soothing effect will continue to ease the baby to sleep.

Collector’s Information: Frohman Anderson, Dartmouth College ’14, Russian 13, Professor Mikhail Gronas, Spring 2014

Pretty Ponies

Collection Information: Pretty Ponies was collected on May 17th , 2014 at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire. It belongs to the folkloric genre called lullabies.

Informant Data: Elinor Beitler is an American from outside of Chicago, IL. She is 19 years old and is studying engineering and environmental studies at Dartmouth College. She is a sophomore. She is Jewish, but with broad family origins, including Irish, German, and Russian. 

Text:
“Hush-a-bye-
Don’t you cry
Go to sleep you little baby
When you wake
You shall have
All the pretty little ponies
Dapples and bays
Pintos and grays
All the pretty little ponies

Context: Elinor has a twin sister, and to get them to go to bed, their mother would sing them many different lullabies. This lullaby is a version of a relatively common lullaby that her mother used, it was not made up by her family. It is in general knowledge.

Meaning and Interpretation: This classic folkloric piece covers all the bases of a mellow and calming lullaby. It specifically mentions the action of going to sleep and entreats the child to do just that, while promising an amazing reward for doing so. The lyrics depicting ponies, which are associated with feminine and pleasant thoughts, are soothing in and of themselves. It does not have significance within the family.

Collector’s Information: Ben Wood, Dartmouth ’16, Russian 13, Professor Mikhail Gronas, Spring 2014

Tura Lura

Collection Information: Tura Lura was collected on May 17th , 2014 at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire. It belongs to the folkloric genre called lullabies. 

Informant Data: Elinor Beitler is an American from outside of Chicago, IL. She is 19 years old and is studying engineering and environmental studies at Dartmouth College. She is a sophomore. She is Jewish, but with broad family origins, including Irish, German, and Russian. 

Text:
“Tura Lura Lura
Tura lura lie
Tura lura lura
Hush now don’t you cry

Over in Kalarney
Many years ago
There’s a song my gramma sang to me
A tune so sweet and low

Just a simple little ditty
In her good old Irish way
And I’d give her the world if she could sing
That song to me today

Tura lura lura
Tura lura lie
Tura lura lura
It’s an Irish lullaby”




Context: Elinor has a twin sister, and to get them to go to bed, their mother would sing them many different lullabies. This lullaby was passed down from her Irish grandfather to her mother, and now has been passed on to her and her sister. 

Meaning and Interpretation: This lullaby was passed down through her family from Ireland and uses many typical lullaby structures. These include the use of calming nonsense words (Tura Lura), repetitive structure as seen in the repeating of the “Tura Lura lines”, words relating to falling asleep like “hush”, and it is story in general. In Elinor’s life it has served the dual purpose of putting her to sleep as a child and keeping her connected to her Irish family members and community.

Collector’s Information: Ben Wood, Dartmouth ’16, Russian 13, Professor Mikhail Gronas, Spring 2014 

Friday, May 30, 2014

Schlaf, Kinlein, Schlaf

Collection Information: Schlaf, Kindlein, Schlaf was collected on May 17, 2014 in Hanover, New Hampshire. It is a classic lullaby.

Informant: The informant was Nicholas Peisch, a 22-year-old senior at Dartmouth College. Having grown up in Frankfurt Germany, Nicholas’s first language is German and was sung to often by his mother when he was younger.

Text (in German):
Schlaf, Kindlein, schlaf,
Der Vater hüt die Schaf,
Die Mutter schüttelts Bäumelein,
Da fällt herab ein Träumelein.
Schlaf, Kindlein, schlaf!

Schlaf, Kindlein, schlaf,
Am Himmel ziehn die Schaf,
Die Sternlein sind die Lämmerlein,
Der Mond, der ist das Schäferlein,
Schlaf, Kindlein, schlaf!

Schlaf, Kindlein, schlaf,
so schenk ich dir ein Schaf
Mit einer goldnen Schelle fein,
Das soll dein Spielgeselle sein,
Schlaf, Kindlein, schlaf!

