Le Roi Arthur
This is the French version of the English song "Three Jolly Rogues" also known as "In Good King Arthur's Days"
Le Roi Arthur
King Arthur
Chanson enfantine
Children's Song
(French)
(English)
Le Roi Arthur avait trois fils
Quel supplice
Mais c'était un excellent roi
Oui ma foi
Par lui ses fils furent chassés
Oui chassés à coups de pied
Pour n'avoir pas voulu chanter.
Pour n'avoir pas voulu chanter, ohé
Pour n'avoir pas voulu chanter, ohé
Par lui ses fils furent chassés
Oui chassés à coups de pied
Pour n'avoir pas voulu chanter.
Le premier fils se fit meunier
C'est bien vrai
Le second se fit tisserand
Oui vraiment
Le troisième se fit commis
D'un tailleur de son pays
Un rouleau de drap sous son bras.
Pour n'avoir pas voulu chanter, ohé
Pour n'avoir pas voulu chanter, ohé
Le troisième se fit commis
D'un tailleur de son pays
Pour n'avoir pas voulu chanter.
Le premier fils volait du blé,
C'est bien laid
Le second fils volait du fil,
C'est bien vil
Et le commis du tailleur
Volait du drap à toute heure
Pour en habiller ses deux sœurs.
Pour n'avoir pas voulu chanter, ohé
Pour n'avoir pas voulu chanter, ohé
Et le commis du tailleur
Volait du drap à toute heure
Pour n'avoir pas voulu chanter.
Dans l'écluse le meunier s' noya,
Ha, ha, ha,
À son fil le tiss'rand s' pendit,
Hi, hi, hi,
Et le diable mis en furie
Emporta le p'tit commis
Un rouleau de drap sous son bras.
Pour n'avoir pas voulu chanter, ohé
Pour n'avoir pas voulu chanter, ohé
Et le diable mis en furie
Emporta le p'tit commis
Pour n'avoir pas voulu chanter.
King Arthur had three sons,
What a torment,
But he was an excellent king,
Yes, he was.
By him his sons were chased away,
Chased away, yes kicked away
Because they would not sing.
Because they would not sing, oh hey,
Because they would not sing, oh hey,
By him his sons were chased away,
Chased away, yes kicked away
Because they would not sing.
The first son became a miller,
It's true,
The second became a weaver,
Yes indeed,
The third became an assistant
Of a tailor from his town,
A roll of broadcloth* under his arm.
Because they would not sing, oh hey,
Because they would not sing, oh hey,
The third became an assistant
Of a tailor from his town,
Because they would not sing.
The first son would steal wheat,
It's naughty,
The second son would steal yarn,
It is vile,
And the tailor's assistant
Would steal broadcloth all the time
So he could dress his two sisters.
Because they would not sing, oh hey,
Because they would not sing, oh hey,
And the tailor's assistant
Would steal broadcloth all the time
Because they would not sing.
The miller got drowned in the lock,
Ho, ho, ho,
The weaver hung himself with his yarn
Ha, ha, ha,
And the devil who'd gone mad
Brought away the youngest lad
Who had broadcloth under his arm.
Because they would not sing, oh hey,
Because they would not sing, oh hey,
And the devil who'd gone mad
Brought away the youngest lad
Because they would not sing.
Notes
*Broadcloth was originally a dense wool.
Thanks and Acknowledgements
Translation: Monique Palomares
Merci beaucoup!
