For All the Stella Vets

I was walking to work this morning, being very careful not to slip on the wet brick sidewalk when passing the man power washing the a dead bird into the gutter, and something completely random popped into my head; “Stella”.

When I was young, little girls would gather in the school yard and play clapping games. You’ve got your “May Sue”, “Double Double” and “McDonalds” then if you were in French Immersion like I was maybe even a little “Meunier tu dors Ton moulin va trop vite Meunier, tu dors Ton moulin va trop fort.” But the best was always the multi-player “Stella”. It’s a little-known fact that in my room at the church about 10 minute before getting married I played a round of Stella with all the nieces and nephews, it was a great way to pass the time and keep Cameron occupied so that he didn’t lose the rings…again.

So being nimble in my stilettos I avoided the sidewalk sludge earlier today and got the tune to Stella stuck in my head. Of course since this is *me* we’re talking about, I came home and Googled the game. Honestly, I have never truly known what the words are, you just kind sound them out and giggle and clap, but what are the real lyrics?

Stella ella ola, clap clap clap
Say yes, chicko, chicko, chicko chicko chak
Say yes, chicko, chicko, allo, allo
Allo allo allo!
Say one, two, three, four, five

Thanks wiki! Although, even the wiki doesn’t really explain what the words actually mean and I can seriously find about 10 different variations online including that words “quack”, “chigo”, “tigo tigo tap” and “vallo vallo the toilet overflows”. I suppose I shouldn’t have expected much from an childhood entertainment medium that also makes you sit in a circle, clapping hands with others (and yourself) while singing about hanky panky, windmills, and boy germs.