Tong, tong, tong, tong
Marcell wrote: "I have a song to share with you. 'Tong, tong, tong', it's a famous kids song in my province of Batangas. It depicts the movement of a giant crab, which is abundant in the area."
The first line, "Tong, tong, tong, tong, pakitong-kitong" is supposed to be just a sound.
Tong, tong, tong, tong
Tong, Tong, Tong, Tong
Children's Song
Children's Song
(Tagalog)
(English)
Tong, tong, tong, tong, pakitong-kitong
Alimango, sa dagat
malaki at masarap
mahirap
mahuli sapagkat nangangagat
tong, tong, tong, tong, pakitong-kitong.
Tong, tong, tong, tong, pakitong-kitong
Crabs from the sea,
So big and tasty,
It's difficult to catch,
'Cause it bites.
Tong, tong, tong, tong, pakitong-kitong.
Notes
Joseph Vincent Libot sent me the following version with a note:
This is an original Cebuano song adapted in Tagalog
PAKITONG-KITONG
(Disguising as a Kitong,
Kitong is a fish related but larger than the Danguit)
Tong tong tong tong
---Tong tong tong tong
Pakitong-kitong alimango sa suba
---The crab in the river is disguising as a kitong
Gibantog nga di-makuha
---It is known as hard to catch
Ako ra'y nakakuha
---Only I was able to catch it
Ako ra'y nakasuwa
---Only I was able to taste it
Tong tong tong tong
---Tong tong tong tong
Game Instructions
Repeat faster or slower until you get tired of singing it.
Variation: Change all vowels in the words while singing e.g. Teng, teng, teng, teng peketeng-ke-teng......... It's fun and children enjoy singing it.
Thanks!
Thanks!
Thanks and Acknowledgements
Many thanks to Marcell Pimentel for contributing and translating this song, and for teaching us variations for singing it. Thanks to Joseph Vincent Libot (Josef walay Hanaw) for the second version and for recommending the 2nd video.
Maraming salamat!