Tuesday, August 28, 2007

teru teru bozu nursery

There is a famous warabe uta, or Japanese nursery rhyme, associated with teru teru bozu:

Japanese:
てるてるぼうず、てるぼうず
明日天気にしておくれ
いつかの夢の空のよに
晴れたら銀の鈴あげよ

てるてるぼうず、てるぼうず
明日天気にしておくれ
私の願いを聞いたなら
甘いお酒をたんと飲ましょ

てるてるぼうず、てるぼうず
明日天気にしておくれ
もしも曇って泣いてたら
そなたの首をちょんと切るぞ

Translation:
Teru-teru-bozu, teru bozu
Do make tomorrow a sunny day
Like the sky in a dream sometime
If it's sunny I'll give you a golden bell

Teru-teru-bozu, teru bozu
Do make tomorrow a sunny day
If you make my wish come true
We'll drink lots of sweet booze

Teru-teru-bozu, teru bozu
Do make tomorrow a sunny day
but if it's cloudy and I find you crying (i.e. it's raining)
Then I shall snip your head off

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