Petelinček je na goro šel — besedilo, English translation & origin

Petelinček je na goro šel

"Petelinček je na goro šel" ("The Little Rooster Went Up the Hill") is a comic Slovenian folk children's song about a rooster who visits his sweetheart on the hill, sends for the doctor when she falls ill — and gets cheekily scolded by a hen.

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Besedilo (Lyrics)

Celotno besedilo pesmi »Petelinček je na goro šel« z angleškim prevodom.

Petelinček je na goro šel, kikirikiki, petelinček je na goro šel, kikirikiki, kikiriki, kikiriki, kikirikiki.

Kaj pa on na gori bo, kikirikiki, on na gori ljubco ima, kikirikiki, ljubca obolela je, kikirikiki, poslali so po dohtarja, kikirikiki, ljubca ozdravela je, kikirikiki.

Petelinček je zapel, je skočil gor na hlev, je hlačice odpel pa lulat je začel. Je putka mim pršla, je petelinčka okregala: Petelinček pejd no stran, če ne bo še mene sram!

English translation

The little rooster went up the hill, cock-a-doodle-doo, the little rooster went up the hill, cock-a-doodle-doo, cock-a-doodle, cock-a-doodle, cock-a-doodle-doo. And what will he do up on the hill? cock-a-doodle-doo — up on the hill he has a sweetheart, cock-a-doodle-doo; the sweetheart fell ill, cock-a-doodle-doo, they sent for the doctor, cock-a-doodle-doo, and the sweetheart got well again, cock-a-doodle-doo. The little rooster crowed, hopped up onto the barn, undid his little trousers and started to pee. A hen came by and scolded the little rooster: "Little rooster, go away, or I'll be ashamed too!"

Meaning and origin

This is a barnyard comedy with a lot of crowing built in. The little rooster struts up the hill — kikiriki — to visit his sweetheart; when she takes ill, the doctor is sent for and she recovers, all punctuated by the rooster’s endless cock-a-doodle-doos, which children love to shout along with. For two verses it is a sweet, if boastful, little love story.

Then the last verse turns cheeky, in the earthy way of old country songs: the rooster hops up on the barn, undoes his trousers and starts to pee, and a prim hen comes by to scold him — “go away, or I’ll be ashamed too!” It is barnyard humour, more silly than shocking, and very much in the folk tradition of not being too delicate about such things. It is a Slovenian folk children’s song with no known author, and its cheerful crowing and cheeky ending have kept it a favourite for a good giggle.

Common questions

What is "Petelinček je na goro šel" about?

A little rooster's day out, punctuated by lots of crowing ("kikiriki"). He goes up the hill to visit his sweetheart; when she falls ill they send for the doctor and she recovers. Then, in a cheeky final verse, the rooster crows, hops onto the barn and relieves himself — and a passing hen scolds him: "Little rooster, go away, or I'll be ashamed too!"

Is that last verse a bit rude?

Gently, yes — it is barnyard humour, with the rooster caught doing something he shouldn't and a prim hen telling him off. It is the kind of cheeky, earthy joke that country children's songs have always enjoyed, more silly than shocking.

Where is "Petelinček je na goro šel" from?

It is a Slovenian folk children's song ("ljudska pesem") with no known author, full of crowing for children to join in on.