Hi,

Sometimes, I don't know how I even make sense when opening my mouth.
(Maybe I don't, but nobody told me?)

Obviously:

Dutch:
Op een klein stationnetje (On a little station)
's Morgens in de vroegte (Early in the morning)
Staan de blikken wagentjes (Little metal cars stand)
Netjes op een rij (Neatly in a line row)
Ziet de machinist eens, (Watch the engine driver)
Hij draait aan een wieletje (he turns a little wheel 'round)
hakke-hakke, puf, puf (chukka-chukka, puff, puff)
Weg zijn we. (We are off Off we go.)

Still an acceptable translation, but this way it actually rhymes.


Are we any further where the origin is concerned?
NIH Kids' pages has "Lee Ricks and Slim Gaillard © 1948", but also "This famous folk song is believed to have been written in the last 19th century, as railroads expanded across the country, built "all the livelong day" in back‐ breaking work." ("The country" appears to be the USA.)
As we have an 1931 source already, the last ["quarter of the"?] 19th century would seem more plausible than 1948, but do we have anything to support the believe?

It occurred to me, BTW, that while the engine was named "Puffing Billy", that doesn't necessarily mean the original lyrics got it right.

Bye,
                                                                Mysha