Hob ich a por oksn
"This is a Yiddish children's song about animals doing human chores, much like the Dutch 'k'zag twee beren broodjes smeren'. Like the Dutch song it is a witty rhyming game where certain animals rhyme with a certain activity like 'Beren / broodjes smeren' in Dutch, 'bern/shtiber kern' in Yiddish or 'bears/sweeping stairs' in English (if there were a song like this).
Compared to the Dutch song, this song seems to concentrate on household animals [found on a farm] doing household chores: oxen, goats, dogs and chickens - with the odd bears thrown in- compared to the Dutch, bears, lions, foxes and minnows. Also, this version likes to repeat the key line from the previous strophe with every new one adding a 'memory' game to the singing challenge." -Niklas
Hob ich a por oksn
I Got a Pair of Oxen
Cumulative Song
Cumulative Song
(Yiddish)
(English)
Hob ich a por oksn, oksn
Vos zey brokn lokshn, lokshn
Ay a vunder iber vunder
Vi di oksn brokn lokshn
Dos iz mir a vunder
Dos iz mir a vunder.
Hob ich a por bern, bern
Vos zey shtiber kern, kern
Ay a vunder iber vunder
Vi di bern shtiber kern
Un di oksn brokn lokshn
Dos iz mir a vunder
Dos iz mir a vunder.
Hob ich a por tsign, tsign
Vos zey kinder vign, vign
Ay a vunder iber vunder
Vi di tsign kinder vign
Un di bern shtiber kern
Un di oksn brokn lokshn
Dos iz mir a vunder
Dos iz mir a vunder.
Hob ich a por hint, hint
Vos zey machn tint, tint
Ay a vunder iber vunder
Vi di hint machn tint
Un di tsign kinder vign
Un di bern shtiber kern
Un di oksn brokn lokshn
Dos iz mir a vunder
Dos iz mir a vunder.
Hob ich a por hener, hener
Vos zey kleinbm shpener, shpener
Ay a vunder iber vunder
Vi di hener kleinbm shpener
Un di hint machn tint
Un di tsign kinder vign
Un di bern shtiber kern
Un di oksn brokn lokshn
Dos iz mir a vunder
Dos iz mir a vunder.
I got a pair of oxen, oxen
Who are cutting noodles, noodles
Ay, a wonder on a wonder
That those oxen are cutting noodles
It's a wonder to me
It's a wonder to me.
I got a pair of bears, bears
Who are sweeping rooms, rooms
Ay, a wonder on a wonder
That those bears are sweeping rooms
And those oxen cutting noodles
It's a wonder to me
It's a wonder to me.
I got a pair of goats, goats
Who are rocking* children, children
Ay, a wonder on a wonder
That those goats are rocking children
And those bears are sweeping rooms
And those oxen cutting noodles
It's a wonder to me
It's a wonder to me.
I got a pair of dogs, dogs,
Who are making ink, ink,
Ay, a wonder on a wonder
That those dogs are making ink
And those goats are rocking children
And those bears are sweeping rooms
And those oxen cutting noodles
It's a wonder to me
It's a wonder to me.
I got a pair of chickens, chickens
Who are cutting firewood, firewood**
Ay, a wonder on a wonder
That those chickens are cutting firewood
And those dogs are making ink
And those goats are rocking children
And those bears are sweeping rooms
And those oxen cutting noodles
It's a wonder to me
It's a wonder to me.
Notes
*In a cradle
**Tinder
Niklas wrote, "Below is my own attempt at making an English version of the song. Unfortunately I did not find anything rhyming with oxen, so I had to swap them out for kittens. If you find something for oxen, or even cows or cattle will do, be my guest and insert this as the first strophe. In the meantime, here is what I have…"
Got a Pair of Kittens
Got a pair of kittens, kittens
See them knitting mittens, mittens
What a wonder on a wonder
That those kittens are knitting mittens
Ay, it's quite a wonder
Ay, it's quite a wonder.
Got a pair of bears, bears
See them sweeping stairs, stairs
What a wonder on a wonder
That those bears are sweeping stairs
And those kittens knitting mittens
Ay, it's quite a wonder
Ay, it's quite a wonder.
Got a pair of fishes, fishes
See them cleaning dishes, dishes
What a wonder on a wonder
That those fishes are cleaning dishes
And those bears sweeping stairs
And those kittens knitting mittens…
Got a pair of poodles, poodles
See them cooking noodles, noodles…
Got a pair of foxes, foxes
See them stacking boxes, boxes…
Thanks!
Thanks!
Thanks and Acknowledgements
Thanks to Niklas Obee for sharing this song with the translation, the midi tune, the English version in the notes and all the commentary!
Second midi and score by Monique.
Ich dank aych zeyer!
