Since the sixties, just about every child in the Netherlands has been brought up on the spirited and anti-authoritarian wit of children’s writer and poet Annie Schmidt. I am a big fan, and a while ago, I started producing English translations of some of her rhymes. It is impossible to capture the dry humour and wisdom of the originals completely, but I’ll post my least unsuccessful attempts here. If you like them, do let me know!
Spider Jim (De spin Sebastiaan)
The Brave Knight of Stout-upon-Lark (De ridder van Vogelenzang)
Polly, the Black Hen (Zwartbessie)
Porcupine’s Lullaby (Stekelvarkentjes wiegelied)
The Earthworm and His Mother (De regenworm en zijn moeder)