Gdzieżeś ty bywał, czarny baranie?
To play this game, children stand in a circle holding hands, one of them goes in the center as the "sheep". On a given sign, the circle goes clockwise and the children sing this song…
Gdzieżeś ty bywał, czarny baranie?
Where Have You Been Black Sheep?
Circle Game
Circle Game
(Polish)
(English)
1. Gdzieżeś ty bywał,
czarny baranie? czarny baranie?
We młynie, we młynie,
mościwy panie
We młynie, we młynie,
mościwy panie.
2. Cóżeś tam robił,
czarny baranie? czarny baranie?
Mełł mąką, mełł mąkę,
mościwy panie.
Mełł mąką, mełł mąkę,
mościwy panie.
3. Cóżeś tam pijał,
czarny baranie? czarny baranie?
Miodeczek i mleczko,
mościwy panie.
Miodeczek i mleczko,
mościwy panie.
4. Jak cię tam bili,
czarny baranie? czarny baranie?
Łup cup cup, łup cup cup,
mościwy panie.
Łup cup cup, łup cup cup,
mościwy panie.
5. Jakżeś tam beczał,
czarny baranie? czarny baranie?
Mek mek mek, mek mek mek
mościwy panie.
Mek mek mek, mek mek mek
mościwy panie.
6. Jakżeś uciakał,
czarny baranie? czarny baranie?
Hop sa sa do lasa
mościwy panie.
Hop sa sa do lasa
mościwy panie.
1. Where have you been,
Black sheep? Black sheep?
In the mill, in the mill,
Honourable sir!
In the mill, in the mill,
Honourable sir!
2. What were you doing there,
Black sheep? Black sheep?
Grinding flour, grinding flour,
Honourable sir!
Grinding flour, grinding flour,
Honourable sir!
3. What were you drinking there?
Black sheep? Black sheep?
Honey and milk,
Honourable sir!
Honey and milk,
Honourable sir!
4. How did they hit you there
Black sheep? Black sheep?
Whack whack wham, whack whack wham,
Honourable sir!
Whack whack wham, whack whack wham,
Honourable sir!
5. How were you bleating there?
Black sheep? Black sheep?
Baa, baa, baa, baa, baa, baa
Honourable sir!
Baa, baa, baa, baa, baa, baa
Honourable sir!
6. Where will you run
Black sheep? Black sheep?
Hop sa sa, to the woods
Honourable sir!
Hop sa sa, to the woods
Honourable sir!
Notes
This song was collected by Juliusz Roger (1819 - 1865).
Game Instructions
Children stand in a circle holding hands, one of them goes in the center as the "sheep". The kids go around in a circle and sing. When they get to the action in each verse they mime it as follows:
1. Children stop holding hands and mime the curly sheep horns near their head.
2. Children drop hands and show the movement of turning the mill wheels with their hands.
3. Children drop hands and mime how the sheep drinks.
4. Children stop holding hands and mime running away from the miller.
5. Children drop hands and bleat!
6. Children drop hands and jump to imitate escaping.
The fun is that at the end of each verse, when the children let go of their hands imitating the next steps, the "sheep" tries to get out of the circle. When he succeeds in escaping, the child who was responsible for his release goes in the center of the circle to be the new "sheep".
Comments
There are many variations of the song and the verses are often sung in different orders.
Thanks!
Thanks!
Thanks and Acknowledgements
Thanks to Dominic Phillips for sharing this song and for translating it (with Lisa)!
Image: Baa Baa Black Sheep by Dorothy M. Wheeler.
