Sinterklaas little boy, throw something in my shoe…. But what is a little boy actually? And where do all those Sinterklaas songs actually come from?
And let’s start right away with that capon!
Sinterklaas Kapoentje
Throw something in my shoe
Throw some in my boot
Thank you Sinterklaasje
There are several theories about the word Kapoentje. For example, it would originally refer to a castrated rooster, possibly as a reference to the celibate lifestyle of Saint Nicholas.
Another explanation is that ‘kapoentje’ used to be an affectionate term for a rascal or rascal, which fits well with a song for children.
It is also suggested that the song was inspired by Klaas Kapoen, a notorious criminal from cartoons of the time, or was simply chosen because it rhymes with ‘shoe’. In some regions the word was also used to indicate a red dress, such as that of Sinterklaas.
Sinterklaasje bonne bonne bonne
Throw some in my empty empty barrel
Throw some in my boot
Thank you Sinterklaasje
The last two lines are identical to Sinterklaas kapoentje, but in more modern versions also sung as ‘Throw some in our house, we’ll nibble like mice.’
This short Sinterklaas song contains a striking word: bonne. What does that actually mean? In the Van Dale dictionary it is not found in Dutch, so it is thought that it probably comes from French. This concerns bon, which means ‘good’. By repeating bonne, bonne, bonne, the meaning is reinforced: something like ‘very, very good’.
A more modern song than the previous two, but no less popular:
Look, the steamer from Spain is arriving again
He brings us Saint Nicholas, I can already see him standing there
How his horse hops up and down the deck
How the pennants are already blowing back and forth
His servant is laughing and already calling to us
Those who are sweet get treats, those who are naughty get the rod
Oh dear Saint Nicholas will also come to me
And don’t drive past my house quietly
‘See over there comes the Steamboat’ is one of the best-known Sinterklaas songs and dates from 1850. It was written by Jan Schenkman in his booklet Saint Nicholas and his servantin which he first captured the image of the Sinterklaas arrival as we know it today: Sinterklaas comes from Spain on a steamboat, has an assistant, a book with who was sweet or naughty, and hands out gifts.
The booklet thus laid the foundation for the pedagogical Sinterklaas festival, in which good behavior is rewarded and naughty behavior is warned in a playful way.
Companions, stop your wild noise is perhaps the most famous verse from this song. The text as it was written in 1861:
Behold, the moon shines through the trees,
Mates! cease your wild noise;
The wonderful evening has come,
‘t Avendje van Sint-Niclaas!
Our hearts beat with anticipation,
Who gets the cake, who gets the cake!
Our hearts beat with anticipation,
Who gets the cake, who gets the cake!
O! What fun it will be to play
With that colorful arlequin!
Honestly we will share everything,
Candy and marzipan;
But, oh woe! how bitterly sad,
We got a cake for cake!
But, oh woe! how bitterly sad,
We got a cake for cake!
But I fear not that we complain,
Father, Mother are too good!
Were we not every day,
We were happy for many years!
So banish fear from the heart,
I bet there isn’t a single guard!
So banish fear from the heart,
I bet there isn’t a single guard!
But what does it actually say? The song shows what the party looked like in the nineteenth century. Children waited anxiously for cake, candy and marzipan, but those who were naughty could get a whisk, a whip or a rod. The ‘motley arlequin’ refers to Piet in his colored outfit. He plays with the children and hands out candy, a tradition that is still recognizable today.
Language and words such as makkers (friends), lovely avendje (pleasant evening) and bittre smart (bitter disappointment) show how people used to speak and write poetry. The song shows that Sinterklaas songs were not only fun to sing, but also offered a way to teach children about behavior, sharing and politeness.
Do you ever see something that you cannot explain or that is simply not right? Don’t worry any longer, send your question to Find out! [email protected]. Then we dive into it with enthusiasm.