Ar C'horred
"Ar C'horred" is a Breton song about Dwarves. Whenever you see the days of the week in the song, they're supposed to be sung by the dwarves. You can read a Breton tale about this song of the dwarves called, The Two Hunchbacks and The Korrigans.
This song comes from a book called Barzaz Breiz (nowadays spelled Barzhaz Breizh) which is the collection of popular Brittany songs.
Ar C'horred
The Dwarfs
Folk Song
Folk Song
(Breton)
(English)
Paskoù-hir, ar c'hemener,
Ai! outa! Ai! outa!
Ai! outa! Ai! outa!
Zo aet da ober al laer
Abardaez noz digwener.
N'helle mui ober bragoù:
Ai! outa! Ai! outa!
Ai! outa! Ai! outa!
Aet an dud d'an armeoù
Ouzh re Vro-C'hall hag o rou'.
Aet eo tre ti ar C'horred,
Ai! outa! Ai! outa!
Ai! outa! Ai! outa!
Gant e bal, ha da doullet,
Da glask an teñzor kuzhet.
An teñzor mat a gavas,
Ai! outa! Ai! outa!
Ai! outa! Ai! outa!
Ha d'ar gêr o redek bras
Ha 'n e wele 'n em lakas.
"Serret an nor, serret kloz
Ai! outa! Ai! outa!
Ai! outa! Ai! outa!
"Serret an nor, serret kloz,
Setu an Duzigoù noz!"
- Dilun, dimeuzh, dimerc'her,
Ai! outa! Ai! outa!
Ai! outa! Ai! outa!
- Dilun, dimeuzh, dimerc'her,
Ha diriaou ha digwener!
- Serret an nor, mignoned,
Ai! outa! Ai! outa!
Ai! outa! Ai! outa!
- Serret an nor, mignoned,
Setu, setu ar C'horred!
'Maint o tont tre 'barzh ar porzh,
Ai! outa! Ai! outa!
Ai! outa! Ai! outa!
'Maint o tont tre 'barzh ar porzh,
'Maint ennañ o tañsal forzh.
- Dilun, dimeuzh, dimerc'her,
Ai! outa! Ai! outa!
Ai! outa! Ai! outa!
- Dilun, dimeuzh, dimerc'her,
Ha diriaou ha digwener.
- 'Maint o pignat war da dei,
Ai! outa! Ai! outa!
Ai! outa! Ai! outa!
- 'Maint o pignat war da dei,
'Maint 'ober un toull enni.
Krabet out, mignonig paour,
Ai! outa! Ai! outa!
Ai! outa! Ai! outa!
Krabet out, mignonig paour,
Taol kuit buan an teñzor.
Paskoù paour, te zo lazhet!
Ai! outa! Ai! outa!
Ai! outa! Ai! outa!
Paskoù paour, te zo lazhet!
Taol warnout dour benniget.
Taol da liñser war da benn,
Ai! outa! Ai! outa!
Ai! outa! Ai! outa!
Taol da liñser war da benn,
Paskoù, na fich ket a-grenn.
- Siwazh din ! 'Maint o c'hoarzhin,
Ai! outa! Ai! outa!
Ai! outa! Ai! outa!
- Siwazh din ! 'Maint o c'hoarzhin,
Neb a zidec'hfe ve fin.
Aotrou Doue ! Setu 'nan,
Ai! outa! Ai! outa!
Ai! outa! Ai! outa!
Aotrou Doue ! Setu 'nan,
E benn dre 'n toull a welan.
E zaoulagad ruz-glaou-tan!
Ai! outa! Ai! outa!
Ai! outa! Ai! outa!
E zaoulagad ruz-glaou-tan!
'Mañ en traoñ gant ar peulvan.
'Trou Doue ! unan, daou, tri!
Ai! outa! Ai! outa!
Ai! outa! Ai! outa!
'Trou Doue ! unan, daou, tri!
Mont en-dro war al leur-zi!
Lamm a reont ha kounnariñ,
Ai! outa! Ai! outa!
Ai! outa! Ai! outa!
Lamm a reont ha kounnariñ
Taget on, Gwerc'hez Vari!
- Dilun, dimeuzh, dimerc'her,
Ai! outa! Ai! outa!
Ai! outa! Ai! outa!
- Dilun, dimeuzh, dimerc'her,
Ha diriaou ha digwener!
Daou, tri, pevar, pemp ha c'hwec'h!
Ai! outa! Ai! outa!
Ai! outa! Ai! outa!
Daou, tri, pevar, pemp ha c'hwec'h!
- Dilun, dimeuzh, dimerc'her!
Kemenerig, kemener,
Ai! outa! Ai! outa!
Ai! outa! Ai! outa!
Kemenerig, kemener,
Roc'hañ rez aze, larer!
Kemener, kemenerig,
Ai! outa! Ai! outa!
Ai! outa! Ai! outa!
Kemener, kemenerig,
Tenn da fri 'maez un tammig !
