Schipper mag ik overvaren?

"Schipper mag ik overvaren?" is Dutch for "Skipper can I sail over?". It is a traditional Dutch children's song. The song is accompanied by a dance (round dance) or a game (turncoat). It is used by Kira (second form) to cross the Magical Bridge in the Squeaky Swamp.

Oldest locations of the song
The oldest source with this song in the Dutch Liederenbank of the Meertens Institute is the manuscript collection of the Bureau van het Nederlandse Volkseigen, which mentions '1930' as the date. As an explanation it is given that it is a round dance. The Liederenbank also contains two song sheets with the song, which are dated around the same time, around 1930. Both song sheets mention as text: 'Skipper may I sail across, yes or no? / Do I have to pay a cent, yes or no?

The oldest songbook that has recorded this song is Sing Along! A choice of 500 Flemish Folkloristic Songs, plays, rounds and round dances with singing methods and explanation of the dance steps for our youth, compiled by Laura Hiel (ca.1941-1942; she mentions as source: Laurijssen, Folklore van een Kempisch Dorp, 1933). The incipit here reads: 'Skipper, can I sail with you? / Yes or no!' and as an explanation is stated: overloopertje.

Old age song
The fact that the oldest finds date back to the early twentieth century does not mean that the song dates from this period. Since the nineteenth century, many folk songs have been collected and published under the influence of Romanticism. However, the song may be older and passed down in oral tradition for a long time before it was first recorded.

Text
Due to their oral tradition, folk songs often have many (regional) variants in both text and melody. The current lyrics of the song usually go as follows (see variants below this lyrics).

Skipper can I sail over, yes or no?

Do I also have to pay toll, yes or no?

Skipper can I sail over, yes or no?

Do I also have to pay toll, yes or no?