Bien di cumar
Here's a Swiss song in Romansh. Romansh is one of the 4 official languages of Switzerland. It's a Romance language spoken in the Southeast of the country, in the canton of Grisons. This song is in the Sursilvan dialect.
Bien di cumar
Good Morning, Mistress
Traditional Song
Traditional Song
(Romansh)
(English)
Bien di cumar, co veis durmiu?
Co ha il sien a vus plaschiu?
Fidiri, fidira, fidirallala,
fidiri, fidira, fidirum.
Miu um ha questa notg semiau,
ed ussa ha el mal il tgau.
Fidiri, fidira, fidirallala,
fidiri, fidira, fidirum.
Il miu ha fatg il semegliont,
di l'autra tut a suspirond.
Fidiri, fidira, fidirallala,
fidiri, fidira, fidirum.
O vus cumar, vegni po en,
che nus savein ver endamen.
Fidiri, fidira, fidirallala,
fidiri, fidira, fidirum.
Mo cheu pudeis vus strusch, strusch en,
gl'ei tut sterniu, mo gianteren!
Fidiri, fidira, fidirallala,
fidiri, fidira, fidirum.
La stiva hai jeu buc scuau,
da far si letg hai emblidau.
Fidiri, fidira, fidirallala,
fidiri, fidira, fidirum.
Good morning, Mrs.*, how did you sleep?
How did you like your sleep?
Fidiri, fidira, fidirallala,
fidiri, fidira, fidirum.
My husband dreamed last night,
And now he has a headache.
Fidiri, fidira, fidirallala,
fidiri, fidira, fidirum.
Mine did the same,
Says the other with a sigh.
Fidiri, fidira, fidirallala,
fidiri, fidira, fidirum.
Oh, Mrs., do come in,
So we can talk about it.
Fidiri, fidira, fidirallala,
fidiri, fidira, fidirum.
But you really can't get in here at all,
Everything is scattered around, damn it!
Fidiri, fidira, fidirallala,
fidiri, fidira, fidirum.
I didn't sweep the room
And I forgot to make his bed,
Fidiri, fidira, fidirallala,
fidiri, fidira, fidirum.
Notes
*"Cumar" originally referred to the godmother in relation to the godfather or to the child's parents. It then passed to mean "mistress, goodwife" which is closer to "Mrs." in more recent English…
Here are 3 additional verses (to be sung as verses 4, 5 and 6):
Miu um, quei hazer paterlun,
Anson hai fatg ir vin stizun.
Fidiri, fidira, fidirallala,
fidiri, fidira, fidirum.
Per zucher, mandel e caffe
Ed auter pli, sch(e) el ha plascher.
Fidiri, fidira, fidirallala,
fidiri, fidira, fidirum.
La suppa fa a mi (bu)ca bein,
Sche jeu magliass il venter plein.
Fidiri, fidira, fidirallala,
fidiri, fidira, fidirum.
English Translation
My husband, this big talker,
I sent him to the store earlier. (lit. "Earlier I made him go to the store"),
For sugar, almonds and coffee,
And other things, if he likes.
That soup doesn't suit me
If I eat a bellyful.
Thanks!
Thanks and Acknowledgements
Translation by Monique Palomares and Lisa Yannucci.
Engraziel!
