Silent Night
When I was in the first half of 7th grade, I studied Spanish. My teacher was big on using songs to help us learn the language, and she'd translated a few Christmas songs for us. Not that anyone I know who's a native speaker is familiar with them, but we sang "Jingle Bells": Cascabeles, cascabeles/Tra la la la la/Qué alegría todo el día/Tra la la la la; and we sang "Santa Claus is Coming to Town": Portate bien, portate bien, portate bien, te dire "porque?"/Santa Claus al pueblo viendra. We also sang Noche de Paz, or "Silent Night". Those are from memory; errors are entirely mine.
And then, in high school, a hapless Japanese student somehow ended up living in Sayre, PA, the small town in upstate Pennsylvania where I lived during my high school years, and she translated "Silent Night" into Japanese. Kiyoshi, kono yoru,/ ho shi wa, hikari . . . . I've also learned "Silent Night" in its original German (Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht), of course.
Tonight I'm home alone, so it truly is a silent night here. Not a creature is stirring except for the occasional pet finding a different sleeping position. I think maybe I'll sing a little "Silent Night" for old time's sake.
I wish all of you who are celebrating it a very happy Christmas.
And then, in high school, a hapless Japanese student somehow ended up living in Sayre, PA, the small town in upstate Pennsylvania where I lived during my high school years, and she translated "Silent Night" into Japanese. Kiyoshi, kono yoru,/ ho shi wa, hikari . . . . I've also learned "Silent Night" in its original German (Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht), of course.
Tonight I'm home alone, so it truly is a silent night here. Not a creature is stirring except for the occasional pet finding a different sleeping position. I think maybe I'll sing a little "Silent Night" for old time's sake.
I wish all of you who are celebrating it a very happy Christmas.