Sing a Song When You Want (Mandarin)
by Emma from Guangxi
English Translation:
(This song includes eight riddles. Circle the riddles and their answers.)
Sanjie Liu is a singer from Guangxi, featured in the Zhuang people’s Tang Dynasty era legends. She is famous for writing impromptu hill songs while working. Please enjoy her song, “Sing a Song When You Want,” performed by Shiqin Liu.
Sing a song when you want
Go to the river when you want to fish
You bring the penny, and I’ll bring the net
I’ll ride the boat to the river for you
Ai
Who is somersaulting on the water? La la la!
Who owns a tall building on the water?
La la la
Who is floating parasols on the water?
Who are the grey-haired people on on the water?
Hei! Who is using parasols on the water? Who are the grey-haired people on the water?
Ai
The duck is somersaulting on the water
La la la! The big boat has a tall building on the water!
La la la
The lotus leaf is floating parasols on the water
The Mandarin ducks swimming on the water have grey hair
Hei! The lotus leaf is floating parasols on the water!
The Mandarin ducks swimming on the water have grey hair!
Ai
Who has a mouth, but never talks? La la la!
Who does not have a mouth, but makes a lot of noise? La la la!
Who has legs, but never walks?
Who does not have legs, but visits thousands of people’s homes?
Hei! Who has legs, but never walks? Who does not have legs, but visits thousands of people’s homes?
Ai
Buddha has a mouth, but never talks!
La la la!
The causeway does not have a mouth, but makes a lot of noise! La la la!
The desk has legs, but never walks!
Money does not have legs, but visits thousands of people’s homes!
Hei! The desk has legs, but never walks!
Money does not have legs, but visits thousands of people’s homes!