Las fielairas
There's a French version of this 17th century song from the Bas-Quercy area called Les fileuses.
Las fielairas
The Spinners
Folk Song
Folk Song
(Occitan)
(English)
Aval a la ribièra
I a una rica meison
Dedins son tres fielairas
Que fielan tot lo jorn.
Una s'apela Joana
E l'autra Marion,
L'autra s'apela Clara
Esclaira nèit e jorn.
Sa maire la penchena
D'un penche d'argenton,
E son paire la còfa
D'una auna de galon.
Quand ela se miralha
Dins l'aiga de la font,
Un aucelon se pausa
Per li far una orason.
Lo filh del rei passava
L'a trovada a la font,
"Digatz, bèla fielaira,
Aquò's vos Janeton?
-Nani, ma sòr ainada
S'apela d'aquel nom,
Se cercatz una amiga
Dintraz dins la meison.
Down there, near the river
There's a rich house.
Inside are three spinners
Who spin all day long.
One is called Joan,
And the other Marion,
The other one is called Claire
She lights up* the night and day.
Her mother combs her hair
With a silver comb,
And her father covers her head
With an ell** of braid.
When she looks at herself
In the water of the spring,
A little bird sits
To tell her a prayer.
The king's son passed by,
He found her at the spring,
"Say, beautiful spinner,
Are you Janeton?"
"No, my elder sister
Is called by this name,
If you're looking for a sweetheart,
Enter the house.
Notes
*Pun between "Clara" (Claire = clear, bright…) and "esclaira" (to light up, illuminate, shine….), both having the same "clar…" Latin root.
**Ell: An old measure of length that varied by country, region and even town/city. The French ell measured 4 French feet, so around US 4'5". It was later decided that 4ft = 1.20m.
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