Author Archives: Frances ONeil

Children’s Rhyme – Mexico

“Riki Ran”

“Rickie Ran”

“Riki Riki Riki Ran

“Rickie Rickie Rickie Ran

Pide pan y no le dan

Asks for bread and no to him they give

Pide queso, le dan un hueso

Asks for cheese, to him they give a bone

Y se va a la puerta de corral a llorar

And he goes to the door of the corral to cry

Riki Riki Riki Ran.”

Rickie Rickie Rickie Ran.”

“Rickie Rickie Rickie Ran

He asks for bread and they don’t give it to him

He asks for cheese, and they give him a bone

So he goes to the door of the corral to cry

Rickie Rickie Rickie Ran.”

Juls told me that she learned this rhyme from her grandmother when she was a young girl of about five years old. She said she learned it in Diamond Bar, CA but said that her grandmother learned it in Mexico. She explained to me that this rhyme is said when you are playing with babies or very young children. She said it was a way to calm babies down by making them focus on the song instead of fussing over whatever they were cranky about. She gestured as she said this rhyme that you hold on to the baby’s hands and bounce them to the rhythm of the beat. She said it was a fun activity for playing and was not too serious.

Juls said that this rhyme could be interpreted as a way for children to be thankful for the food that they get. She said that it was almost a way to teach children that they should not always be picky or fussy about foods they eat, because at least they are lucky enough to have food on the table. It seems to be a lesson of being grateful for what their family has and to not to take for granted what those less fortunate (like Rickie) may not have.

In addition to teaching children to be thankful for the blessings they have, this rhyme can also be seen as a lesson to respect your elders. Whoever the ‘they’ is in the rhyme seem to be in charge of what Rickie gets, implying that they are his elders. ‘They’ must not be happy with Rickie’s behavior and are thus punishing him for his wrongdoings. In this respect, it can be viewed that it teaches babies to behave and to be good for their elders who provide for them. This pedagogic rhyme is a fun and playful way to instill good manners in a baby from a very young age.

Children’s Rhyme – Iran

“Tahp tahpeh khameer

“Tap tap dough

Sheesheh por paneer

Glass full cheese

Dasteh kee balluh?”

Hand who up?”

“Tap, tap the dough.

There are glasses full of cheese.

Whose hands are up?”

Roxy told me that she learned this rhyme in Farsi from her mother when she was a girl about 6 years old. Her mother had learned it growing up in Iran and taught it to her daughters. Roxy described to me the type of game this rhyme is said to: there is one child lying face down on their stomach. The rest of the children are sitting around him or her and patting their back, as if they are ‘tapping’ dough to be made for bread. This is done while the first two lines are said. When the third line is asked, one of the children tapping will stop and raise their hands before the rhyme is over while the rest of the children keep tapping. After the rhyme is said, the child lying down has to guess which child stopped tapping their back first. If they answer correctly than that child must now lay face down, if not then the first child has to lay back down again until they can guess correctly.

Roxy explained to me that the rhyme and game is supposed to be as if the children are in the kitchen making bread to eat with the cheese in the glasses. Whoever stops working first, signified by putting your hands up, is considered to be lazy. Therefore, Roxy said, that this game is supposed to teach children to be hardworking and not to be idle or lazy in their chores or duties. This she believes creates a good work ethic among children while they are small so they can grow up to be successful, working adults.

It is clear how this game would teach the importance of being determined and hardworking. This rhyme also stresses the importance of cooperation and teamwork, as the children work together to make the bread to eat. The significance of community and working side-by-side is esteemed because it appears that when you do not help out with the tasks, you will be punished for doing so. This rhyme is a simple way to illustrate the value of a good work ethic as well as the positives of cooperation and solidarity.

