This song is in the Piedmontese Dialect...

Trin' Trin', Cavallin' - Italian Children's Songs - Italy - Mama Lisa's World: Children's Songs and Rhymes from Around the World - Intro Image

Notes

As I understood it, "Trin' Trin" is the sound the bells on the horse would make as he trots.

Game Instructions

Hold the baby sitting on your lap, riding your knees and make him/her bounce while you sing the rhyme.

Comments

Jacqueline Jill-Rito wrote, "This is a dialectical rhyme my maternal grandmother from Casale Monferrato (AL) used to sing to me as a child, in the Piedmontese dialect. I am now a teacher of Italian on the high school level on Long Island. During the summers I teach young children as an introduction to Italian. Thank you for your contribution to the rich culture of our heritage and a connection to our past."

Here's another version with a note sent by John Hannan:

Not really new, but a variant of Trin' Trin', Cavallin' that my mother remembers her father and uncles saying to her, also while bouncing on their knees. Not sure of the spelling but it sounded something like:

Trotta Trotta Cavallin
Soua Joua Saint Martine

And my mother's translation was:

Trot Trot Little Horse
Up and back to St. Martin's.

If anyone knows the correct spelling of this version, please email me. Thanks!

Thanks and Acknowledgements

Many thanks to Jacqueline Jill-Rito for contributing and translating this song. Thanks to John Hannan for the second version.

Thanks to Sarina Longin for the drawing!

Grazie mille!