Today, I was teaching some very young children singing Chinese version’s Turkey in the straw song for the coming Thanksgiving holiday. I would like to thank everyone I met, from each of you, I learn something everyday — bitter or sweet. Thank you for your time and help, and wish you all have a wonderful Turkey Day.
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稻草裡的火雞
dào cǎo lǐ de huǒ jī
Turkey in the straw
稻草 (rice straw) 裡(inside)的(connecting particle)火雞(turkey)
哎呀不得了，這個真糟糕，
āi ya bù dé liǎo , ge zhēn zāo gāo ,
Ah, (this is) extremely serious; this is really terrible.
哎呀 (interjection of shock)不得了 (desperately serious / disastrous)，這個(this)真(really)糟糕(terrible)，
我們的火雞呀，跑到那兒去了，
Wǒ men de huǒ jī yā , pǎo dào nā er qù le ,
Our turkey, ah, where did it run to?
我們的(our)火雞(turkey)呀 (particle expresses surprise or doubt)，跑 (run)到(to)那兒(where)去(go)了(past tense marker)，
快點找一找，快點找一找，
kuài diǎn zhǎo yī zhǎo , kuài diǎn zhǎo yī zhǎo ,
Quickly (let’s) look for it. Quickly (let’s) look for it.
快點(hurry up)找一找(look for/try to find)，快點(hurry up)找一找(look for/try to find)，
原來牠偷偷跑到菜園裡去了。
yuán lái tā tōu tōu pǎo dào cài yuán lǐ qù le .
As it turns out, it stealthily went to the vegetable garden.
原來(as it turns out) 牠(it) 偷偷(sneakily) 跑(run)到(to)菜(vegetable)園(garden)裡(inside)去(go)了(past tense marker)。
快來，快來，快來，快來，
kuài lái , kuài lái , kuài lái , kuài lái ,
Quickly come, quickly come, quickly come, quickly come,
快(quickly)來(come), 快(quickly)來(come), 快(quickly)來(come), 快(quickly)來(come)，
我們圍起菜園快把牠捉到，
Wǒ men wéi qǐ cài yuán kuài bǎ tā zhuō dào ,
Let’s encircle the vegetable garden and capture it.
我們(we)圍(surround)起(up)菜(vegetable)園(garden)快(quickly)把(particle marking the following noun as a direct object) 牠(it)捉到(capture)，
看到我們牠又跑了，跑到稻草裡去了。
kàn dào Wǒ men tā yòu pǎo le , pǎo dào dào cǎo qù le .
It saw us, then it ran away again – ran to the inside of straw.
看到(saw)我們(us)牠(it)又(again)跑(run)了(past tense marker)，跑(run)到(to)稻草(rice straw)裡(inside)去(go)了(past tense marker)。
Music …..
哎呀不得了，這個真糟糕，
āi ya bù dé liǎo , ge zhēn zāo gāo ,
Ah, (this is) extremely serious; this is really terrible.
哎呀 (interjection of shock)不得了 (desperately serious / disastrous)，這個(this)真(really)糟糕(terrible)，
我們的火雞呀，跑到那兒去了，
Wǒ men de huǒ jī yā , pǎo dào nā er qù le ,
Our turkey, ah, where did it run to?
我們的(our)火雞(turkey)呀 (particle expresses surprise or doubt)，跑 (run)到(to)那兒(where)去(go)了(past tense marker)，
快點找一找，快點找一找，
kuài diǎn zhǎo yī zhǎo , kuài diǎn zhǎo yī zhǎo ,
Quickly (let’s) look for it. Quickly (let’s) look for it.
快點(hurry up)找一找(look for/try to find)，快點(hurry up)找一找(look for/try to find)，
原來牠這回跑到院子裡去了。
yuán lái tā zhè huí pǎo dào yuàn zi lǐ qù le .
As it turns out, it stealthily went to the yard.
