À la volette
À la volette
A-fluttering
Chanson enfantine
Children's Song
(French)
(English)
C'est un p'tit oiseau qui prit sa volée*
C'est un p'tit oiseau qui prit sa volée
Qui prit sa... à la volette
Qui prit sa... à la volette
Qui prit sa volée.
Qui prit sa volée sur un oranger
Qui prit sa volée sur un oranger
Sur un o... à la volette
Sur un o... à la volette
Sur un oranger.
La branche était sèche, l'oiseau est tombé
La branche était sèche, l'oiseau est tombé
L'oiseau est... à la volette
L'oiseau est... à la volette
L'oiseau est tombé.
Mon petit oiseau, dis, t'es-tu blessé ?
Mon petit oiseau, dis, t'es-tu blessé ?
Dis, t'es-tu... à la volette
Dis, t'es-tu... à la volette
Dis, t'es-tu blessé ?
Je m'suis cassé l'aile et tordu le pied.
Je m'suis cassé l'aile et tordu le pied.
Et tordu... à la volette
Et tordu... à la volette
Et tordu le pied.
Mon petit oiseau, veux-tu te soigner ?
Mon petit oiseau, veux-tu te soigner ?
Veux-tu te... à la volette
Veux-tu te... à la volette
Veux-tu te soigner ?
Je veux me soigner et me marier
Je veux me soigner et me marier
Et me ma... à la volette
Et me ma... à la volette
Et me marier.
Et (nom de fille) s'ra ma bien aimée
Et (nom de fille) s'ra ma bien aimée
S'ra ma bien... à la volette
S'ra ma bien... à la volette
S'ra ma bien aimée.
There's a little bird that once took flight,*
There's a little bird that once took flight,
That once took, a-fluttering,
That once took, a-fluttering,
That once took flight.
That once took flight to an orange tree,
That once took flight to an orange tree,
To an, oh, a-fluttering,
To an, oh, a-fluttering,
To an orange tree.
The branch was so dry that the bird fell down,
The branch was so dry that the bird fell down,
That the bird, a-fluttering
That the bird, a-fluttering
That the bird fell down.
My dear little bird, say, did you get hurt?
My dear little bird, say, did you get hurt?
Say, did you, a-fluttering,
Say, did you, a-fluttering,
Say, did you get hurt?
I broke one of my wings and twisted my foot,
I broke one of my wings and twisted my foot,
And twisted, a-fluttering,
And twisted, a-fluttering,
And twisted my foot.
My little bird, do you want to tend to yourself?
My little bird, do you want to tend to yourself?
Want to tend to, a-fluttering,
Want to tend to, a-fluttering,
Want to tend to yourself?
I want to be tended to and to get married
I want to be tended to and to get married
And to get, a-fluttering,
And to get, a-fluttering,
And to get married.
And (girl's name) she will be my bride
And (girl's name) she will be my bride
She will be, a-fluttering,
She will be, a-fluttering,
She will be my bride.
Notes
*Alternate versions of the first line:
"C'est un petit oiseau qui a pris sa volée" - literal translation: "It's a little bird that has taken its flight" (which doesn't change the verb tense of the rest of the English translation) .
or "Un petit oiseau a pris sa volée"- "A little bird took (–literally, has taken-) its flight".
Thanks!
Thanks and Acknowledgements
Many thanks to Edit' Dupont for contributing and singing this song for Mama Lisa's World. Translation by Monique Palomares, Lisa Yannucci and Jason Pomerantz. Illustration from Babur's garden, Baburnama, 16th c. British Library (edited by Mama Lisa).
Merci beaucoup!
