Lena and Hans

My mother learned this song from a little Dutch girl at Camp Fire camp in the 1930s. She sang it to us in the 1960s. A sweet lullaby that is little known. Here are the words:

Lena and Hans

Two children who lived by the old Zuiderzee,
Little Lena and Hans.
Their fathers were fishermen far out at sea,
Little Lena and Hans.
Each night in their dreams they'd go sailing,
Just like real fishermen do,
And who do you think were the captain and crew?
Little Lena and Hans.

Sailing, sailing, in a wooden shoe.
Bobbing up and down they go,
Just like real ships do.
Sailing, sailing, 'neath a starry beam,
Sailing over a silvery sea,
To the land of dreams.

Some day they will grow to be big people too,
Little Lena and Hans.
And they will get married like big people do,
Little Lena and Hans.
And Lena will always be waiting,
When he is far out at sea,
And when he comes home oh, how happy they'll be,
Little Lena and Hans.

Sailing, sailing, in a wooden shoe.
Bobbing up and down they go,
Just like real ships do.
Sailing, sailing, 'neath a starry beam,
Sailing over a silvery sea,
To the land of dreams.

--Frederic van Norman

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Lena and Hans
• Frederic van Norman

[KarenSDR]

We sang this song at my mom's memorial service, about the time I uploaded the video. I'm not much of a singer, but I couldn't find the song anywhere on the Internet and I didn't want it to be lost.

[AussieAnaesthesia]

Oh my gosh.

My best friend's mother is always singing this around her house.

I didn't realize anyone else knew it!