Sala wa mĕn tĕnge
Sala wa mĕn tĕnge
The Dancing Owl
Children's Song
Children's Song
(Baluba)
(English)
Sala wa mĕn tĕnge,
Cimpungelu.
Sala wa mĕn tĕnge,
Cimpungelu.
Meme taya wewe,
Cimpungelu.
Sala wa mĕn tĕnge,
Cimpungelu.
The dancing owl waves his spread tail feathers.
I'm the owl.
The dancing owl waves his spread tail feathers.
I'm the owl.
I now tell you by my dancing,
I'm the owl.
The dancing owl waves his spread tail feathers.
I'm the owl.
Notes
We believe this may be a Tshiluba rhyme. If anyone can confirm this, please email me.
Comments
This rhyme can be found in Negro Folk Rhymes, Wise and Otherwise, with a Study by Thomas W. Talley of Fisk University (1922).
Text in the book with the rhyme, "We are indebted for this Baluba rhyme to Dr. and Mrs. William H. Sheppard, pioneer missionaries under the Southern Presbyterian Church. The little production comes from Congo, Africa."