Lyrics
Celotno besedilo pesmi »Zajček dolgoušček« z angleškim prevodom.
Zajček dolgoušček, bel imaš kožušček, hitre tačke, ostre zobke, dolge brke, repek siv.
#S kravico stanuješ, v hlevu poskakuješ, repo glodaš in korenje, deteljico in krompir.
#Vsakemu uideš, k meni vselej prideš, s smrčkom vohaš, prst poližeš, potlej pa vesel zbežiš.
#English translation
Little long-eared rabbit, you have a white little coat, quick little paws, sharp little teeth, long whiskers, a grey little tail. You live with the cow, you hop about in the barn, you gnaw turnip and carrot, clover and potato. You escape from everyone, but you always come to me, you sniff with your snout, lick my finger, then happily run away.
#Rights
The words of this song are by Janez Bitenc and are still in copyright. They are reproduced here, credited, for family and classroom singing; no reuse licence has been obtained, and nothing on this page may be copied further. Rightsholders can ask for a correction or removal — see lyrics & credits.
Zajček dolgoušček at a glance
- Country of origin
- 🇸🇮 Slovenia
- Sung in
- Slovenian
- Words by
- Janez Bitenc
- First known
- By Janez Bitenc (1925–2005), who wrote the words as well as the music of many of his children's songs
- Best for ages
- 2–7
- Mood
- playful
- Last updated
- 27 August 2026
Meaning and origin
This is one of the tenderest of all Slovenian children’s songs. It looks a little rabbit over from head to tail with obvious affection — a white coat, quick paws, sharp little teeth, long whiskers, a grey tail — and then places him in a cosy, ordinary world: he lives in the barn with the cow and nibbles turnip, carrot, clover and potato. It is the sort of loving inventory a child might make of a pet they adore.
The last verse gives it its heart. The rabbit escapes from everyone else, the song says, but he always comes to me — sniffing, licking a finger, and then hopping happily off again. That small moment of trust, the wild little creature choosing the child, is what makes it special. It was written by Janez Bitenc (1925–2005), who Wikipedia says wrote the words as well as the music for many of his children’s songs and whose songs it describes as known by more or less all preschool and primary-school children in Slovenia; “Zajček dolgoušček” is on its list of his best-known. Bitenc died in 2005, so the song remains in copyright.
Common questions
- What is "Zajček dolgoušček" about?
- A friendly little rabbit. The song describes him lovingly, part by part — a white coat, quick paws, sharp little teeth, long whiskers, a grey tail — then tells how he lives with the cow in the barn, nibbling turnip, carrot, clover and potato, and how, though he escapes from everyone else, he always comes trustingly to the singer, sniffs, licks a finger, and hops happily away.
- Who wrote "Zajček dolgoušček"?
- The Slovenian children's composer Janez Bitenc (25 October 1925 – 4 February 2005). Wikipedia lists "Zajček dolgoušček" among his best-known songs, notes that he wrote the lyrics as well as the music for many of them, and says his songs are known by more or less all preschool and primary-school children in Slovenia. He died fewer than 70 years ago, so the song is still in copyright.
- What makes "Zajček dolgoušček" a favourite?
- Its warmth and its gentle detail. By describing the rabbit so tenderly and ending with him coming to the child's own hand, it turns a simple animal song into a little moment of trust and affection.
