Lyrics in English
Bekku banditu
Kabbu tanditu
Gana huuditu
Rasava hinDitu
Haalu kudiyitu
Hotte ubbitu
Satthu bidditu
Lyrics in Kannada
ಬೆಕ್ಕು ಬಂದಿತು
ಕಬ್ಬು ತಂದಿತು
ಗಾಣ ಹೂಡಿತು
ರಸವ ಹಿಂಡಿತು
ಹಾಲು ಕುಡಿಯಿತು
ಹೊಟ್ಟೆ ಉಬ್ಬಿತು
ಸತ್ತು ಬಿದ್ದಿತು
Bekku Banditu Meaning
The cat came (bekku banditu) and brought sugarcane (kabbu). It set up the cane press (gaana) and squeezed out the juice (rasa). Then it drank and drank, its tummy swelled up (hotte ubbitu), and it fell down flat (satthu bidditu, “fell down dead”)!
The silly greedy cat makes kids giggle, and every line ends with the same “-itu” sound, so it is a good rhyme for practising Kannada words. Act it out: carry the cane, turn the press, drink, puff out your tummy and flop down.