Pekinese Rhymes/22

by Guido Vitale

XXII

大秃子得病
二秃子慌

三秃子請大夫
四秃子熬薑湯
五秃子抬
六秃子埋
七秃子哭着走進來
八秃子問他哭甚麽
我家死了個秃乖乖
快快兒枱
怏快兒埋
别讓那個葫蘆子兒迸出來

NOTES

For a baldhead is meant in this song a child, for the reason explained before. 墓 chiang¹ t'ang¹, ginger broth, a medicine given to make the patient sweat. 乖乖 kuai¹ kuai¹, dear, treasure, said of children. 葫蘆子兒 hu² lu² tzǔ³ 'r, the seeds in his gourd (meaning his head), 迸出來 peng⁴ ch'u¹ lai², to spring up; said of things which being thrown down, by force of elasticity, spring up.

TRANSLATION

The first baldhead gets sick ― the second baldhead is scared ― the third baldhead goes to call a doctor ― the fourth baldhead boils a ginger decoction ― the fifth baldhead bears him (the sick one) on the shoulders ― the sixth baldhead buries him ― the seventh baldhead comes in ― the eight baldead asks "why do you weep "? ― In my family a dear baldhead is dead ― quickly take him away ― quickly bury him ― lest the seeds should spring out of his gourd.

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