If knitting could change the world...

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'Laat ze breien' by Annie M.G. Schmidt from 'Ja Zuster Nee Zuster'

Insteken, omslaan, doorhalen, af laten gaan
Insteken, omslaan, doorhalen, af laten gaan

Als de mannen tussenbeien, eens gezellig gingen breien
Met een knotje van die blauwe gemeleerde wol
Dan was 't uit met die ellende, dan was 't nergens meer een bende
En 't was eindelijk eens vrede op de wereldbol
O, ze moesten toch eens weten dat je alles kunt vergeten
Als je lekker zit te breien aan een babywant
'k Moet het zelf maar eens gaan zeggen, en persoonlijk uit gaan leggen
Aan die UNO secretaris, die meneer Oe Thant

Dan zeg ik

Oe, moet je horen, Oe
Laat ze breien, Oe
't Is zonodig, Oe
Laat ze breien, Oe
Elk staatshoofd in ieder land
Laat ze breien, alsjeblieft, Oe Thant
Anders komt er nooit een eind aan 't bakkeleien
Laat ze breien, Oe
Laat ze breien, Oe
Laat ze breien, Oe Thant

Insteken, omslaan, doorhalen, af laten gaan

Als De Gaulle er aan kon wennen, op niet al te dikke pennen
Dan mocht Engeland vandaag nog in de EEG
Alle mannen moeten breien, ook in Cuba en Turkije
O, als Nasser nou maar gauw een wollen truitje bree
Om nog maar niet eens te praten, van die verre Aziaten
Als Ho Minh eens ging beginnen aan een kabelsteek
En als Johnson uit wou scheien, en een trappelzak ging breien
Was het uit met die misere, nog dezelfde week

O, lieve Oe
Moet je horen, Oe
Laat ze breien, Oe
't Is zo nodig, Oe
Laat ze breien, Oe
Elk staatshoofd in ieder land
Laat ze breien, alsjeblieft, Oe Thant
Anders komt er nooit een eind aan 't bakkeleien
Laat ze breien, Oe
Laat ze breien, Oe
Recht breien, Oe Thant

Insteken, omslaan, Johnson, af laten gaan...

English*:
Insert, yarn over, pull through, drop, insert, yarn over, pull through, drop...

If all those important men would just do it
If they would sit down with us and knit
With a skein of blue variegated wool blend
Then there would not be so much fuss
Not so much trouble to discuss
And we would finally have peace in every land
Oh, they would learn that you just forget all your fits and grits
When you sit there knitting baby mitts
I just have to go over and tell them
And personally explain to all of them
To the UN secretary, that Mr. Oe Thant

Then I'd say
Oe, listen here, Oe
Get them knitting, Oe
You just have to, Oe
Get them knitting, Oe
Each head of state in every land
Get them knitting, please, Oe Thant
Otherwise there's no end to all that fitting
Get them knitting, Oe
Get them knitting, Oe
Get them knitting, Oe Thant

Insert, yarn over, pull through, drop, insert, yarn over, pull through, drop...

If De Gaulle would get the hang of it
And with some shiny new needles would start to knit
Then Britain would get in to the EEC today
All men have to get knitting real perky
Even in Cuba and Turkey
Oh, if Nassar would know that a woollen sweater blows your problems away
Not to mention other people who live in fear
All those Asians far from here
If Ho Minh started on a simple cable stitch
And if Johnson would finally stop fitting
And just start knitting
Then all that trouble would be gone in a twitch

Oe, listen here, Oe
Get them knitting, Oe
You just have, Oe
Get them knitting, Oe
Each head of state in every land
Get them knitting, please, Oe Thant
Otherwise there's no end to all that fitting
Get them knitting, Oe
Get them knitting, Oe
Stockinette knitting, Oe Thant

Insert, yarn over, pull through, drop, insert, yarn over, pull through, drop...

(* Feel free to use the translation, I quickly cooked this one up myself...)

If we just change Oe Thant in Ban Kee Moon, Nasser in Ghadaffi, Asia in North Africa and replace some more names, what would we be able to achieve?

Comments

The Knitty Gritty Homestead said…
Wow. I always thought that giving every single person in the world crayons, balloons, and bubbles might create world peace as everyone just PLAYED together...imagine the world powers CREATING together...gigantic afghans, cowl-neck sweaters for their dogs...love!
March 11, 2011 at 1:56 AM
Jolanda said…
Bij elke voetbalwedstrijd de supporters een half uur eerder in het stadion laten komen en breien maar!
March 12, 2011 at 8:09 AM
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