Creatures great and small

Chodzi lisek koło drogi

Jeżyk

Kot i mysz

Pingwinek

Poszła żabka spacerować

Stonoga

Wlazł kotek na płotek

26/03/2016 16:51

The songs below are part of ‘Karuzela’ The Polish collection compiled, adapted, translated and illustrated by Dany Rosevear

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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.

Chodzi lisek koło drogi O

Fox creeps by without being seen but search for ‘Fox’s tail’ on the internet and you will find many pictures of foxes caught on camera by the road.

}x2 Chodzi lisek koło drogi, Cichuteńko stawia nogi, Cichuteńko się zakrada, Nic nikomu nie powiada. By the road side old fox creeps low, Padding softly, silent feet go, Treading softly, oh so stealthy, Moving quietly, oh so quietly. Treading softly, oh so stealthy, Moving quietly, oh so quietly now. }x2 Chodzi lisek koło drogi, Cichuteńko stawia nogi, Lis, lis ogon ma, Nie wiadomo, komu da. By the road side old fox creeps low, Padding softly, silent feet go. Take the tail that fox will give you, Catch him, catch him, catch him, catch him, Take the tail that fox will give you, Catch him, catch him, catch him if you can!

The players stand in a circle with hands behind their backs. A child, the fox, walks round the outside holding a scarf. The scarf is placed in the hands of a selected child. This child chases and tries to catch the fox who runs round the circle and endeavours to return to the empty space vacated by the child. If successful the new child becomes the fox and the game continues. If the child does not succeed in catching the fox, the same child returns to their original spot and the fox stays in role.

Jeżyk O

Seasonal songs like ‘Little hedgehog’ are very popular in the Polish kindergarten. After an Autumn walk ask children to make plasticine hedgehogs decorated with natural materials, such as spruce needles, collected along the way.

Words and music: T. Wójcik.

Listen at: http://przedszkolesloneczne.w.interia.pl/

Zobaczyła raz Dorotka, W ogrodzie jeżyka. Poprosiła chłopców z grupy: “Wsadźcie do koszyka.” In the garden Dorothea, Saw a little hedgehog. Asked a friend to pick it up, And put it in her basket. Refrain Oj, oj, oj, Oj, oj, oj, Kolce jeża ostre są! Oi oi oi, Oi oi oi, Hedgehog spines are very sharp! Oi oi oi, Oi oi oi, Hedgehog spines are very sharp! Takie igły, proszę dzieci, To jest skarb niemały. Jeż w przedszkolu, Byłby dla nas krawcem doskonałym. Oh the needle, little children, Is the greatest treasure. And the hedgehog in our garden Makes a brilliant tailor. Refrain

Children stroll round the garden in pairs holding hands. One child picks up the hedgehog and places it in the basket held out by the other child. Facing partner clap hands three times then three more. Link elbows and skip round. Repeat and skip round in the opposite direction. Hold up an imaginary needle and pretend to thread it. Make big sewing motions. Facing partner clap hands three times then three more. Link elbows and skip round. Repeat and skip round in the opposite direction.

Kot i mysz O

‘Cat and mouse’ Watch out mouse, cat is on your trail. Provide mouse

with a loose scarf, the tail, which can easily be snatched by the cat.

Watch at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqX6ezOHcOA&feature=related

Uciekaj myszko do dziury, niech cię nie złapie kot bury, Bo jak cię złapie kot bury, to cię obedrze ze skóry. Run little mouse into your hole, Grey cat will catch you if you’re slow! And if that grey (old) cat catches you, He’ll bite your tail off, yes it’s true!

Players move round circle holding hands. In the centre stands the mouse who is free to move in and out of the circle. Outside cat attempts to catch the mouse but the circle does not allow cat to enter. When the mouse runs outside the cat eventually is able to snatch mouse’s tail. A new cat and mouse is chosen for the next game.

Pingwinek O

Learn to move as one in this comical song. Stand in a line one behind the other.

