Am Here comes the Wottenwood Dm Weta Am Out of the Wottenwood G tree Am Oh dear, it's the Wottenwood Dm Weta And I Am think that he's G looking E for Am me Dm Ohh, tic, tic, Am Ohh, tic, tic, G Ohh, E tic tic tic Am I Dm see you my boy, You're Am looking quite pale You're G shaking and you're E quaking At the Am size of my tail Oh Dm why could it be Are you Am up in this tree? "Tic, tic, tic, tic, tic, tic. And he said, Oh you G Wottenwood Weta You're wotten to E me Am Though it's Dm wotten I know This Am branch is my home So don't G shake it or E break it Down Am on to the ground. Or I'll Dm give you a nip On the place that you sit Tic, tic, tic, tic, tic, tic. And she said, Oh you G Wottenwood Weta You're a Wottenwood E nit... and a Am twit!   Wottenwood Weta   Weta is the name given to many species of large nocturnal locust-like New Zealand insects. Some weta lay their eggs in rotting wood. There are tree weta, ground weta, cave weta and giant weta. The giant weta is called a "taipo" [goblin] on the West Coast. Weta are among the heaviest insects in the world able to fly, although many are wingless. Weta can inflict painful scratches or bites, but their defence displays consist of looking large and spiky, and they will retreat if given a chance. New Zealand had no land mammals (apart from native bats) before humans arrived, and the weta’s place in the ecosystem was comparable to that held by mice elsewhere in the world. Dave Hollis Born 1945, died 2009. Multi-talented talented artist, writer, poet and musician. He emerged on the Wellington folk scene in the mid 1960s, singing regularly at the Monde Marie and Chez Paree coffee bars before his departure to Australia, where his song "Just Once More "gained recognition. When he returned to Wellington in the early 1970s his group called Hollis were a popular harmony trio, and they released a tape called "Now as the Smoke Clears." He next displayed his talent by writing beautiful songs such as "After All These Years," and by creating a 100-copy limited edition LP "Caught Alive," (1981) with each cover being an original painting. He was an accomplished children's entertainer, with many songs about New Zealand animals. Two of these, "Wottenwood Weta" and "Toheroa Twist," were published in School Journals and he also appeared on the "Nice One Stu" show on TV1. This recording of Wottenwood Weta The version played on this webpage is from Emilie Bliss and Charlie Bean, a CD of songs Chris Priestley made for his grandchildren in 2009. It contains 17 tracks, ranging from traditional songs like The Teddy Bears Picnic and The Big Rock Candy Mountain, Raffi's Oh Me Oh My, to NZ compositions like Spider in the Bath, Wottenwood Weta and Purerehua, and a couple of Chris's own songs. You can buy it HERE.   Dave's album of children's songs, Toheroa Twist, 1983 The wottenwood weta Toheroa twist A tremulous tamarillo Ima moa Stout trout The rugger Wild weka Hey ho hu hu K.I.W.I. kiwi kiwi Glum glow-worm Woolly headed sheep Oh katipo katipo. Toheroa Twist, lyrics Round and around and around and around, Into the sand he burrows down and down. (x2) Do the toheroa twist with me. (x3) They dig in the beach. With their hands and feet, But….they'll never, never, never, Never, never, never, Never be able to reach him as he… …twists and turns, Like a spinning top, As he goes deeper, deeper, deeper, Deeper, deeper, deeper, Till it looks like he's never going to stop. Do the toheroa twist with me. (x3) Round and around and around and around, Into the sand he burrows down and down. (x2) Do the toheroa twist with me. (x3) All the mums and dads, And the children too, Come and they dig-a, dig-a, dig-a Dig-a, dig-a, dig-a, Dig with ev'rything they have. And there's a truck, From the fisherman's shop, But….he's leaving, yes he's leaving, Sick and tired of digging, He's never dug a toheroa out. Do the toheroa twist with me. (x4) . Songlist - Home Page placed onto the NZ Folksong website, Jan 2013