Le bon roi Dagobert
The Good King Dagobert
Chanson enfantine
(French)
Children's Song
(English)
Le bon roi Dagobert
Avait sa culotte à l'envers
Le grand saint Eloi lui dit :
"O mon roi, votre majesté
Est mal culottée"
"C'est vrai, lui dit le roi,
Je vais la remettre à l'endroit."
Le bon roi Dagobert
Chassait dans la plaine d'Anvers
Le grand saint Eloi lui dit :
"O mon roi, votre majesté
Est bien essoufflée"
"C'est vrai, lui dit le roi,
Un lapin courait après moi."
Le bon roi Dagobert
Voulait s'embarquer sur la mer
Le grand saint Eloi lui dit :
"O mon roi Votre majesté
Se fera noyer"
"C'est vrai, lui dit le roi,
On pourra crier : le roi boit !"
Le bon roi Dagobert
Mangeait en glouton du dessert
Le grand saint Eloi lui dit :
"O mon roi vous êtes gourmand
Ne mangez pas tant"
"C'est vrai, lui dit le roi,
Je ne le suis pas tant que toi"
Le bon roi Dagobert
Faisait des vers tout de travers
Le grand saint Eloi lui dit :
"O mon roi, laissez aux oisons
Faire des chansons"
"C'est vrai lui dit le roi,
C'est toi qui les feras pour moi."
Le bon roi Dagobert
Avait un grand sabre de fer
Le grand saint Eloi lui dit :
"O mon roi, votre majesté
Pourrait se blesser"
"C'est vrai lui dit le roi,
Qu'on me donne un sabre de bois."
Le bon roi Dagobert
Se battait à tort à travers
Le grand saint Eloi lui dit
"O mon roi, votre majesté
Se fera tuer"
"C'est vrai, lui dit le roi
Viens vite te mettre devant moi"
Le bon roi Dagobert
Craignait fort d'aller en enfer
Le grand saint Eloi lui dit :
"O mon roi, je crois bien, ma foi
Qu' vous irez tout droit"
"C'est vrai lui dit le roi,
Ne peux-tu pas prier pour moi ?"
Quand Dagobert mourut
Le diable aussitôt accourut
Le grand saint Eloi lui dit :
"O mon roi, Satan va passer
Faut vous confesser"
"Hélas, lui dit le roi,
Ne pourrais-tu mourir pour moi ?"
The good King Dagobert
Had his breeches inside out.
The great Saint Eloy told him,
"Oh my king, your Majesty
Has his breeches inside out."
"Indeed," the king told him,
"I'm going to put them right side out."
The good King Dagobert
Was hunting in the Antwerp plain.
The great Saint Eloy told him,
"Oh my king, your Majesty
Is out of breath."
"Indeed," the king told him,
"A rabbit was running after me."
The good King Dagobert
Wanted to sail on the sea.
The great Saint Eloy told him,
"Oh my king, your Majesty
Will drown."
"Indeed," the king told him,
"They might yell, 'The king drinks!'"
The good King Dagobert
Was greedily eating his dessert.
The great Saint Eloy told him,
"Oh my king, you're greedy,
Don't eat so much."
"Indeed," the king told him,
"I'm not as greedy as you are."
The good King Dagobert
Was writing verses the wrong way.
The great Saint Eloy told him,
"Oh my king, let fools
Write songs."
"Indeed," the king told him,
"You will write them for me."
The good King Dagobert
Had a big iron saber.
The great Saint Eloy told him,
"Oh my king, your Majesty
Could get hurt."
"Indeed," the king told him,
"Let them give me a wooden saber."
The good King Dagobert
Was fighting wildly.
The great Saint Eloy told him,
"Oh my king, your Majesty
Will get killed."
"Indeed," the king told him,
"Come quickly and stand before me."
The good King Dagobert
Greatly feared going to hell.
The great Saint Eloy told him,
"Oh my king, I believe, by my faith,
That you'll go right there."
"Indeed," the king told him,
"Can't you pray for me?"
As soon as Dagobert died
The devil came running.
The great Saint Eloy told him,
"Oh my king, Satan's coming soon,
You have to confess."
"Alas," the king told him,
"Couldn't you die for me?"
The video is a slightly different version of the first verse only of this song.
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Please let us know if you think this video has been taken down by YouTube.
Thanks!
Notes
Good King Dagobert was Dagobert the First, King of the Franks in the early 600's. Saint Eloi was Saint Eloy (aka St. Eligius). He was the Bishop of Noyon and chief councellor to King Dagobert. The song itself seems to go back to the French Revolution and is not about the actual King Dagobert.
Thanks and Acknowledgements
Many thanks to La Grande Bleue for contributing this song. La Grande Bleue is a group of musicians who write songs and perform them for children.
Translated by Monique and Lisa.
Image Source: "Catalogue illustré de l'exposition des arts incohérents" (1884) by E. Bernard.
Many thanks to Edit' Dupont for singing this song for Mama Lisa's World.
MP3: Monique Palomares
Merci beaucoup!
