This rhyme is chanted.

Pique nique douille - French Children's Songs - France - Mama Lisa's World: Children's Songs and Rhymes from Around the World  - Intro Image

Notes

*We translated 'douille' as 'gruel' to keep the rhyme. Monique wrote, "The actual meaning of the French 'douille' is socket. I never thought of 'douille' as an actual word in this rhyme even though it is one. I suppose the reason is that the rhyme was first 'niquedouille, c'est toi l'andouille', because 'niquedouille' means dummy. I suppose that the younger generations don't know the word (it's rarely used), but by adding 'pique' before 'nique' you get 'pique-nique' (picnic).

Comments

Variant:

Pique nique douille
C'est toi l'andouille
Je ne me marierai pas
Avec une andouille comme toi.

English translation

Picnic gruel
You are the fool.
I won't get married
With a fool like you.

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Many thanks to Morgann from the IUFM (French Teachers Training College) from St Brieuc (Brittany) for singing this song for us.

Thanks and Acknowledgements

Translated by Monique and Lisa. Drawing by Lila.

Merci beaucoup!