Yağ satarım bal satarım
Yağ satarım bal satarım
I Sell Oil
Drop the Handkerchief Game
Drop the Handkerchief Game
(Turkish)
(English)
Yağ satarım bal satarım
Ustam ölmüş ben satarım
Alacağına, bulacağına
Bir kaşık ayran
Yarın sabah bayram.
Yağ satarım, bal satarım,
Ustam öldü, ben satarım.
Ustamın kürkü sarıdır.
Satsam 15 liradır
Zam-bak Zum-bak
Dön arkana iyi bak
I sell oil, I sell honey
My master died, I must now sell them.
You'll have, you'll find
One tablespoon of ayran*;
Tomorrow morning's feast.
I sell oil, I sell honey
My master died, I must now sell them.
My master's fur is yellow**.
I sell it for 15 liras
Zam-bak, zum-bak***,
Look carefully behind you.
Notes
*Ayran is a national drink in Turkey made with yoghurt mixed with water and a little salt. People drink it with lunch and dinner.
**This is the correct translation, but it seems to have been inserted just for the rhyme.
***Meaningless words.
Game Instructions
The children sit in a circle except for the one who's "It". She goes around the outside of the circle holding a handkerchief while everyone sings the song. Finally, she drops the handkerchief behind a child. That child has to pick up the handkerchief and chase the one who's "It" around the circle until the one who's "It" takes the 2nd child's spot. If the one who's "It" is caught first, she continues being "It".
Thanks!
Thanks!
Thanks!
Thanks and Acknowledgements
Many thanks to Ayse Jolly, teacher of Turkish, bi-language (French + 2 languages) English-Turkish, Emile Zola middle school/junior high, Rennes, France, for helping with the translation and for providing the notes. Thanks to Monique Palomares for the illustration.
Çok teşekkür ederim!