原來(as it turns out)牠(it)這(this)回(turn/time)跑(run)到(to)院子(yard)裡(inside)去(go)了(past tense marker)。
快來，快來，快來，快來，
kuài lái , kuài lái , kuài lái , kuài lái ,
Quickly come, quickly come, quickly come, quickly come,
快(quickly)來(come), 快(quickly)來(come), 快(quickly)來(come), 快(quickly)來(come)，
我們同心協力快把牠捉到，
Wǒ men tóng xīn xié lì kuài bǎ tā zhuō dào ,
Let’s make concerted efforts and quickly capture it.
我們(we)同心協力(to work with a common purpose (idiom);)快(quickly)把(particle marking the following noun as a direct object)牠(it)捉到(capture)，
看到我們牠又跑了，跑到稻草裡去了。
kàn dào Wǒ men tā yòu pǎo le , pǎo dào dào cǎo qùle .
Seeing us, it ran away again, and ran to the inside of straw.
看到(saw)我們(us)牠(it)又(again)跑(run)了(past tense marker)，跑(run)到(to)稻草(rice straw)裡(inside)去(go)了(past tense marker)。
Music …..
快來，快來，快來，快來，
kuài lái , kuài lái , kuài lái , kuài lái ,
Quickly come, quickly come, quickly come, quickly come,
快(quickly)來(come), 快(quickly)來(come), 快(quickly)來(come), 快(quickly)來(come)，
我們同心協力快把牠捉到，
Wǒ men tóng xīn xié lì kuài bǎ tā zhuō dào ,
Let’s make concerted efforts and quickly capture it.
我們(we)同心協力(to work with a common purpose (idiom);)快(quickly)把(particle marking the following noun as a direct object)牠(it)捉到(capture)，
看到我們牠又跑了，跑到稻草裡去了。
kàn dào Wǒ men tā yòu pǎo le , pǎo dào dào cǎo qùle .
Seeing us, it ran away again, and ran to the inside of straw.
看到(saw)我們(us)牠(it)又(again)跑(run)了(past tense marker)，跑(run)到(to)稻草(rice straw)裡(inside)去(go)了(past tense marker)。
快來，快來，快來，快來，
kuài lái , kuài lái , kuài lái , kuài lái ,
Quickly come, quickly come, quickly come, quickly come,
快(quickly)來(come), 快(quickly)來(come), 快(quickly)來(come), 快(quickly)來(come)，
我們同心協力快把牠捉到，
Wǒ men tóng xīn xié lì kuài bǎ tā zhuō dào ,
Let’s make concerted efforts and quickly capture it.
我們(we)同心協力(to work with a common purpose (idiom);)快(quickly)把(particle marking the following noun as a direct object)牠(it)捉到(capture)，
看到我們牠又跑了，跑到稻草裡去了。
kàn dào Wǒ men tā yòu pǎo le , pǎo dào dào cǎo qùle .
Seeing us, it ran away again, and ran to the inside of straw.
看到(saw)我們(us)牠(it)又(again)跑(run)了(past tense marker)，跑(run)到(to)稻草(rice straw)裡(inside)去(go)了(past tense marker)。
Translated and annotated by Shu (revised on Nov. 23, 2013)
Turkey in the Straw, Guitar music
Turkey in the straw (first version 1942)
Turkey in the straw has many different lyrical versions. The earliest lyrics under the name “Zip Coon” were written by Dan Bryant and published in 1861. The words were set to new music, with the “Turkey in the Straw” tune added at the end. The chorus as first published by Dan Bryant goes:
Turkey in de straw, turkey in de hay
Turkey in de straw, turkey in de hay
Roll ’em up an’ twist ’em up a high tuc-ka-haw
An’ twist ’em up a tune called Turkey in the Straw
One traditional version has a chorus with these lyrics:
Turkey in the hay, in the hay, in the hay.
Turkey in the straw, in the straw, in the straw,
Pick up your fiddle and rosin your bow,
And put on a tune called Turkey in the Straw.
Another goes:
Turkey in the straw — Haw haw haw
Turkey in the hay — Hey hey hey
The Reubens [farm people] are dancing to Turkey in the Straw
Hey highdy heydy, and a haw haw haw.
See more info about the song, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkey_in_the_Straw
