Some childhood songs

I was reminded of Baby’s infant years at the baby shower on Saturday. We sang a few childhood songs for fun – when we got tired of torturing the almost new mother.

One song resonated with me quite a bit. I first learnt the song at school primary school while we were learning about our bodies.

Batswana mothers also sing the song to put their babies to sleep, and I was no different when Baby was small.

I don’t know how many times a day I sang that song–when she was upset, I sang it over and over until she calmed down and fell asleep.

I think there is an English version, but right now I can’t remember it The goes thus:

Child: Dear grandfather, where are you from today
Grandfather: I come from the hospital at the top of the hill
Child: And what is wrong with you?
Grandfather, (indicating the mentioned body part):
My head, my shoulders, my chest and my waist
My knees and my toes x2

Child: What is wrong with you?
Grandfather, (indicating the mentioned body part):
My head, my shoulders, my chest and my waist
My knees and my toes x2

Another song that I sang many times for Baby to calm her down or put her to sleep was the Setswana version of Three Blind Mice.

Three mice x2
That were blind X2
An old white woman
Chased them in her garden
Cut their tales
With a large knife
Three mice x2
That were blind X2

It is not an accurate reflection of the original nursery rhyme, but it’s close. The original says:

Three blind mice, three blind mice,
See how they run, see how they run,
They all ran after the farmer's wife,
Who cut off their tails with a carving knife,
Did you ever see such a thing in your life,
As three blind mice?

I’ve always wondered why Batswana substituted the farmer’s wife for an old white woman.