What Willoughby Wallaby Woo Taught Me

With the help of my 9-year-old daughter and Mrs. Kenny.

A few years ago, my daughter Susana and I were traveling together in the car. She asked if she could sing me some songs she had been singing in school.

“Sure,” I said.

Susana proceeded to sing Willoughby Wallaby Woo, a song Raffi made famous, with words based on a poem by Dennis Lee. I had sung it to her when she was a toddler.

Willoughby Wallaby Woo, An elephant sat on you!

Willoughby Wallaby Wee, An elephant sat on me!

Willoughby Wallaby Wacob, An elephant sat on Jacob.

© 1974 Dennis Lee

(Each verse changes to include the names of all the children singing)

My first thought on hearing this song, which I remembered playing to my kids when they were toddlers, was astonishment.

How could a 4th-grade teacher be using such a song in her classes? Didn’t the students need something more age-appropriate? I wondered if I needed to talk with Mrs. Kenny.

If I had to say now what is age-appropriate music for 4th graders, I would be stumped. I can say for certain what isn’t appropriate, but Raffi isn’t included there. Are the children having fun? Are they learning? Are they making memories? Perhaps these are the questions.

I didn’t say anything to my daughter. She kept singing without missing a beat, adding the names of our family members to the song. She was enjoying herself quite a bit. I slowly started to sing with her.

Willoughby Wallaby Wuna An elephant sat on Runa.

I had to admit that it was kind of fun. I could almost feel myself relaxing. Could I be putting some of the midway racehorses in my mind to rest?

I began to sing louder with my daughter and to laugh!

Perhaps I had been too quick to judge. My righteous indignation dissipated.

Susana was thriving in class, “flying through her division tables,” she told me her teacher had said to her. She loved to read, got along well with the other children, and exhibited creativity.

Was the choice of music a problem? The more I thought about it, the more I felt that whether it was intentional or not, Mrs. Kenny was onto something. Something powerful. Something wonderful.

Music is magic. Laughter and silliness are also magic! Perhaps it’s just what the teacher ordered!

Interestingly, I had been paying attention to messages and meanings from my own muses and totems, and I found this tidbit on the wallaby.

Wallaby teaches how to accomplish a lot without expending a great amount of energy.

Since then, I have made quite the journey into my inner playground, learning not to be so uptight and embracing the power of our imagination. It has become a mission of mine — to help others learn to open up to the same. I have always been a teacher at heart, and I realized that learning is so much easier when it’s fun.

Not a bad lesson Mrs. Kenny. Not a bad lesson at all. Maybe some adults should be sitting in on her class. Including me!

Runa Heilung is an Old Soul Alchemist and dream archaeologist. She works with dreams, oracles, and the imagination to help people rediscover their Inner Wisdom. Follow her and/or Follow the Old Soul Alchemy publication!