In Den Haag daar woont een Graaf
"This is a very well-known Dutch Nursery Rhyme. Many people believe the song is about a boy named 'Jantje' who at the age of 13 became the 13th Count of Holland. Btw, for an adult we use the name 'Jan' vs 'Jantje' and the added 'tje' is indicating that we are dealing with a child. The same is applied to things/people who are young/little: 'Hand' for an adult, 'handje' for a child. 'Mand' would be a big basket, while 'mandje' is a little basket. I'm also including a photo of little Jantje and name of the Statue means 'Jantje of Den Haag/Jantje of The Hague'." -Francisca
In Den Haag daar woont een Graaf
In The Hague There Lives a Count
Nursery Song
Nursery Song
(Dutch)
(English)
In Den Haag daar woont een Graaf
En zijn zoon heet Jantje
Als je vraagt 'Waar woont je Pa?'
Dan wijst hij met zijn Handje
Met zijn vingertje en zijn duim
Op zijn hoed draagt hij een Pluim
Aan zijn arm een Mandje......
Dag mijn lieve Jantje.
In The Hague there lives a count,
And his son's name is Jantje.
When you ask him "Where does your Father live?"
He will point to his small hand
With his little finger and his thumb.
On his hat he wears a plume,
On his arm he carries a little basket,
Goodbye my beloved Jantje.
Many thanks to F.S. for singing this song for us, for translating it into English, for the commentary and the picture!