Petit Jean
This is the French version of the German song "Hänschen klein".
Petit Jean
Little John
Chanson enfantine
Children's Song
(French)
(English)
Petit Jean, pour longtemps
S'en va loin de ses parents,
Son chapeau lui va bien
Il est plein d'entrain.
Mais Maman pleure bien fort,
Si loin quel sera son sort ?
Son regard, lui dit : "Pars,
mais reviens nous voir."
Petit Jean a passé
Sept ans pleins à l'étranger,
Puis un jour, il se dit
Je retourne au nid.
Mais ce n'est plus petit Jean
C'est Jean plus grand que devant.
Tout hâlé, tout bronzé,
Il a bien changé.
Un, deux, trois, qui le voient
Ne le reconnaissent pas
Sa sœur dit : "Qui est-il ?"
Et son frère aussi.
Mais voici venir Maman
Un regard sur son enfant
Et elle dit : "Mon petit,
c'est toi, Dieu merci !"
Little John, for a long time
Leaves his parents,
His hat suits him well,
He's full of spirit.
But Mommy cries so much,
"So far away, what will his fate be?"
Her look tells him, "Go,
But come back to see us."
Little John spent
Seven full years abroad,
Then one day, he thinks,
"I'll return to the nest."
But he's little John no more,
He's John bigger than before.
All suntanned, all bronzed,
He has changed a lot.
One, two, three people who see him
Don't recognize him.
His sister says, "Who is he?"
And his brother does too.
But here comes Mommy,
One look at her child
And she says, "My little one,
It's you, thank God!"
Thanks and Acknowledgements
Translated by Monique with Lisa.
Merci beaucoup !
