Nursery Rhymes

collected by Ken Miner
transliterated by Shiela Shigley1

| Polly, Put the Kettle On | The Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe | Humpty Dumptyga | Little Tommy Tucker | I Had A Cow - Cēižąnįn' | One, Two, Buckle My Shoe | Four and Twenty Blackbirds | This Little Pig Went to Market | Hickory Dickory Dock | Rain, Rain Go Away | Hippty Hop to the Barber Shop | Ring Around the Roses | Little Boy Blue | Mary Had a Little Lamb |


Line 1 Original Text
Line 2 Text in Present Orthography
Line 3 Translation

Polly, Put the Kettle On


Original English

Polly, put the kettle on,
Polly, put the kettle on,
Polly, put the kettle on,
And let's drink tea.

 

 

Hinų̄* nı̨̄tāšjāk jēgijā† kererē,
Polly, tea [the one standing there] put on,

* here a birth order name is substituted for the Anglo name "Polly". Hinų is the name given to the first born daughter.
† < jēga hijā, "the one standing there".

 

Hinų̄ nı̨̄tāšjāk jēgijā kererē,
Polly, tea [the one standing there] put on,

 

 

Hinų̄ nı̨̄tāšjāk jēgijā kererē,
Polly, tea [the one standing there] put on,

 

 

Ēgī ną̄’ābįną́cgą́kjawı̨̄n'.*
And let's drink tea.

* < ną̄’āp hįr̨acgą́kjawin'. 

The Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe

Original English

There was an old woman who lived in a shoe.
She had so many children, 
She didn't know what she would do.
So without bread, she gave them broth, and
She gave them some broth without any bread;
Then whipped them all and
Made them go to bed.

 

 

Žee ’tookeižą* wajugeižocijeegi
Žē ’tōkēižą* wagujēižocījēgi†
There was an old woman who lived in a shoe

* < hitōkēižą, the hi having been lost due to external sandhi.
† < wagujēižą hocī jēgi.

 

Nį̄̄kją́gᵉra rōhą̄xjįanįgī*
Children she had many

* < rōhąxjı̨̄ hanįgī.

 

Kē jāsgē hīkjenēgīpéréznı̨̄kšgųnı̨̄.*
Not what she was to do, she did not know.

* < hīkjenēgi hipérésnı̨̄-šgųni, the /k/ before šgųnı̨̄ appears to be a mistake.

 

Ēesge* wāisgáp† cų̄šgų̄nı̨̄, nı̨̄zōc kīra wawōk’ųānąga,
So bread none, broth only she gave to them, and

* < ēhesge.
† wāisgáp, from wa-(h)i-sgap. As a standalone, sgap would be sgāp, not sgáp, but in some words the vowel quality can shift quite a bit. So sgāp vs sgáp is not an issue of vowel length, but vowel quality (sgahp vs sguhp respectively, to use English concepts.)

 

Ēgī wāipsı̨̄ciānąga*
Then she whipped them all, and

* < wāipsı̨̄c hīanąga.

 

Mı̨̄k keré wagigīže.
Bed to put to she made them.

 

Humpty Dumptyga

Original English

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall.
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall;
All the king's horses and all the king's men
Couldn't put Humpty together again.

 

 

 

Hą́ptī Tą́ptīga ciōruhīžą̄* hihāgēja mı̨̄ną́k ną́k’ų̄.
Humpty Dumpty a wall on top to sit he was.

* cioruhi is a new version of "wall," elsewhere cited as cīrūhī.


Šībrē xáté* ų̄šgų́nį;̨
To fall great he did;

* a variant of xété.


Hų̄k wą̄gᵉrā, haną̄cı̨̄, šų̄xáte* wānı̨̄r̨era, 
King his men all, horse [he had,]

* for šų̄kxéte.

 

Ēgi hų̄gᵉrā wą̄k wānı̨̄r̨era,
And the king men [he had,]

 

 

Hą́ptī Tą́ptīga hakīkére hīra ruš’āgirēže.
Humpty Dumpty to put back together again they could not.

 

Little Tommy Tucker

Original English

Little Tommy Tucker
Sings for his supper.
What will he eat?
White bread and butter.
How shall he manage and cut it
Without a knife?
How will he manage and marry a woman
Without a wife?