Translation:
Sleep, baby, sleep,
Thy father guards the sheep,
Thy mother shakes the little trees,
There falls down one little dream.
Sleep, baby, sleep!

Sleep, baby, sleep,
The sky draws the sheep,
The little stars are the little lambs,
The moon, that is the little shepherd,
Sleep, baby, sleep!

Sleep, baby, sleep,
I shall give you a sheep
With one fine golden bell,
That shall be thy journeyman,
Sleep, baby, sleep!

Context: Nicholas stated that nursery rhyme is a common one, but a favorite of his mothers. In fact, his mother sang the rhyme to not just he and his siblings, but infant cousins as well.

Meaning and Interpretation: As is the goal of all lullabies, this nursery rhyme uses soft melody and rhyming to sooth a child to sleep. The lyrics portray comforting images of protective figures and peaceful animals to assuage the worries or fears of a young child.

Collector’s Information: Frohman Anderson, Dartmouth College ’14, Russian 13, Professor Mikhail Gronas, Spring 2014

Hoppe, Hoppe, Reiter

Collection Information: Hoppe, hoppe reiter was collected on May 18, 2014 In Barrington, Rhode Island.

Informant: The Informant was 78 year old Ellen Collis. Ellen is a mother grandmother. Having been born and raised in Krumbach Germany, Ellen Did not leave Germany until her mid twenties.
   
German Text:
Hoppe hoppe Reiter
wenn er fällt,
dann schreit er,
fällt er in den Teich,
find't ihn keiner gleich.

Hoppe hoppe Reiter
wenn er fällt, dann schreit er,
fällt er in den Graben,
fressen ihn die Raben.

Hoppe hoppe Reiter
wenn er fällt, dann schreit er,
fällt er in den Sumpf,
dann macht der Reiter... Plumps!

Translation:
Bumpy bump, rider,
if he falls, then he cries out
should he fall into the pond,
no one will find him soon.

Bumpy bump, rider
should he fall into the ditch,
then the ravens will eat him.

Should he fall into the swamp,
then the rider goes... splash! (the child is then dropped between the knees)

Context: Ellen mentioned that the rhyme was sung to her by her mother, and that Ellen continued to use the nursery rhyme for her own daughter and grandchildren. Ellen played the role of mother even as a young girl at the age of 9 when she was responsible for caring for her brothers often. Ellen mentioned that she remembers also singing the rhyme to her younger brothers to help them get to bed.

Meaning and Interpretation: Unlike many other nursery rhymes, “Hoppe hoppe reiter” is not sung softly in a high key to sooth a baby to sleep. It song contains a strict melody with plenty of rhyming, however the song nursery rhyme is more of a game or bedtime ritual to reward children for going to bed. The way the song is normally performed is by taking the child and, while sitting, bouncing them up and down on your knees is sync with the rhythm of the song. At the end of the last line, the singer quickly separates their knees allowing the child, firmly gripped, to feel like they are falling. Ellen mentioned that although it did not always make the child more sleepy, often the opposite, it is commonly used as a reward for a child if they agree to go to bed.

Collector’s Information: Frohman Anderson, Dartmouth College ’14, Russian 13, Professor Mikhail Gronas, Spring 2014

Saturday, May 24, 2014

Afikomen, Afikomen


Collection Information: Afikomen, Afikomen was collected on May 24th, 2014 at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire. It belongs to the sub-genre of nursery rhymes called fingerplay.

Informant: The informant was Andrew Samuels. He is a 22 year old male from Los Angeles, California. He grew up as the oldest of two boys in a Jewish family He is currently a college senior studying economics.

Text:
Afikomen, Afikomen, (shade eyes, look from right to left)
I’ll find you there,
Inside a napkin, (palms together)
Under a chair (put right hand under left)

Afikomen, Afikomen,
When seder is done,
You’ll be all gone, (hands extended with palms up)
There won’t be a crumb (shake head back and forth in a “no” motion)

Context: This is a piece of Jewish folklore that is only performed during the Seder dinner of Passover. The Afikomen tradition is meant for the children of the household, and as such, this fingerplay is performed by children.

