Hänschen klein

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Originally, "Hänschen klein", has been a traditional 19th century German folk song telling of a boy who ventures to the world and returns a man to his family. It is the theme song of Cross of Iron. The title translates to English as "Little Hans".

Much more popularity it gained about 1900, when the following textual version came to be adopted as the very first song to be taught to little children, be it at home or in the kindergarten. Now it is a small boy, who is going away but returns immediately, since mum, left alone, turned to crying.

[edit] Translation

German	English
Hänschen klein ging allein In die weite Welt hinein. Stock und Hut steht ihm gut, Er ist wohlgemut. Doch die Mutter weinet sehr, hat ja nun kein Hänschen mehr. Da besinnt sich das Kind, kehrt nach Haus' geschwind.	Little Hans went alone Right into the wide world. Looking great with stick and hat He was in good spirits. But his mother cried so much, For she no longer had little Hans. Such, the child changes its mind, Turning back home, swiftly.

The widely accepted text from Hänschen klein. (help·info)

The song must be sung in German in order for the words to rhyme (a-a-b-b-c-c-d-d).

[edit] In Hebrew

In the first half of the twentieth century in pre-independent Israel (then the British Mandate of Palestine), the author Yisrael Duschmann, born in Vilna, wrote a Hebrew version of Hänschen klein. The Song (in Hebrew: "Yonatan HaKatan") is the most widespread nursery rhyme in Israel.

However, the meaning of the original German text was completely altered. The Hebrew version reads:

Little Jonathan

Ran in the morning to kindergarten.

He climbed the tree

Looking for chicks.

Oh dear, that naughty boy

Got a big hole in his pants.

He Fell Down from the Tree

And He Punished