Pekinese Rhymes/21

by Guido Vitale

XXI

扯扯
扯軲轆圓
家家門前掛紅線
紅線厚
甩大袖
一甩甩在門後頭
門後頭
掛腰刀
腰刀尖
項大天
天打雷
狗咬賊
唏𠺕嘩拉又一回

NOTES

These words are sung by children as they give each other the hand and turn around in a circle: no particulary defined meaning is attached to them, as they are put together only to keep measure with the steps. 軲轆圓 ku¹ lu⁴ yüan², as round as a wheel. 甩 shuai³, expresses a movement peculiar to the Chinese, that of letting down with a sudden jerk of the arm, the long sleeve which was tucked up the wrist. 唏𠺕嘩拉 hsi¹ liu¹ hua¹ la¹, words with no meaning.

TRANSLATION

Draw, draw ― draw the circle as round as a wheel ― at every house-door is hanging a red thread ― the red thread is thick ― drop the sleeve ― drop it as far as behind the door ― behing the door ― is hanging the swoard ― the swoard is cutting ― and is so long that it touches the sky ― the sky thunders ― the dog bites the thieves ― hsiliuhualà once more!

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