La Marion sur son prunier
This song goes back to the 16th century. It can be found in French in Western France (Brittany, Vendée) and Occitan in the South.
La Marion sur son prunier
Marion in Her Plum Tree
Chanson traditionnelle
Folk Song
(French)
(English)
La Marion sur son prunier
Secouait ses prunes
Secouait ses prunes de ci
Secouait ses prunes de là
Secouait ses prunes
Un bossu vint à passer
La trouva à sa guise
La trouva à sa guise de ci
La trouva à sa guise de là
La trouva à sa guise
Tu me plais la Marion
Te veux pour ma mie
Te veux pour ma mie de ci
Te veux pour ma mie de là
Te veux pour ma mie
Si tu me veux pour ta mie
Faut couper ta bosse
Faut couper ta bosse de ci
Faut couper ta bosse de là
Faut couper ta bosse
Quand la bosse fut coupée
Il rendit son âme
Il rendit son âme de ci
Il rendit son âme de là
Il rendit son âme
Quand le pauvr' bossu mourut,
Fut porté en terre
Fut porté en terre de ci
Fut porté en terre de là
Fut porté en terre
Et Marion sur son prunier
Répandit ses larmes
Répandit ses larmes de ci
Répandit ses larmes de là
Répandit ses larmes
Marion in her plum tree,
Was shaking her plums
Was shaking her plums here
Was shaking her plums there
Was shaking her plums.
A hunchback happened to pass by,
Found her to his liking
Found her to his liking here
Found her to his liking there
Found her to his liking.
I like you Marion,
I want you for my sweetheart
I want you for my sweetheart here
I want you for my sweetheart there
I want you for my sweetheart.
If you want me for your sweetheart,
You have to cut off your hump
You have to cut off your hump here
You have to cut cut your hump there
You have to cut off your hump.
When the hump was cut off
He gave up his soul
He gave up his soul here
He gave up his soul there
He gave up his soul.
When the poor hunchback died,
He was buried
He was buried here
He was buried there
He was buried.
And Marion in her plum tree
Shed her tears
Shed her tears here
Shed her tears there
Shed her tears.
Notes
Marion is a pet name for Mary and has now become a name in its own right.
There are many slightly different versions of this song. Check out an Occitan version called A l'ombreta d'un rosièr (In the Shade of a Rosebush).
Thanks and Acknowledgements
Translated by Monique Palomares. Image by Lisa with AI.
