Le fermier dans son pré
This is the French version of The Farmer in the Dell.
Le fermier dans son pré
The Farmer in His Meadow
Chanson de ronde
Circle Game
(French)
(English)
Le fermier dans son pré
Le fermier dans son pré
Ohé, ohé, ohé,
Le fermier dans son pré.
Le fermier prend sa femme
Le fermier prend sa femme
Ohé, ohé, ohé,
Le fermier prend sa femme.
La femme prend son enfant...
L'enfant prend sa nourrice...
La nourrice prend son chien…
Le chien prend le chat...
Le chat prend la souris...
La souris prend le fromage...
Le fromage est battu,
Le fromage est battu
Ohé, ohé, ohé
Le fromage est battu
Tout cru !
The farmer in his meadow
The farmer in his meadow
Ho hey, ho hey, ho hey
The farmer in his meadow.
The farmer takes his wife
The farmer takes his wife
Ho hey, ho hey, ho hey
The farmer takes his wife.
The wife takes her child…
The child takes his nurse…
The nurse takes her dog…
The dog takes the cat…
The cat takes the mouse…
The mouse takes the cheese…
The cheese is whipped*
The cheese is whipped
Ho hey, ho hey, ho hey
The cheese is whipped
All raw.
Notes
*Literally: beaten.
Game Instructions
A child is chosen beforehand to be the farmer and goes in the middle of the circle. On "Le fermier prend sa femme" (The farmer takes his wife), the "farmer" picks his "wife" who joins him/her in the center then chooses the "child" who chooses the nurse etc… On the last verse, everybody gathers around the "cheese" and "whips" it, i.e. that is, they pat him/her. The "cheese" becomes the new "farmer" in the next round.
Thanks and Acknowledgements
Many thanks to Monique Palomares for contributing and translating this song, for the midi and the sheet music
Merci beaucoup!