 

 

Tómī Tąka Xų́nų́nı̨̄ka
Tommy Tucker Little

 

 

Hoxją́ną́ wōrūjᵉra ną̄kárawą̄n'.
His supper he sings.

 

 

Jāgū rūiccené?*
What he will eat?

* fluid form of rūc-ikjenē.

 

Wāisgáp sgā ēgī hirawāxiri.
Bread white and butter.

 

 

Jāsgē hiānąga mą̄cēkjenē
How to manage,* and he will cut it

* hi means "to do."

 

Mą̄hı̨̄ cų̄šgųnı̨̄ ?
Knife without?

 

 

Ēgī jāsgē hiánąga hinų̄kąną́įkjenē?
And how he manages, and he will get married?*

* woman implied.

 

Hįkē hicą̄wı̨̄wahī cų̄nı̨̄?
Not his wife he did not have?

 

I Had A Cow - Cēižąnįn'*

ˆ

Translation

I had a cow who gave good milk.
I used to dress her in fine silk.
And I used to give her excellent hay to eat.
And I would routinely milk her twenty times.

Original English from "Little Brown Jug," (1867)

If I’d a cow that gave such milk,
I’d dress her in the finest silk;
Feed her up on oats and hay,
And milk her twenty times a day!



Cēižą̄nįr̨a* cēwāznı̨̄ pı̨̄ wōgān’.
I had a cow cow milk good she gave.

* < Cēižą hanı̨̄r̨a.

Zēną́ba* pı̨̄xjı̨̄ wāgīpāǧūkšųnų́n'.
Silk fine I use to dress her.

* a loan word from Ojibwe.

 

Ēgī xą̄wı̨̄ pı̨̄xjı̨̄ rūjagigīšųnų́n'.*
And hay excellent I used to give her to eat.

* < rūc-hagigī-šųnų́-ną.

 

Žē egų̄, gā, kerepą́nąnų̄pąhą̄ wāznįāgituxgı̨̄kšųnų́n'.*
That one then, [then,] twenty times I would routinely milk her.

* < wāsnı̨̄ hagituxgı̨̄kšųnų́ną.

One, Two, Buckle My Shoe

Original English

One, two, buckle my shoe;
Three, four, knock at the door;
Five, six, pick up sticks;
Seven, eight, lay them straight;
Nine, ten, a big fat hen.



Hižą̄, nų̄p, wagujēreı̨̄gīruhīrē;*
One, two, buckle my shoe;

* < wagujēra hįgiruhīrē.

 

Tānı̨̄, jōp, cīrōbᵉra gikōgᵉre;*
Three, four, the door knock;

* to be in the imperative, this should read, gikōgᵉre.

’

Saacą, 'kewe,* nąąksik weehi[re];
Sācą̄, kéwe, ną̄ksík' wēhí[re];
Five, six, sticks pick them up;

* a front clip of hakewé.

 

Šāgowı̨̄, haruwą́k, rōcą̄ wažūrē;
Seven, eight, straight lay them;

 

, ,

Hižąkīcųšgųnį, kerepą́ną́ižą, bagāxge hinų̄k šı̨̄ pı̨̄ hižą̄.
Nine, ten, hen fat [a good].

 

Four and Twenty Blackbirds

Original English

[Omitted: Sing a song of sixpence,
A pocket full of rye.]
Four and twenty blackbirds baked in a pie.
When the pie was open, the birds began to sing.
Wasn’t that a dainty dish to set before the king?



Cōxją́ną jōpanąga ēgī kerepą́ną [nų̄p] nąk rōgožū wawa’ų̄įr̨ēn'.
Blackbirds four and and twenty there were pie they were made.

 


Rōgožūra ruhāzirega, cōxją̄ną̄ka ną̄wą̄r̨a reājiarāirēn'.*
The pie when it was opened, the blackbirds to sing they began to start.

* < ree-haji-haraireną.


Wasgēwāxjā* že’ē, hų̄gᵉrā cōwēja gikeréirēn'?
Dainty dish that, the king before they set?

* wasgéwáxja is compounded from wasgé waxjá, hence the stress shift to left.

This Little Pig Went to Market

Original English

This little piggy went to market,
This little piggy stayed home,
This little piggy had roast beef,
This little piggy had none,
This little piggy cried "Wee! Wee! Wee!" all the way home.

