Wednesday, July 19, 2017

Folksong book with sound

edited by Maija Karhinen-Ilo, Leena Järvenpää and Katariina Heilala: Soiva kansanlaulukirja
played by Freija
illustrated by Päivi Arenius

Can a six-year old be nostalgic? That is the feel I get, when my youngest son listens to this book. I remember that I used sing these songs to him, when he was a baby. The songs a are traditional songs.  I guess they are hard coded to all Finns and most of them have a melancholy tones. Except those originating from Sweden.

The song in the picture "Ololonkos" is about asking, if the other has kittens in a bag. I have always thought that as a horrible thing, but now I see that they meant the willow flowers that are called "pajunkissa", a willow cat.  They are the kittens in a bag. What a relief!


Kittens in bags.  The willow's flowers are so soft
that they are called cats, pajunkissa