Con mèo mà trèo cây cau
Hỏi thăm chú chuột đi đâu vắng nhà
Chú chuột đi chợ đường xa
Mua mắm mua muối giỗ cha chú mèo
The cat climbs up the cau tree
Finding the house empty, he wonder where the mouse has gone
The mouse went to the market afar
Looking for fish sauce and salt to make offerings to the cat’s father
This was the first nursery rhyme that my mother used to teach me language. In retrospect, the whole thing makes little senses. I mean, why does the mouse put his house on top of a cau tree, why does the cat cares to visit the mouse, why does the mouse cares about the cat’s father’s death anniversary enough to prepare for is offerings? What kind of people offer just fish sauce and salt on a death anniversary?
I inquired my mother’s expert opinion, she said the mouse knew that the cat was coming for him, so he just ran away. I think it makes a lot of sense 😆
Con mèo: cat
Trèo: climb up
(Cây) cau: a kind of tall tree, its fruit plays an essential role in wedding ceremonies
Hỏi thăm: hỏi means to ask, thăm means to visit, hỏi thăm altogether means to ask or to inquire about
(Chú) chuột: mouse
Đi đâu vắng nhà: where is (the mouse) since he is not at home
Đi chợ: to go shopping (for food)
Đường xa: far away
Mua: to buy
Mắm: fish sauce or any kind fermented fish product
Muối: salt
Giỗ: the act of offering food on the altar on a person’s death anniversary
Cha: father
