Le grand cerf
Le grand cerf
The Big Deer
Chanson mimée
Action Song
(French)
(English)
1 Dans sa maison
2 Un grand cerf
3 Regardait
4 Par la fenêtre
5 Un lapin
6 Venir à lui
7 Et frapper ainsi
8 Cerf! Cerf!
9 Ouvre-moi
10 Ou le chasseur me tuera
11 Lapin, lapin
12 Entre et viens
13 Me serrer la main.
1. In his house
2. A big deer
3. Was looking
4. Out the window
5. A rabbit
6. Coming towards him,
7. Knocks like this:
8. Deer! Deer!
9. Open up for me
10. Or the hunter will kill me
11. Rabbit, rabbit,
12. Enter and come
13. Shake hands with me.
Game Instructions
Corresponding Gestures:
1. Draw a square with your hands.
2. Raise your hands above your head with your fingers spread out like deer antlers.
3. Shade your eyes with your hands.
4. Draw a square with your hands again.
5. Put your hands by each side of your head making rabbit ears.
6. Make a "come to me" gesture.
7. Mime knocking at the door.
8. Raise your hands above your head with your fingers spread out like deer antlers, then repeat the gesture.
9. Mime opening a door.
10. Mime the hunter aiming his gun.
11. Put your hands by each side of your head making rabbit ears again.
12. Make a "come to me" gesture.
13. Mime shaking hands.
Comments
Arnaud wrote, "We heard lately that line #6 wasn't 'venir à lui' (coming towards him) but 'venir à l'huis', an old French word for 'door' which explains why the rabbit then knocks".
The word "huis" is now obsolete and can only be heard in "à huis-clos" meaning "with closed door" about in-camera trials.
Update April 2011: Sylvie sent us a second verse that goes…
Quand ils furent en tête à tête
Le cerf lui fit grande fête
Et le chasseur tout marri*
Retourna chez lui
"Cerf, cerf, grand merci,
Le chasseur est loin d'ici!
- Lapin, lapin, réjouis-toi
Et reste chez moi."
English translation
When they were head to head
The deer welcomed him warmly,
And the very saddened hunter
Went back home.
"Deer, deer, thanks so much,
The hunter is far away."
"Rabbit, rabbit, rejoice
And stay home with me."
* marri is an outdated word meaning sorry, saddened, grieved.
Thanks!
Thanks!
Thanks!
Thanks and Acknowledgements
Many thanks to Monique Palomares for contributing and translating this rhyme (with Lisa) and for creating the midi music. Many thanks also to Sylvie Choffel for the second verse.
Image: Mama Lisa
Merci beaucoup!