Folktale – Korea Town, California

“The Woodcutter”
“There was this woodcutter who was very kind and generous and always happy even though he was very poor. One day, he was cutting trees in the forest with his old axe when his hand slipped and the axe flew into a pond. He was very sad because that was his one and only axe, which he needed to feed his mother and himself. Then, suddenly, a figure rose from the pond. I think it was a mountain spirit who was an old man with a long white beard. He saw the woodcutter and asked him why he looked so sad. The woodcutter told the old man that he dropped his axe into the pond. The mountain spirit pulled out a golden axe and asked if it belonged to him. The woodcutter said it wasn’t his and that his axe was very old and worn. The spirit disappeared and returned with the woodcutter’s old axe. The woodcutter was overjoyed and said that that was his axe. The spirit was touched that the young man was so honest and seemed to have a good heart. He said because of that, he would give the woodcutter three axes made of gold and silver. The woodcutter was very grateful and he took the three axes and returned to his village.

“He sold the axes and got enough money to live comfortably with his mother. But there was a greedy, mean man in town who was jealous when he saw that the woodcutter was very wealthy now. He went to the woodcutter one day and asked him how he had become so rich. The woodcutter didn’t suspect anything and told the greedy man his story. The greedy man immediately went to the forest with an axe. He found the pond and pretended to cut down some trees. Then he threw his axe into the pond. The spirit appeared again and the rich man pretended to cry. The spirit asked him why he was crying and the man said that he lost his ax in the pond. The spirit disappeared and came back with a golden axe and asked if this was his axe. The rich man exclaimed that it was. The spirit became very angry and he told the greedy man to disappear. The man was so scared that he turned and ran for his life. And the kind woodcutter lived happily ever after but the greedy man lived the rest of his in poverty.”

Erin said that she first learned this story when she was in grade school from a Korean school teacher in Korea Town, CA. She said the teacher told the class this story to teach a moral lesson. Erin also explained that it was common to hear Korean folktales at Korean school as a way to spread traditional folklore tied into the culture. She described how the teacher told this story in front of the class who paid close attention to the tale and how it was told.

She said that the significance of this story was to better explain why it was advantageous to be honest and generous in a way that children could follow and understand. She noted that the woodcutter is rewarded for answering the mountain spirit truthfully when asked about his axe. This signals to children that telling the truth pays off. To directly contrast the woodcutter’s good fortune, the figure of the greedy man represents what dishonesty and deception will bring you. The mountain spirit did not appreciate the greedy man’s lies and so he did not receive a reward and was punished with living the rest of his life in poverty. This story, Erin believes, was a way to instill honest values in the children at Korean school.

This same tale told in Korea has a different title there but shares the same title in China, according to Grayson’s article. Grayson explains how the moral point, which Erin was able to point out, is presented in a “double contrasted narrative structure,” (15). This type of tale is common in Korean folklore and presents a conflict between neighbors who differ in their dealings with others. The woodcutter and the greedy man have contrasting views on the virtue of honesty, causing a double outcome of the narrative for each character. This thematic element of Korean narrative is distinct because the conflict is between two typical people, unlike those tales of Confucian subtext which deal with filial piety. This is also representative of the distinct didactic and moral tone to Korean tales. Erin’s analysis is confirmed in that the story stresses how blessings come from honesty while those who deceive to gain material wealth are punished (“The H?ngbu and…”).

In addition to rewarding honesty with treasures, this tale also illustrates the importance of hard work and selflessness. The woodcutter works very hard to provide for his mother so that they are able to have food on the table. The woodcutter is a loyal and honest worker who does not try to cheat or lie in order to get ahead. He works so that he and his mother can get by, and lives a happy enough life. He is not tied down with competition or envy in being the best or the wealthiest. In the end, it is his honesty and strong work ethic that lead him to live a more comfortable life for his mother and himself.

Annotation: Grayson, James Huntley. “The H?ngbu and N?lbu Tale Type: A Korean Double Contrastive Narrative Structure.” Folklore. 113.1 (2001): 51-69. Apr. 30 2008. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/1261006>.

Festival – China

“For Chinese New Year, I’m sure you’ve seen them, there are these red packets called ‘Lai See’ that you get. Either my parents or grandparents give them to me, and the colors represent good fortune. The red stands for good luck, and there is usually a gold Chinese character or animal which signifies wealth. The character will mainly stand for happiness, peace, or joy, or whatever, and the animal represents the Chinese zodiac for the New Year.”

