Pekinese Rhymes/10

by Guido Vitale

X

我兒子睡覺了
我花兒困覺了
我花兒把卜了
我花兒是個乖兒子
我花兒是個哄人精

NOTES

These words are repeated by mothers near the cradles of their sons to get them asleep. The phrase 把卜了 pa⁴ pu³ la, is rather difficult to explain, because the Chinese themselves cannot give it a meaning. However, after many enquiries I see that people are generally of opinion that this phrase has the meaning of being drowsy, being asleep. 乖兒子 kuai¹ eur² tzŭ, an obedient boy, meaning derived from the above mentioned phrase 乖乖 kuai¹ kuai¹, "be quiet!" 哄人的精 hung³ jen² ti ching¹, the word hung³ which means commonly to deceive, but its original meaning is to cajole, to flatter, to charm. The word ching¹ means essence, semen; the whole phrase could be translated: the essence, the flower of those who charm people.

TRANSLATION

My flower is sleeping ― my flower has fallen asleep ― my flower is resting ― my flower is a quiet son ― my flower is the flower of those who charm people.