Meaning and Interpretation: At the end of the Seder dinner during Passover, the children will all look for a piece of matzah that has been broken in half and then hidden somewhere around the room. Whichever child finds the Afikomen gets some sort of treat or reward. This fingerplay describes this tradition, as the kids will look for the Afikomen when Passover Seder has concluded and once they find it, they will eat it.

Collector’s Information: Chris Faulkner, Dartmouth ’14, Russian 13, Professor Mikhail Gronas, Spring 2014

Bedtime

 
Collection Information: Bedtime was collected on May 22nd, 2014 in Dallas, Texas. It belongs to a sub-genre of nursery rhymes called fingerplay.

Informant: The informant was Allie Wood, a 17 year old female. Allie was born and raised in Dallas, TX, and she is currently a high school student. Her mother is an elementary school teacher and her father is an attorney. She has one older brother.

Text:
Time for bed, time for bed, (child gets into bed)
Fluff up the pillow, (child picks up pillow and fluffs it)
Lay down your head. (child puts pillow down and rests head on it)
Pull up the blanket, (child covers him or herself in the blanket)
Tuck it in tight. (caretaker tucks in the sides of the blanket)
Close your eyes (child closes eyes)
And sleep all night. (caretaker kisses child on cheek)

Context: Things fingerplay is to be performed when putting a child to bed. Usually, the caretaker and child sing it together as they perform the accompanying steps towards going to bed. Even when their parents were out for the night and they had a babysitter, they

Meaning and Interpretation: This is a fairly straight-forward and simple piece of folklore with a purely pragmatic meaning. Its purpose is to make the process of going to bed fun. Allie recalled that it did not have any significant traditional origin behind it, it was just something she remembered doing with her parents every night before bed. Her parents also used this as a way of having a concrete cutoff for when activities were supposed to end and bedtime began. They had a rule that once the song had been sung, there was no more getting out of bed until the morning. This rule helped them get Allie and her brother to develop good habits such as being sure to go to the bathroom and making sure they were not hungry or thirsty before going to bed.

Collector’s Information: Chris Faulkner, Dartmouth ’14, Russian 13, Professor Mikhail Gronas, Spring 2014

I Put My Hands Together



Collection Information: I Put My Hands Together was collected on May 21st, 2014 in Hanover, New Hampshire. It belongs to a sub-genre of nursery rhymes called fingerplay.

Informant: The informant was Elaine Kissel, a 20 year old female. She was born in New York City, and currently goes to college in Hartford, Connecticut. She is the oldest of three children. She is Jewish, but she does not think this piece has a Jewish origin.

Text:
I put my hands together, (start with palms together)
This is how it starts.
I curve my fingers right around, (begin curling fingers together)
And then I have a heart. (end with fingernails touching, making a heart shape with hands)

Context: The informant reported that her mother would perform this fingerplay with her just before bed. She would also do it with her siblings. While she acknowledges that from time to time they would ask to do it during the day, it was primarily a bedtime ritual, and they did not like to go to bed without performing it with her or their mother beforehand.

Meaning and Interpretation: This piece does not appear to have much deeper meaning. It just served as a fun, simple, and easy to remember way of interacting with and connecting with children in her family. They liked this piece in particular because the heart is a representation of love.

Collector’s Information: Chris Faulkner, Dartmouth ’14, Russian 13, Professor Mikhail Gronas, Spring 2014

Little Bunny Foo Foo


Collection Information: Little Bunny Foo Foo was collected on April 29th, 2014 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It belongs to a sub-genre of nursery rhymes called fingerplay.


Informant: The informant was Abbie Gardner, a 36 year old female. She was born in San Francisco, CA, but now she lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She has worked as a nanny and florist.

