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