Watch at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jyl3_03trK4&feature=related

Listen at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-alCIayP6dE&feature=related

O, jak przyjemnie i jak wesoło, Pingwina tańczy się, się, się. Raz nóżka prawa, raz nóżka lewa, Do przodu, do tyłu i raz, dwa, trzy! It is so pleasant to be a penguin, A penguin dancing yes, yes, yes. Once on the right leg, once on the left leg, Jump forwards, then backwards and one, two, three!

Line moves forward walking with a penguin gait, arms down by side with hands out. On ‘się, się, się’ jump forward three times. All place heel out to right side and repeat with left foot. Jump once forward and then back. Finally jump forward three times.

Poszła żabka spacerować O

Pay attention to your parents children or face the consequences! ‘Frog went walking’ warns of dangers to be encountered outside the home and how they might be overcome.

Storks are regular visitors to waterways in Poland, nesting on chimneys and other tall perches.

Listen at: http://chomikuj.pl/pipilanstruma?fid=72291025

Directions:

Walk jauntily and proudly around the room with hands on hips in groups of three. Wave to other groups or link arms and skip round for ‘tra la las’. Second verse each group, frog, mother and stork, in role mime actions; mother shakes finger, stork holds arm aloft and frog makes a huge leap.

Poszła żabka spacerować, tra, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la. Świeżej trawce się dziwować, tra, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la. Zieloną sukienkę miała, śliczna żabusia mała. Tra, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, śliczna żabusia mała! Mama żabkę przestrzegała, tra, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la. Córuś moja nie chodź sama, tra, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la. A gdy zobaczysz bociana, skacz do wody kochana, Tra, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, skacz do wody kochana!

Frog went walking out so cheerily, tra, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la. In the sunshine smiled at everything, tra, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la. Dressed in green trousers and waistcoat, such a fine little froggie. Tra, la, la, la, la, tra, la, la, la, la, la, a very fine froggie was he! Mother warned her froggie tenderly, tra, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la. Watch out for danger or you’ll sorry be, tra, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la. And when a stork comes a-stalking, jump right into the water, Tra, la, la, la, la, tra, la, la, la, la, la, jump in the water my son!

Stonoga O

Keep in line for this hilarious minibeast walk. Make lines of millipedes with six to seven children. Stonoga is also the word for centipede and woodlouse.

To simplify this game sing ‘prawa nogi, lewa nogi’ / ‘right leg, left leg’ instead of first second etc.

Watch the game at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5z_HBBLe9pc

Watch other games at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNSS8D5mNYM and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oea6SQMM2xk

Idzie, idzie stonoga, stonoga, stonoga, Aż się trzęsie podłoga, podłoga, BĘC! Pierwsza noga, druga noga, trzecia noga, czwarta noga, piąta noga, szósta noga, siódma noga, ŁEB! Millipede get going, get going, get going, We’ll stamp and stamp we’re hoping that we will shake the floor, BOOM! Stamp the first leg, then the second, then the third leg, then the fourth leg, then the fifth leg, then the sixth leg, then the seventh -, HEAD!

Children stand one behind the other with hands on the shoulders and walk forward. Stamp on the spot. Jump on BOOM! Each child starting with the first in line places their foot to the right. The child at the end of the line calls out ‘head!’ and moves to the front of the line passing through the tunnel of feet. This child then leads the centipede around the room once more.

Wlazł kotek na płotek O

“Kitten on a fence” is a simple song with simple movements. It is also sung as a lullaby:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bvK3nuvD4M

Play this game at different speeds, heights and directions. Steps can be loud or quiet.

Listen at: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8npzm_wlazy-kotek-na-pyotek_music

Wlazł kotek na płotek i mruga, i mruga, On the fence kitten sits, see it blink, see it blink. Ładna to piosenka niedługa. niedługa. Hear our song, dainty song, not too long, not too long. Niedługa, niekrótka, lecz w sam raz, jeszcze raz. Not too short, not too long, perfection, perfection. Zaśpiewaj koteczku jeszcze raz, jeszcze raz. Come to me, little puss, sing once more, sing once more.

Children prowl three steps followed by three more, paws held in front. Stop and blink from side to side. Continue repeating sequence each time.

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