Text:
    Little Bunny Foo Foo went hopping through the forest, (make a hand with two fingers extended symbolizing bunny ears, and raise hand up and down simulating bouncing) scooping up the field mice and bopping them on the head (make scooping motion with hand and bop the child’s hand softly with a fist). Down came the Good Fairy and she said, “Little Bunny Foo Foo, I don’t want to see you scooping up the field mice and bopping them on the head (wag finger at child with a disapproving look). I’ll give you three chances, and if you don’t behave, I’ll turn you into a loon!”
    And the next day, Little Bunny Foo Foo went hopping through the forest, (make a hand with two fingers extended symbolizing bunny ears, and raise hand up and down simulating bouncing) scooping up the field mice and bopping them on the head (make scooping motion with hand and bop the child’s hand softly with a fist). Down came the Good Fairy and she said, “Little Bunny Foo Foo, I don’t want to see you scooping up the field mice and bopping them on the head (wag finger at child with a disapproving look). I’ll give you two more chances, and if you don’t behave, I’ll turn you into a loon!”
      And the next day, Little Bunny Foo Foo went hopping through the forest, (make a hand with two fingers extended symbolizing bunny ears, and raise hand up and down simulating bouncing) scooping up the field mice and bopping them on the head (make scooping motion with hand and bop the child’s hand softly with a fist).Down came the Good Fairy and she said, “Little Bunny Foo Foo, I don’t want to see you scooping up the field mice and bopping them on the head (wag finger at child with a disapproving look). I’ll give you one more chance, and if you don’t behave, I’ll turn you into a loon!”
    And the next day, Little Bunny Foo Foo went hopping through the forest, (make a hand with two fingers extended symbolizing bunny ears, and raise hand up and down simulating bouncing) scooping up the field mice and bopping them on the head (make scooping motion with hand and bop the child’s hand softly with a fist). Down came the Good Fairy and she said, “Little Bunny Foo Foo, I don’t want to see you scooping up the field mice and bopping them on the head. I gave you three chances, and you didn’t behave, so...” POOF she turned him into a loon (pretend to wave a wand).

Context: This fingerplay can be performed at any time of the day and it can be performed for a single child or a group of children. It usually involves a parent, caretaker, or teacher singing the song with the children as the audience or it can be sung together by both the adult and the child/children. Even though it is somewhat longer than other finger play games, it utilizes repetition and is sung with a catchy melody, so kids usually have a relatively easy time learning it. Because of its length, the informant especially liked to use it to entertain children when they got restless, particularly on long car rides. Sometimes “bopping” and “loon” can be replaced with “bashing” and “goon,” but because the informant performed is most frequently for smaller children, she preferred the milder, happier words to the more violent words.

Meaning and Interpretation: As the context implied, this fingerplay song is very effective for entertaining and distracting kids. It can be a very useful tool in calming them down. Aside from its direct function of helping manage children’s immediate behavior, its message of punishment that follows repeated disobedience helps children understand the importance of good behavior and the consequences that may follow if they misbehave.

Collector’s Information: Chris Faulkner, Dartmouth ’14, Russian 13, Professor Mikhail Gronas, Spring 2014

My Little Toothbrush


Collection Information: My Little Toothbrush was collected on April 27th, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. It belongs to a sub-genre of nursery rhymes called fingerplay.

Informant: The informant is Hakan Yagiz. He is 22 years old and is an only child from Seattle, Washington. His mother, father, and step-father are all turkish, and he spent many summers living in Turkey with his family. His mother worked as a banker when she lived in Turkey, but when she immigrated to the US she went to dental school. Hakan has dreamed of following in his mother’s footsteps for a long time, and he was recently admitted to the University of Washington’s Dental School. Currently, he is finishing his senior year at UCLA.

Text:
I have a little toothbrush, (hold fist as though you are holding a tooth brush)
I hold it very tight.
I brush my teach each morning,
And then again at night.
I go brush, brush, brush (make a brushing motion)
And swish, swish, swish (pretend to swish water in your mouth)
And then when they’re all clean
I will blow you a kiss. (blow a kiss)

Context: This fingerplay is meant to be sung just after waking up or just before bed. The informant described it as something he would sing in unison with his mother. Right after singing the song, the child is supposed to go brush their teeth. This song can be performed by any caretaker such as a parent, nanny, babysitter, or grandparent along with the child.

