Just a thought....
Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

Thursday, 09 August 2012

Kaalvoet Klonkie

 

kaalvoet klonkie

I found this lovely artwork online entitled “Kaalvoete” by Elizabeth Kendall.

I was backing up all my blogs from Multiply. It’s not such a terrible thing. I’m rather enjoying the trip down memory lane. I found a blog which had absolutely nothing to do with Kaalvoet Klonkies, but, as often happens, the comments evolved into a hilarious bout of South Africanisms and Klonkies.

Kaalvoet klonkie basically means ‘barefoot ragamuffin’ – or at least, that’s my interpretation. To me, it holds no negative connotation, though some say it has. My gran sometimes called me a kaalvoet klonkie on those days when I played outside barefoot and grubby.

In the comments of that blog, my Dutch friend, Riete found and posted a poem/song by Gill Steward that gave us a chuckle.

Kaalvoet (pronounced "Carlfoot") Klonkie, the Barefoot Flea
(Tune: On top of Old Smokey) (Johannesburg 1970)

I'll tell you the story
Of Klonkie the flea
Who dabbled his tootsies
In my cup of tea.

'Twas there that I saw him
And asked him his name
And now I will tell you
His reply to the same -

"Sir, my name is Klonkie,
the barefooted flea
And I'm fishing for tackies
In your cup of tea.

Some fleas wear pink tackies,
And some fleas wear blue,
So I'm fishing for tackies
And any will do,

Because as you'll notice
My tootsies are bare
And it makes it much harder
To run through your hair!"

So that is the story
Of Klonkie the flea
Who's still fishing for tackies
Although there's no tea!

 

‘Tackies’, incidentally, are what South Africans call trainers, tennis shoes or sneakers. We’ve always joked about “…but my fleas have pink tackies!” This brought back memories :)

4 comments:

  1. Lovely seeing you here Tint. I just updated my Blogger blogs as well, so this is where I will follow you. Now if I can just figure out how to do that.....I have backed up my blogs to Blogger but never really mastered to medium.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I am so pleased to find you here! For the last I -don't-how-long, it seems they weren't showing up in my inbox on MP. I thought about you, wondered how things were going for you. This is a delightful little poem! I enjoy your posts so...

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous7:41 pm

    ooooooooh smiles all the way. lovely!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Ien, I'm so glad you're here! There are two ways to follow. a) Click on the "Join this site" button on the left or b) go to your Dashboard and under "Reading List" on the left of the page, click on "Add" and put the url of the person's blog there. Your Dashboard becomes your Inbox :) OR you can use Google Reader to follow everyone.

    Debbie, I'm thrilled that we can still keep in touch. I have you on G+ as well. I was having huge issues trying to open pages in Multiply (still have). I'd click on them and they'd just spin for ages without loading. I've been wondering how you are.

    Glad you liked it, Marianne :)

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for stopping by! Do leave a note, so I know you were here and can visit you too :)
Tint~