Τρίφι-τριφινίτσα
Τρίφι-τριφινίτσα
Triphi-triphinitsa
Children's Song
Children's Song
(Greek)
(English)
Τριφι-τριφινίτσα
Και παλληκαριτσα,
Τ’ άλογο σου ’πιάσα,
μέσα ’κει στα πράσα.
η εγώ η εσύ
η ο μπάρμπα Τζίτζικας.
Ζίζικας ελάλησε
μαύρη ρώγα ’γυάλισε
μαύρη και φαρμακερή.
Τσάκα το καλό παιδί.
Triphi-triphinitsa
And little championess,
I caught the horse for you
Yonder among the leeks;
Either you or I
or Uncle Tzitzikas
The cicada chirped
The blackberry shone
Black and venomous.
Seize the pretty child.
Notes
Transliteration
Treefee treefeeneetsa
Treefee treefeeneetsa
Ke paleekareetsa
T'alogho soo peeassa
Messa kee sta prassa
Ee egho ee essee
Ee o barba dzeedzeekas.
Zeezeekas elaleesse
Mavree rogha yaleesse
Mavree ke farmakeree
Tsaka to kalo pedhee
"e" as in "red"
"gh" as a voiced "kh", gargling sound without vibrations
"dh" as in "the", "this"
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Game Instructions
For 2 or more people
1. Choose who will be the singer.
2. The singer will place his open hand out, palm facing the floor.
3. Each person in the group will place one finger under the hand (pointing towards the palm).
4. The singer will begin singing while at the same time moving his hand over the fingers in a circular motion.
5. When the singer gets to the word Τσάκα (Tsaka), and before he/she finishes the sentence, the singer will try to grab one of the fingers.
6. At the same time, the others will try to not get caught.
7. Whoever gets caught becomes the new singer.
Comments
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Above we tried to modernize the Greek text (change of spelling officially adopted in: 1982). Below is the original ancient text we were given.
We apologize for any errors in the modernized version and welcome corrections. Please email us with any modifications.
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Thanks and Acknowledgements
Many thanks to Thomy Verrou at the Institute for Balkan Studies in Greece for contributing and translating this song. Many thanks also to Monique Palomares for the transliteration, and to Marietta Parianos for checking and helping with it, and for providing the instructions.
Ευχαριστώ πολύ!