Deus da ober un dro zañs,
Ai! outa! Ai! outa!
Ai! outa! Ai! outa!
Deus da ober un dro zañs
Ni ziskey dit ar c'hadañs.
Kemenerig, kemener,
Ai! outa! Ai! outa!
Ai! outa! Ai! outa!
Kemenerig, kemener,
Dilun, dimeurzh, dimerc'her.
Kemenerig, te zo laer,
Ai! outa! Ai! outa!
Ai! outa! Ai! outa!
Kemenerig, te zo laer,
Dilun, dimeuzh, dimerc'her,
Deus d'hon laerezh ur wech all,
Ai! outa! Ai! outa!
Ai! outa! Ai! outa!
Deus d'hon laerezh ur wech all
Deus, kozh kemenerig fall.
Ni ziskeio dit ur bal,
Ai! outa! Ai! outa!
Ai! outa! Ai! outa!
A rey da'z mell-kein strakal
Paz arc'hant korr 'tra na dal.
Long-Paskou, the tailor,
Ah youta, ah youta,
Ah youta, ah youta,
Went out to be a thief
On Friday evening.
He couldn't make breeches anymore,
Ah youta, ah youta,
Ah youta, ah youta,
All the men had left for war
Against the men of France and their king.
He went into the Dwarfs' cave
Ah youta, ah youta,
Ah youta, ah youta,
With his spade to dig
And look for the hidden treasure.
The good treasure, he found it,
Ah youta, ah youta,
Ah youta, ah youta,
And he hurried back home
And went to bed.
Close the door, close it!
Ah youta, ah youta,
Ah youta, ah youta,
Close the door, close it!
Here come the little people* of the night!
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday,
Ah youta, ah youta,
Ah youta, ah youta,
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday,
and Thursday and Friday!
Close the door, my friends,
Ah youta, ah youta,
Ah youta, ah youta,
Close the door, my friends,
Here come the Dwarfs!
Now they enter the courtyard,
Ah youta, ah youta,
Ah youta, ah youta,
Now they enter the courtyard,
Now they dance breathlessly!
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday,
Ah youta, ah youta,
Ah youta, ah youta,
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday,
and Thursday and Friday!
Here they climb up on your roof,
Ah youta, ah youta,
Ah youta, ah youta,
Here they climb up on your roof,
Here they make a hole in it!
You are caught, my poor friend,
Ah youta, ah youta,
Ah youta, ah youta,
You are caught, my poor friend,
Quickly throw away the treasure!
Poor Paskou, you're dead,
Ah yoota, ah yootah,
Ah yoota, ah yootah,
Poor Paskou, you're dead,
Sprinkle yourself with holy water!
Draw your sheet over your head,
Ah youta, ah youta,
Ah youta, ah youta,
Draw your sheet over your head,
And don't make a single move!
Alas, I hear them laugh,
Ah youta, ah youta,
Ah youta, ah youta,
Alas, I hear them laugh,
Whoever escapes would be fine!
Oh my God! Here is one,
Ah youta, ah youta,
Ah youta, ah youta,
Oh my God! Here is one,
His head is showing through the hole!
His eyes are red as coals,
Ah youta, ah youta,
Ah youta, ah youta,
His eyes are red as coals,
He slides down the pillar!
Oh my God! One, two and three!
Ah youta, ah youta,
Ah youta, ah youta,
Oh my God! One, two and three!
Here they're dancing on the floor!
They jump and rage,
Ah youta, ah youta,
Ah youta, ah youta,
They jump and rage,
Virgin Mary! I am strangled!
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday,
Ah youta, ah youta,
Ah youta, ah youta,
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday,
and Thursday and Friday!
- Two, three, four, five and six!
Ah youta, ah youta,
Ah youta, ah youta,
- Two, three, four, five and six!
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday!
Tailor, dear little tailor,
Ah youta, ah youta,
Ah youta, ah youta,
Tailor, dear little tailor,
It looks like you're snoring!
Tailor, dear little tailor
Ah youta, ah youta,
Ah youta, ah youta,
Tailor, dear little tailor
Do show the tip of your nose!
Come and dance around,
Ah youta, ah youta,
Ah youta, ah youta,
Come and dance around,
We'll teach you the timing.
Tailor, dear tailor,
Ah youta, ah youta,
Ah youta, ah youta,
Tailor, dear tailor
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday!
Tailor, you're a thief,
Ah youta, ah youta,
Ah youta, ah youta,
Tailor, you're a thief,
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday!
Come and steal from us again,
Ah youta, ah youta,
Ah youta, ah youta,
Come and steal from us again,
Come, wicked little tailor!
We'll teach you a dance,
Ah youta, ah youta,
Ah youta, ah youta,
That will make your back crack.
Dwarfs' money is worth nothing!
Notes
*Originally "duz" which is another word for these characters.
You can read a rhyming translation here.
Comments
You can hear a rock version of the song here.
Thanks and Acknowledgements
Translated by Monique and Lisa. Illustration by Monique.
Trugarez!