 


Xgūxgūiše xųnų̄įk te’e wōrūwı̨̄r̨owārēn'.
Pig little this it went to market.

 

’.

Xgūxgūiše xųnų̄įk te’e ciāpēn'.
Pig little this he stayed home.

 


Xgūxgūiše xųnų̄įk te’e cērōk’ı̨̄ rūcą́n'.*
Pig little this roast beef he ate.

* < rūcšą́n' < rūcšą́ną.


Xgūxgūiše xųnų̄įk te’e ąkē* cų̄nı̨̄n’.
Pig little this not he did not have.

* the initial /h/ has been lost due to external sandhi.


Xgūxgūiše xųnų̄įk te’e wı̨̄wı̨̄zı̨̄k* cīrōginą́kšąną.†
Pig little this he cried "Wee! Wee!" all the way home.

* zį̄k, "the sound of blowing one's nose" (cf. ǧį̄k).
† < cīra hoginą́kšąną.

Hickory Dickory Dock

Hickory Dickory Dock Music

 


Hokoró* jikeré† hīn'.‡
A loud hollow sounding noise to do suddenly he did.

* hokoro (Ao KAo Lo) is defined as "a loud hollow sounding noise" (Kingswan). "Hickory, Dickory, Dock" is actually a corruption of numbers used by shepherds in the Welsh: Hevera (8), Devera (9) and Dick (10). Iona and Peter Opie, The Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes (2nd ed.) (Oxford: Oxford University Press,1997) pp. 185–186.
† jikeré is defined by Miner as, "to make a sudden movement, to do suddenly, to do in a startled condition; to bluntly say this or that once only."
‡ for hī-ną. Hī (Ai) means "to do, to cause."


Wijūk’ Mą̄nųkēga* wīgų̄z† ējotī‡ ną̄k.
Mr. Mouse clock there he climbed up he ran.

* wijūk can itself denote mice, but seems to have originally meant something like "a small animal," as it is also used to denote cats. Mą̄nųkē means "thief," and the expression wijūk’ mą̄nųkē more specifically denotes mice. The -ga suffix is a definite article primarily used in personal names, as is often translated as "mister.".
† for wīgų̄s, the /s/ being softened to a /z/ by proximity to the succeeding word.
‡ < ēja-hotī.


Wīgų̄zra gicı̨́wı̨́n'.
The clock it struck.

 


Wijūgı̨̄ka* t’ą̄bᵉną̄k.
Little Mouse he ran down.

* Wijūgı̨̄ka < wijūk, "mouse"; ı̨̄k, a front clip of nı̨̄k, "little"; and -ka, a definite article mainly used in personal names.


Hokoró jikeré hīn’.
A loud hollow sounding noise to do suddenly he did.

 

Rain, Rain Go Away

Original English

Rain, rain, go away
Come again another day;
Little Arthur wants to play.

RainRainGoAway

 


Nı̨̄žū, nı̨̄žū, karárē.
Rain, rain, go away.

 


Hą̄biją̄hı̨̄r̨a ējižā, jiājē.
Another day one there, come.

 


Kų́nųxų́nųįka šgāc rōgų̄n'.
Little Kų́nų* to play he wants.

* Kų́nų is a birth order name for the eldest son.

Hippty Hop to the Barber Shop

Original English

Hippity-hop to the barber shop
To buy a stick of candy.
One for you and one for me
And one for sister Annie.

 


Ną̄jōrucgīzeja* jīwātoro ų̄rēn'.
At the barber shop hippity-hop do.

* < ną̄ju-horucgis-eja.


Tānı̨̄žūkiríž ruwı̨̄nēn'.
Candy they bought.

 


Hižą̄šįnįānąga* ēgīžą̄nı̨̄n'.†
One for you, and one for me.

* < hižą̄-hašįnį-ánąga.
† < ēgī-hižą̄-hanı̨̄ną.


Ēgī Annie-akīnų̄bᵉra,* hižı̨̄rasa.†
And my sister Annie, one also.

* < Annie hakīnų̄bᵉra.
† < hižą̄ hirasá. 

Ring Around the Roses

Original English

Ring around the roses.
A pocket full of poses.
Tisha, tisha.
We all fall down.