Meaning and Interpretation: In the most basic sense, this song is simply a reminder for a child to brush his or her teeth. It is meant to convey the importance of dental hygiene and to make brushing teeth seem fun and easy because kids usually do not like brushing their teeth. In the case of the informant, this piece held special meaning because it was a chance for his mother to share her profession with him. Obviously his desire to become a dentist was contingent on his academic interests and other factors, but he acknowledges the role that his bond with his mother played in inspiring his career aspirations. He viewed his mother as a great role model, and their tradition of singing this fingerplay song was one site of their bonding as well as a transmission of her interest in dentistry.

Collector’s Information: Chris Faulkner, Dartmouth ’14, Russian 13, Professor Mikhail Gronas, Spring 2014

The Itsy Bitsy Spider



Collection Information: The Itsy Bitsy Spider was collected on April 26th, 2014 in Crown Point, Indiana. It belongs to a sub-genre of nursery rhymes called fingerplay.

Informant: The informant was Katie Sewell, an 19 year old female born and raised in Crown Point, Indiana. She has one older sister and her parents are separated. She started going to boarding school in middle school, and now goes to college in Indiana.

Text:
The itsy bitsy spider climbed up the water spout (join thumb from first hand with pointer finger from second hand and join thumb from second hand with pointer finger from first hand. Rotate hands around upper connection, rejoining the separated fingers higher than before. Do this on beat with the singing)
Down came the rain and washed the spider out (Hold hands high with palms facing downward, wiggle fingers to simulate rain as hands are lowered down)
Out came the sun and dried up all the rain (Extend fingers, face palms away, and hold hands near each other while slowly raising them to simulate the sun coming out.)
And the itsy bitsy spider climbed up the spout again. (Repeat the motions from the first line.)

Context: This fingerplay nursery rhyme can be performed for an individual child or for a group of children at any time of the day. Generally, because of its mnemonic structure and simple melody, children are encouraged to participate in singing and performing it once they have heard it a couple of times. The informant said that she would sing it with her dad before she went to bed and right when she woke up.

Meaning and Interpretation: For the informant, this fingerplay was important because it reminds her of her dad, who she has a very close relationship with. Because they sang it together so much when she was little, it continued to remind her of her dad when she went away to boarding school. As such, it served as a medium for child-parent bonding. Perhaps it is also meant to inspire children to persevere, reminding them that even when bad things happen or they don’t get their way, things will get better and they should keep trying to achieve their goals

Collector’s Information: Chris Faulkner, Dartmouth ’14, Russian 13, Professor Mikhail Gronas, Spring 2014

This Little Piggy



Collection Information: This Little Piggy was collected on April 24th, 2014 in Culver, Indiana. It belongs to a sub-genre of nursery rhymes called fingerplay.

Informant: The informant was Joe Faulkner, a 56 year old father of three. He was born in Iowa and has lived all over the country, but now he lives in Culver, IN. His family has lived in the United States for several generations, but his mother identifies with her English heritage and taught him this fingerplay. He now works as a physician.

Text:
This little piggy went to market, (wiggle the child’s big toe)
This little piggy stayed home, (wiggle the child’s second toe)
This little piggy ate roast beef, (wiggle the child’s third toe)
This little piggy ate none, (wiggle the child’s fourth toe)
And this little piggy cried “wee wee wee!” all the way home. (wiggle the child’s little toe faster, intended to tickle)

Context: While there are no explicitly bed-time related themes or messages in this fingerplay song, it is typically performed just before bed. Part of the reason for this is that it is sung by a parent to a child, and as the song is sung, the parent wiggles the child’s toes. As such, the child needs to not be wearing shoes or socks, which most often happens before bed. The informant explained that his mother would perform this fingerplay with him.

Meaning and Interpretation: There does not seem to be any moral attached to this fingerplay, it is just a fun story way for a parent to entertain and bond with a child. By transforming the child’s toes into cute “little piggies,” the child is more able to envision the story and be transferred to another world. When his children were growing up, one of the informant’s favorite ways to bond with them was through physical play, such as wrestling and tickling. As such, he enjoyed this fingerplay because of how it involved wiggling his kids toes and usually got them to laugh.

