Tsigele-Migele (2)

Lyrics: Meir Harats; Music: Efim Chorny

See Lecture: "Ashkenazi Food"
 

Tsigele-migele kotenay,Tsigele-migele,
Royte pomerantsn, Blood oranges,
Kokh mir zeks kartofl op, Cook me up six potatoes,
Gey ikh balt dir tantsn. and I'll dance for you.
Kokh mir op kartoflyes tsen, Cook me up ten potatoes,
Tants ikh oyf di tishn, and I'll dance on the tables,
Opgetantst dem ershtn tants, When I've finished the first dance
Tants ikh dir a frishn. I'll dance a new one.
  
Idl-fidl, Berl-bas, Yidl - fiddle, Berl - bass,
Shpilt mir dray mes-lesn, Play for me non-stop [3 day and nights],
Zaltst mir di kartoflyes tsu, Salt the potatoes for me,
Ruf ikh aykh tsum esn. and I'll call you to eat.
Ver se shmeltst zey tsu mit shmalts, Whoever greases them with "shmalts",
Meg zayn bloyz a bisl, Even a bit,
Vet er megn funem tish Can take the whole plateful
Nemen gantse shisl. from the table.
  
Gantse shisl vet nit zayn, The whole plateful - impossible!
Tsen kartof in gantsn, There are ten potatoes in all,
Tsigele-migele kotenay, Tsigele-migele,
Royte pomerantsn. Blood oranges.
Day-day-day-day-day ... Day-day-day-day-day ...

Source: Efim Chorny Songbook; Translation - Jeanette Lewicki, via Efim Chorny