Sam explained to me how he receives these red packets for different family occasions, but most commonly for Chinese New Year. He said that it is usually the older generation who hands it out to the younger generations. He has known this custom since he was a very young boy when his parents or grandparents would always give them to him. In them he would receive either chocolate coins or an amount of money ending in an even digit.

Sam said that the significance of the colors were to wish you good luck and success for the New Year so that you start off with a good start. He said that the even amount of money was also symbolic of good luck, wishing the recipient financial stability for the future. He also mentioned that sometimes the packets would have pictures of Emperors or old famous Chinese figures, another symbolism to have the same success that those people did. He believed that the significance of the older generation giving to the younger generation was because the younger generation is still trying to come into adulthood and so it is a way for the elders to help out.

According to The Journal of Popular Culture, not only is generational difference a means to give out the red packets, but it can also be a status difference. For example, the married will give them to the unmarried, and senior managers give them to employees. Siu’s article also goes on to explain that if a traveler is visiting a friend with kids, even if the visitor does not know the children, it is considered bad luck if they do not bring red packets for their friend’s children. The visitor would be considered to “not have lucky money” to give away, and thus this would bring bad luck to that person (“Red Packet”).

I am familiar with the red packet commonly tied with the celebration of the Chinese New Year based on the lunar calendar. This festival is therefore a cyclical renewal and a means to start the New Year on the right foot. It would seem that the prominence of good luck symbolism is intended to rub off on the recipients so that this year will be filled with good luck and prosperity. Also, if you are so lucky to have extra money and good fortune to give away, it is a mark that your generosity will be rewarded in the next year and you can look forward to a bright future. This festival is full of reciprocating good luck probably so that the cycle will always continue for you and your loved ones.

Annotation: Siu, Kin Wai Michael. “Red Packet: A Traditional Object in the Modern World.”
The Journal of Popular Culture. 35.3 (2001): 103–125. <http://www.blackwell-synergy.com.libproxy.usc.edu/action/showPdf?submitPDF=Full+Text+PDF+%284%2C836+KB%29&doi=10.1111%2Fj.0022-3840.2001.3503_103.x&cookieSet=1>.

Children’s Song – Pakistan

“Utto beta, aankay kolo

“Wake up child, open your eyes

Bisthur choro, aur mooh dholo

Leave the bed, and wash your face

Ithna sona teek nahi hain

It’s not good to sleep this much

Vukhtha kona teek nahi hain

Wasting all this time is not good

Sooraj mikhla tare baagey

The sun is out. The stars have ran.

Doonya vale sare jaage

The people around the world are all awake

Utto beta, aankay kolo.”

Wake up child, open your eyes.”

Hadi speaks Urdu, the language this song is in, but he is unable to write it. Instead, he wrote out the Romanized script for me and translated it into English. He learned this song as a boy when his parents would sing it to him growing up in Agoura Hills, CA. His parents learned it in Pakistan, where they are from. He said that this song is sung to wake children up so they will get out of bed in the morning. He told me he still sings it to his little brother to wake him up.

Hadi said that this song is significant in helping children get ready in the morning when they wake up. He said that this song encourages children to not sleep too much because there is so much out in the world that you would not want to miss it. Hadi said that this song helps kids prepare for each new day and to be confident and willing to take on whatever challenges lay ahead of them.

I agree with Hadi’s analysis, but I also noticed the attention to forming good habits as you grow up. For example, the speaker in the song calls the child to wash their face when they get out of bed to help make themselves clean and presentable. The speaker also says that it is not good to sleep this much and waste time, implying that oversleeping and being late is not responsible. I also like how the speaker tells the child to open their eyes, as if inviting the child to experience the world fully and enjoy the sun that is shining. This song seemed to mean a lot to Hadi, and it is clear because it is a very sweet and endearing song that encourages children to take on the day with a clean face and a new outlook.