 


Xą̄wįōxerearugīzirēn'.*
They made a ring around the plant blossoms.

* < xą̄wi-hōxeré-harugį́s-hirēną. Xą̄wi, "plant"; hōxeré, "blossom"; harugį́s, "to bend into circular form, to make something into a ring or round form"; hirēną, "they made."


Xą̄wįōxere wōrūcgūzōixjįožūirēn'.*
Plant blossoms they put filling the pocket.

* < wōrūcgūs, "pocket (lit., where you store things)"; hoixjį hožu, "to fill up something"; hožū-irē-ną, "they put."


Tisha, tisha.
Ttíša, ttíša.

 


Haną̄c hįką́ną́wı̨̄n'.
All we fall down.

 

Little Boy Blue

Original English

Little Boy Blue, come blow your horn.
The sheep's in the meadow.
The cow's in the corn.
Where is the boy who looks after the sheep?
Under a haystack, fast asleep.

[Omitted: Will you wake him? No, not I,
For if I do, he will surely cry.]

 


Hocı̨̄cı̨̄ Cōnı̨̄gra, wītūtūra hokéwéǧų̄ hūrē.
Little Boy Blue your horn to blow come.

 


Cāsgāra hosgāraot’ą̄birēn.
The sheep they are in the meadow.

 


Cērášgē wahūéja ų́ną̄kšąną.
The cows also* in the corn they are.

* "cows in the corn" instead of "cow’s in the corn".


Hocı̨̄cı̨̄ wawīrākárajēra, jāsgē hīže?
Boy the one who looks after them, what he is doing?

 


Xą̄wįōš’ōk ką̄hą̄įja, ną̄xjı̨̄ną́kšąną.
The hay stack under he was fast asleep.

 

Mary Had a Little Lamb

Original English

Mary had a little lamb,
Its fleece was white as snow.
And everywhere that Mary went,
The lamb was sure to go.

[Numerous other verses are ommited.]
Lowell Mason's 1831 Score
Music to Mary's Lamb, Lowell Mason, 18312

 


Maryga cāsgāganįgī,*
Mary she had a little lamb,

* < cāsgānı̨̄k hánį̄gi.


Hįōp’ō’pōžrá hosgārá wāikisgēže.
Its fleece the place where the whiteness it was like snow.

 


Ēgī gųą̄cı̨̄ja Marygowārēga,
And everywhere that Mary went,

 


Cāsgāñįka hišgē rēs’āže.
Little Lamb also it would go.

New Words: ciōruhi, "wall"; hokéwéǧų̄, "to blow"; ką̄hą̄įja, "under"; kewe, "six," a front clip of hakewé; nı̨̄zōc, "broth"; wasgēwāxjā, "dainty dish".

Notes

1 Hōcąk has a very interesting conundrum when it comes to vowel transcription. For reasons lost to the mists of time, leading linguists claimed that Hōcąk was different from all other Siouan languages (even from its closest cousin). Instead of having the usual, expected stressed and unstressed vowels, it was claimed that Hōcąk had "long" and "short" vowels, and that length was contrastive (length determined differences in meaning.) In the transcription approach here, a macron indicates a "long" stressed vowel. An accent indicates a "short" stressed vowel. This two-way distinction is often more about pitch or vowel quality, but we have to achieve some practical solution. An accent mark could be added to all macrons, since all "long" vowels are inherently stressed, but it’s not necessary.

Key

Nasals do not differ other than adding nasal quality. Short vowels may appear both stressed and unstressed; long vowels are always stressed (more accurately, pitch-stressed).

ā IPA ['a]
á IPA ['ʌ]
e IPA ['e]
é IPA ['ɛ]
i IPA ['i]
í IPA ['ɪ]
ō IPA ['o]
ó IPA [between o and 'ɔ, though usually very close to o ]
ū IPA ['u]
ú IPA ['u, not always but sometimes quicker than ū]

2 CC Madam Presiding. The recording was converted from .ogg to .mpeg. 

Source

Kenneth L. Miner, Tapes recorded in 1974-75 under the auspices of the Wisconsin Native American Languages Project. Stored at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries, Tapes 108–135 in the Wisconsin Native American Language Project collection (Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council, 2008), Reel 134b, close to the end (starting around 21:24), and Reel 135.