Collector’s Information: Chris Faulkner, Dartmouth ’14, Russian 13, Professor Mikhail Gronas, Spring 2014

Here Is the Family



Collection Information: Here is the Family was collected on April 20th, 2014 at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire. It belongs to the sub-genre of nursery rhymes called fingerplay.

Informant: The informant is Chris Faulkner. He is a 22 year old male from Seattle, Washington. He grew up as the oldest of three brothers, and his parents were both physicians. He is currently a college senior studying economics.

Text:
(start with a closed fist)
This is the mother, kind and dear. (extend and wiggle thumb)
This is the father sitting near. (extend and wiggle pointer finger)
This is the big brother standing tall. (extend and wiggle middle finger)
This is the little brother, who plays with his ball. (extend and wiggle ring finger)
This is the baby, littlest of all. (extend and wiggle pinky)
And here is the family, large and small. (wiggle all five fingers)

Context: This piece of folklore is usually performed just before bed. The informant reported that his mother used to sing this song to him when she was putting him to sleep, but acknowledged that it could be performed at any point during the day. Because it is about family, however, it is usually only performed within a familial environment.

Meaning and Interpretation: The informant remembers this piece of folklore as a fun, interactive way of appreciating the value of family. The original way the song was composed was with a brother, a sister, and a baby, but because his family had three boys, the brother and sister became big brother and little brother. When his mother would sing it to him, she would gesture towards him when she got to the big brother because he was the oldest of three boys. As he got older, he would sing the song with his mother when they put his younger brothers to bed. As such, this fingerplay song was a soothing way to help put little ones to bed while helping the family bond

Collector’s Information: Chris Faulkner, Dartmouth ’14, Russian 13, Professor Mikhail Gronas, Spring 2014

Naar Bed, Naar Bed


Collection Information: Naar Bed, Naar Bed was collected on April 20th, 2014 in Culver, Indiana. It belongs to a sub-genre of nursery rhymes called fingerplay.

Informant: The informant was Mily Hubeny, a 58 year old mother and accountant who was born in the Netherlands. She lived there while she was young, and learned to speak Dutch fluently. When she was in grade school, her family moved to the United States. In college, she studied Germanic Languages, and is still fluent in German, Dutch, and English. She works as an accountant, and has one son who recently graduated college.

Text (in Dutch):
Naar bed, Naar bed zei Duimelot (wiggle thumb)
Eerst nog wat eten zei Likkepot (wiggle pointer finger)
Waar zal ik het halen zei Lange Lot (wiggle middle finger)
Uit grootvaders kastje zei Ringeling (wiggle ring finger)
Dat zal ik verklappen zei ‘t Kleine Ding! (wiggle pinky finger)

Transliteration:
naar bet naar bet tsai dow-muh-lot
ear-st noog wat eight-en tsai lick-eh-pot
waar zal ick het all-en tsai long-eh-lot
out grout fah-ders cost-yeh tsai ring-eh-ling
dat zal ick fer-klop-en tsai clay-nah ding

Translation:
To bed, to bed, said the thumb (wiggle thumb)
First, I want a snack said the pointer finger (wiggle pointer finger)
Where will I get it? said the middle finger (wiggle middle finger)
From grandfather’s cabinet said the ring finger (wiggle ring finger)
That will get you a spanking! said the little finger! (wiggle pinky finger)

Context: This fingerplay nursery rhyme is usually performed by a mother or father while they are putting their child to bed. The informant recalled that her parents would sing it to her when she was going to sleep when she was little, and then when she became a mother herself, she performed it when trying to get her son to go to sleep, even though he did not understand dutch.

Meaning and Interpretation: The informant just viewed this piece of folklore as a fun, silly way to help put a child to bed. She thought that the infantile voice used and the wiggling of fingers was a good way to entertain children and calm them down. Additionally, however, the piece can be viewed as a reminder that when it is time for bed, it is not a time for mischief. Perhaps it was a subconscious warning to deter bad behavior. It is also interesting to note that whenever this piece was composed, children were punished for misbehavior through physical violence such as spanking, which is inappropriate in today’s world.

Collector’s Information: Chris Faulkner, Dartmouth ’14, Russian 13, Professor Mikhail Gronas, Spring 2014