# Prstki

"Prstki" ("Little Fingers") is a Slovenian finger rhyme in which each finger has its say — the thumb wants to eat, the next to drink — and the little finger, who watched from the cradle, tells on the others for raiding mummy's chest.

## At a glance

| | |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Slovenia |
| Sung in | Slovenian |
| Words by | Traditional |
| First known | Slovenian finger rhyme; author unknown |
| Best for ages | 2–7 |
| Mood | playful, traditional |
| Page | https://littlesongbook.com/songs/prstki/ |

## Lyrics

### Verse 1 (sl)

Palček pravi - jejmo, jejmo,
kazalček pravi - pijmo, pijmo,
sredinček pravi - ja samo kje dobimo?
prstanček pravi - mamici v skrinjici vzemimo,
mezinček pa je iz zibke gledal, pa vse mamici povedal.
tititi mezinček ti, ker si mamici povedal.

### English translation (en)

The thumb says — let's eat, let's eat,
the index finger says — let's drink, let's drink,
the middle finger says — yes, but where do we get it?
the ring finger says — let's take it from mummy's chest,
but the little finger watched from the cradle and told mummy everything.
tut-tut-tut, little finger, you, for telling on mummy!

## How to sing it

1. Touch or wiggle each finger in turn as it "speaks", from the thumb to the little finger.
2. Give each finger a different little voice for what it says.
3. Wag the little finger on the last line as you tease it: "tut-tut, little finger, for telling on mummy!"

## Common questions

**How do you play "Prstki"?**

As a finger rhyme. You take the fingers one by one and give each a line: the thumb says "let's eat", the index finger "let's drink", the middle finger asks "but where do we get it?", the ring finger says "let's take it from mummy's chest" — and the little finger, who was watching from the cradle, tells mummy everything. The last line teases the little tattletale.

**What is "Prstki" good for?**

Naming and moving the fingers one at a time, and a little lesson wrapped in a joke — the greedy plan is foiled by the honest (or telltale) littlest finger. It belongs to the same family as finger rhymes found in many languages.

**Who wrote "Prstki"?**

No author is recorded; it is a traditional Slovenian finger rhyme, passed on in nurseries with small variations.

## Sources

- [Kamzmulcem.si — Najbolj poznane bibarije in igre s prsti](https://kamzmulcem.si/najbolj-poznane-bibarije-in-igre-na-prste/)