Bèla calha
This is an old Provençal song (~15th century). The spelling is modern Occitan spelling.
Bèla calha
Beautiful Quail
Folk Song
Folk Song
(Occitan)
(English)
1 Au jardin de mon paire
L'i a'n tant bèu pin
Au jardin de mon paire
L'i a'n tant bèu pin,
L'i a'n tant bèu pin
Meis amors
L'i a'n tant bèu pin.
2 Toi leis aucèus que cantan
L'i fan son nis
Toi leis aucèus que cantan
L'i fan son nis
L'i fan son nis
Meis amors
L'i fan son nis
3 Franc de la bèla calha
E la perditz
Franc de la bèla calha
E la perditz
E la perditz
Meis amors
E la perditz
4 Ai, calha, bèla calha
Ont as ton nis?
Ai, calha, bèla calha
Ont as ton nis?
Ont as ton nis?
Meis amors
Ont as ton nis?
5 Es pa' is autas montanhas
Es au plan païs
Es pa' is autas montanhas
Es au plan païs
Es au plan païs
Meis amors
Es au plan païs
6 Ai calha bèla calha
Que i a dedins?
Ai calha bèla calha
Que i a dedins?
Que i a dedins?
Meis amors
Que i a dedins?
7 L'i a quatre domaisèlas
E ieu fau cinc
L'i a quatre domaisèlas
E ieu fau cinc
E ieu fau cinc
Meis amors
E ieu fau cinc
8 Una que vai a l'aiga
E l'autra al vin
Una que vai a l'aiga
E l'autra al vin
E l'autra al vin
Meis amors
E l'autra al vin
9 E l'autra fai la dòrma
Pèr bèn dormir
E l'autra fai la dòrma
Pèr bèn dormir
Pèr bèn dormir
Meis amors
Pèr bèn dormir
10 Ailà 'n aquelei planas
L'i a un prat
Ailà 'n aquelei planas
L'i a un prat
L'i a un prat
Meis amors
L'i a un prat
11 Lei perditz e lei calhas
L'i van becar
Lei perditz e lei calhas
L'i van becar
L'i van becar
Meis amors
L'i van becar
12 Prene mon aubaresta
L'i vau tirar
Prene mon aubaresta
L'i vau tirar
L'i vau tirar
Meis amors
L'i vau tirar
13 Ne'n ai tirat sus quatre
Leis ai mancà
Ne'n ai tirat sus quatre
Leis ai mancà
Leis ai mancà
Meis amors
Leis ai mancà
14 Ai tirat sus ma mia
Ieu l'ai macà
Ai tirat sus ma mia
Ieu l'ai macà
Ieu l'ai macà
Meis amors
Ieu l'ai macà
15 Ai mia, paura mia
T'ai bèn fach mau?
Ai mia, paura mia
T'ai bèn fach mau?
T'ai bèn fach mau?
Meis amors
T'ai bèn fach mau?
16 Un pauc de mau, non gaire
Mai ne'n morrai
Un pauc de mau, non gaire
Mai ne'n morrai
Mai ne'n morrai
Meis amors
Mai ne'n morrai
17 Aqueu qu'a tuat sa mia
Deu pas 'star aici
Aqueu qu'a tuat sa mia
Deu pas 'star aici
Deu pas 'star aici
Meis amors
Deu pas 'star aici
18 Deu anar a la guèrra
Lo rei servir
Deu anar a la guèrra
Lo rei servir
Lo rei servir
Meis amors
Lo rei servir
19 Se passe dins la vila
Me penjaràn
Se passe dins la vila
Me penjaràn
Me penjaràn
Meis amors
Me penjaràn
20 Se passe dins lo Ròse
Me negaràn
Se passe dins lo Ròse
Me negaràn
Me negaràn
Meis amors
Me negaràn
21 Au bèu mitan dau Ròse
Ausèt sonar
Au bèu mitan dau Ròse
Ausèt sonar
Ausèt sonar
Meis amors
Ausèt sonar
22 Li clars de paura mia
Qu'aviá macà.
Li clars de paura mia
Qu'aviá macà.
Qu'aviá macà.
Meis amors
Qu'aviá macà.
1. In my father's garden
There's a very fine* pine tree
In my father's garden
There's a very fine pine tree
There's a very fine pine tree
My love**
There's a very fine pine tree.
2. All the birds that sing
Make their nest there
All the birds that sing
Make their nest there
Make their nest there
My love
Make their nest there.
3. Except for the beautiful quail
And the partridge
Except for the beautiful quail
And the partridge
And the partridge
My love
And the partridge.
4. Ah, quail, beautiful quail
Where is your nest?
Ah, quail, beautiful quail
Where is your nest?
Where is your nest?
My love
Where is your nest?
5. It's not in the high mountains
It's in the plains
It's not in the high mountains
It's in the plains
It's in the plains
My love
It's in the plains.
6. Ah, quail, beautiful quail
What's inside it?
Ah, quail, beautiful quail
What's inside it?
What's inside it?
My love
What's inside it?
7. There are four maidens
And I'm the fifth
There are four maidens
And I'm the fifth
And I'm the fifth
My love
And I'm the fifth.
8. One who goes to get water
And the other, wine,
One who goes to get water
And the other, wine
And the other, wine
My love
And the other, wine.
9. And the other has a nap
To sleep well
And the other has a nap
To sleep well
To sleep well
My love
To sleep well.
10. Over there in these plains
There's a meadow
Over there in these plains
There's a meadow
There's a meadow
My love
There's a meadow.
11. The partridges and the quails
Go to peck there
The partridges and the quails
Go to peck there
Go to peck there
My love
Go to peck there.
12. I take my crossbow
I go there to hunt
I take my crossbow
I go there to hunt
I go there to hunt
My love
I go there to hunt.
13. I shot at four of them
I missed them
I shot at four of them
I missed them
I missed them
My love
I missed them.
14. I shot at my sweetheart
I wounded her
I shot at my sweetheart
I wounded her
I wounded her
My love
I wounded her.
15. Alas, darling, poor darling,
Have I hurt you much?
Alas, darling, poor darling,
Have I hurt you much?
Have I hurt you much?
My love
Have I hurt you much?
16. A little pain, not much
But I'll die of it
A little pain, not much
But I'll die of it
But I'll die of it
My love
But I'll die of it.
17. The one who killed his sweetheart
Mustn't stay here
The one who killed his sweetheart
Mustn't stay here
Mustn't stay here
My love
Mustn't stay here.
18. He must go to war
To serve the king.
He must go to war
To serve the king.
To serve the king.
My love
To serve the king.
19. If I go across the town
They will hang me
If I go across the town
They will hang me
They will hang me
My love
They will hang me.
20. If I go across the Rhône
They will drown me
If I go across the Rhône
They will drown me
They will drown me
My love
They will drown me.
21. In the very middle of the Rhône
He heard the bells
In the very middle of the Rhône
He heard the bells
He heard the bells
My love
He heard the bells.
22. Toll for his poor sweetheart
He had wounded
Toll for his poor sweetheart
He had wounded
He had wounded
My love
He had wounded.
Notes
*"Bèu/bel", literally "beautiful", can have different meanings depending on the context and what is considered beautiful, i.e. tall, well-built, chubby, plump or even big (fat).
**"Meis amors" are in plural in the original language as can also be the case in French, Spanish… but the meaning is "my love".
Thanks!
Thanks!
Sheet Music
Thanks and Acknowledgements
Damase Arbaud collected this song in his book, Chants populaires de la Provence, tome 2, A. Makaire, Aix-en-Provence, 1864.
Translated by Monique Palomares.