Simon Cronje from Netherlee Primary School

Leeu-Leeu se Reis 

 

Leeu-Leeu van ‘n ander nasie 

Lê en sug op ‘n stellasie. 

Hy voel oud en klam 

En koud en tam 

En nie lus vir ‘n geraas ‘ie. 

 

“Moe, moe, moe!” 

Kom bulk ‘n Heelan’ Coo 

Met sy roesbruin lyf 

En stywe, wilde kuif. 

“Nou waar wil jy na toe?” 

 

“Ek wens, ek wens 

Vir ‘n bok in my pens 

Die reuk van die bos 

‘n Lekker jag se kos 

En ‘n dag sonder winter of mens.” 

 

“Aye, ai, ai, dit kan ek verstaan, 

Jy dink jy kannie, maar jy kan!” 

Coo gaffel en hy trap 

En die draad hang gou-gou slap. 

En die leeu begin brul soos hy gaan: 

Page Break 

 

“Jy’s ‘n goeie vriend, Coo, 

Maar ek gaan Afrika toe. 

En as ek maar kon 

Stuur ek somer en son 

Na jou en die disseltjies toe.” 

 

ENGLISH TRANSLATION 

The Lion’s Journey 

 

A lion from another nation 

Sighs where he lays on his wooden frame. 

He feels old and clammy 

And cold and tired 

And not in the mood for noise. 

 

“Moo, moo, moo!” 

Bellows his friend, the Highland Coo 

With his red brown hair 

And his stiff, wild quiff. 

“Where do ye want tae be?” 

 

“I wish, I wish 

For a buck in my tummy 

The smell of the bush 

Food that I’ve hunted 

And a day without winter or people.” 

 

“Aye, oh, oh, I can understand 

Ye think ye cannae, but ye can!” 

Coo digs and tramples 

And soon the fence is broken 

And the rampant lion roars:

 

“You’re a good friend, Coo,

But I’m off to Africa

And if only I could

I’d send some summer and sun

To you and the wee thistles”.