Creole In The Jungle

Creole in the Jungle: a Caribbean Counting Rhyme from Belize, Central America by Nancy Hines Bailey (MiNanci)

The rhythm is an adaptation of the old counting rhyme: Over in the Meadow by Olive A. Wadsworth . In this lively counting rhyme readers will learn the Creole name for each of the animals mentioned. The mother is named in English and her children “pikney” in Creole. Creole in the Jungle is a wonderful way to learn to count, get a flavor for another culture and peek into the jungle. Have fun and enjoy!

for Isaiah

1. ONE: Deep in the Jungle where the trees reach the sun, lives an old mother Jaguar and her little “Tiga” one. “Stalk,” says the mother, “I stalk,” says the one. So they hunt and have fun where the trees meet the sun.

2. TWO: Cruisin’ cross the clearing with beaks big as shoes, flies a mother Keel-Bill Toucan and her little “Toocahn” two. “ Stay together,” says the mother. “We do,” say the two. So they hop 'round together with their beaks big as shoes.

3 . THREE: High up in the canopy, swinging tree to tree, there’s a Black Howler Monkey and her little “Baboons” three. “Swing,” says the mother. “We swing,” say the three. So they swing tree to tree ‘cross the canopy.

4 . FOUR:At the base of the jungle called the forest floor, lives an Armored Armadillo and her “Hamadilly” four. “Burrow,” says the mother. “We burrow,” say the four. So they burrow a hideout in the forest floor.

5 . FIVE: On the clearing in the jungle where the new shoots thrive, there’s an old mother Tapir and her “Moungtin Cow” five. “Forage,” says the mother. “We forage,” say the five. So they forage vegetation where the new shoots thrive.

6. SIX: Clinging to the bamboo; tall, towering sticks, is a mother Green Iguana and her little “Guana” six. “Snap a fly,” says the mother. “We’ll try,” say the six. So they try snapping flies ’mongst the bamboo sticks.

7. SEVEN: Flying ‘cross the sky, painting red the blue of heaven, is a Scarlet Macaw mom and her “Mahca Pahraht” seven. “Look for fruit,” says the mother. “We look,” say the seven. So they look down from the sky, from the blue of heaven.

8. EIGHT: In a log by our farm that was once a gate, lives a Tarantula ma and her “Tyrantilope” eight. “Lay in wait,” says the mother. “We wait,” say the eight. So they lay in wait in a log that was our gate.

9 . NINE: Wrapping ‘round a tree like a moving vine, slides a Boa Constrictor and her little “Owlas” nine. “Squeeze,” says the mother. “We squeeze,” say the nine. So they squeeze and slither like moving vines.

10. TEN : Underneath the ground, in a cozy wee den, l ives and old mother Paca and her little “Givnut” ten. “Gnaw,” says the mother. “We gnaw,” say the ten. So they gnaw on cohune nut in their cozy wee den.