Little Ole With The Umbrella
By Peter Lemche (adapted for translation)
This Danish children’s song is based on a character from a Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, called Ole Lukøje. Ole, the story goes, appears in the evening, sprinkling sweet milk in children’s eyes to help them sleep well. He wears a fabulous coat of multi-coloured silk and carries two umbrellas. One umbrella is full of amazing dreams and stories – he opens this umbrella for the children who have been good all day. The other umbrella contains nothing at all – and is for the naughty children – they will miss out on all the wonderful dreams that night.
Little Ole with the magic umbrella
He knows all the children in town
Every little girl and every little boy
He puts gently to sleep.
Then he opens his dream umbrella wide,
And spreads the comfort of innocence above them.
Then in the children’s dreams, he will
Tell wonderful fairy tales.
He will tell about the shining stars
And about the wonderful angels
And about the pretty little fairies
That all children so want to see.
And if they have been well behaved all day
And been loving to Mom and Dad
Then they can go to bed happily
And dream of God's beautiful little angels.
And when in the morning the sun rises
Then they'll awaken with rosy cheeks
And thank God for what they have dreamt
And kiss Dad and Mom “Good Morning”.
