Wow!
 
I am truly overwhelmed by the ingenuity of those of you who have searched  
out or obtained translations for me of this archaic Dutch children's song. I  
first came across it in Bethlehem Revisited: A Bicentennial Story  1793-1993., 
published by the Bicenennial Commission of the Town of  Bethlehem, Lane Press, 
1993. However, there was no translation provided! The  "typos" were from the 
text in the aforementioned book. 
 
I have a Dutch mother singing it to her children in my book in the year  
1799. 
 
Once again, many thanks for the excellent responses, and I'm happy to have  
supplied some diversion. I'm sure you'll hear from me again, as I have a couple 
 of decades left to cover in nineteenth century Albany.
 
Susan Rosenberg
author of the novel-in-progress, BONE SEASON