Chanson enfantine

Children's Song

(French)

(English)

En passant près d'un p'tit bois
Où le coucou chantait,
Où le coucou chantait
Et dans son joli chant disait :
"Coucou coucou ! Coucou coucou !"
Et moi qui croyais qu'il disait :
"Coupe-lui le cou ! Coupe-lui le cou !"
Et moi de m'encourir
Et moi de m'encourir.

En passant près d'un étang
Où le canard chantait,
Où le canard chantait
Et dans son joli chant disait :
"Can can can can ! Can can can can !"
Et moi qui croyais qu'il disait :
"Jette-le dedans ! Jette-le dedans !"
Et moi de m'encourir
Et moi de m'encourir.

En passant d'vant une maison
Où la bonn' femm' chantait,
Où la bonn' femm' chantait,
Et dans son joli chant disait :
"Dodo, dodo ! Dodo, dodo  !"
Et moi qui croyais qu'elle disait :
"Cass'-lui les os ! Cass'-lui les os !"
Et moi de m'encourir
Et moi de m'encourir.

En passant près d'une rivière
Où les pêcheurs pêchaient
Où les pêcheurs pêchaient
Et dans leur joli chant disaient :
"Quel beau poisson ! Quel beau poisson !"
Et moi qui croyais qu'il disait :
"Quel polisson ! Quel polisson !"
Et moi de m'encourir
Et moi de m'encourir.

En passant devant les blés
Les moissonneurs fauchaient
Les moissonneurs fauchaient,
Et dans leur joli chant disaient :
"Ah! Quelle chaleur! Ah quelle chaleur !"
Et moi je croyais qu'ils disaient :
"Ah! quel voleur ! "Ah! quel voleur !"
Et moi de m'encourir
Et moi de m'encourir.

En passant devant l'église
Le prieur célébrait,
Le prieur célébrait,
Et dans son joli chant disait :
"Alléluia ! Alléluia !"
Et moi je croyais qu'il disait :
"Faut prend' le gars ! Faut prend' le gars !"
Et moi de m'encourir
Et moi de m'encourir.

En passant près d'un moulin
Pendant qu' la roue tournait
Pendant qu' la roue tournait,
Et dans son joli chant disait :
"Tic tac, tic tac ! Tic tac, tic tac !"
Et moi je croyais qu'il disait :
"Mets-le dans l' sac ! Mets-le dans l' sac !"
Et moi de m'encourir
Et moi de m'encourir.

Tout en passant près du couvent
Les moines y priaient,
Les moines y priaient,
Et dans leur joli chant disaient :
"Te Deum Te Deum ! Te Deum Te Deum !"*
Et moi je croyais qu'ils disaient :
"Tuez donc l'homme ! Tuez donc l'homme !"
Et moi de m'encourir
Et moi de m'encourir.

I was passing by a little wood
Where the cuckoo was singing,
Where the cuckoo was singing,
And in its pretty song it was saying,
"Cuckoo, cuckoo! Cuckoo, cuckoo!"
And I thought it was saying,
"Cut his neck! Cut his neck!"
And I ran away,
And I ran away.

I was passing by a pond
Where the duck was singing,
Where the duck was singing,
And in its pretty song it was saying,
"Quack, quack! Quack, quack!"
And I thought it was saying,
"Throw him in! Throw him in!"
And I ran away,
And I ran away.

I was passing by a house
Where the goodwife was singing,
Where the goodwife was singing,
And in her pretty song she was saying,
"Sleep, lullaby! Sleep, lullaby!
And I thought she was saying,
"Break his bones! Break his bones!"
And I ran away,
And I ran away.

I was passing by a river
Where the fishermen were fishing,
Where the fishermen were fishing,
And in their pretty song they were saying,
"What a fine fish! What a fine fish!"
And I thought they were saying,
"What a rascal! What a rascal!"
And I ran away,
And I ran away.

I was passing by a wheat field
Where the harvesters were reaping,
Where the harvesters were reaping,
And in their pretty song they were saying,
"Oh, what a heat! Oh, what a heat!"
And I thought they were saying,
"Oh, what a thief! Oh, what a thief!"
And I ran away,
And I ran away.

I was passing by the church,
The priest was officiating,
The priest was officiating,
And in his pretty song he was saying,
"Hallelujah! Hallelujah"
And I thought he was saying,
"Gotta get that guy! Gotta get that guy!"
And I ran away,
And I ran away.

I was passing by a mill,
While the wheel was spinning,
While the wheel was spinning,
And in its pretty song it was saying,
"Tick-tack, tick-tack! Tick-tack, tick-tack! "
And I thought it was saying,
"Put him in the bag! Put him in the bag!"
And I ran away,
And I ran away.

I was passing by the convent,
The monks were praying there,
The monks were praying there,
And in their pretty song they were saying,
"Te Deum, Te Deum! Te Deum, Te Deum!"*
And I thought they were saying,
"Do kill the man! Do kill the man!"
And I ran away,
And I ran away.