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La Cansoun dai babarota (Song of the cockroaches) Tune La Cucaracha. Traditional Mexico. Nissart lyrics by Jouan Nicola and Henri Tornier.
1st verse |
S’es canta la poulalhera E la filha de l’estrema, La cansoun dai bugadiera E la java doù Malouna. Dai soufieta fin ai crota Si brama en li maioun La cansoun dai babarota (1), La plus bella dai cansoun. | | It was sung the poultrymaid (2) And the estrema’s (3) daughter, The song of the laundresses And the Malona’s popular waltz. From garrets to cellars Is yelled in houses The song of the cockroaches, The most beautiful of the songs. |
1st chorus |
La babarota, la babarota Prouména au couridou Per fa ribota, la babarota Si leca lou moulédou. Coura fa nuech, la babarota, S’anas per vous soulaga, Se noun fes lume, de babarota S’en esquissà a voulounta. | | The cockroach, the cockroach, Goes for a walk in the corridor, To make merry, the cockroach Licks its “drumstick”. When it’s dark, the cockroach, If you go to relieve yourself, If you don’t switch on [the] light, cockroaches Are crushed as you want. |
2nd verse |
L’autre jou, la mieu filheta A fach la coumunioun. Aven cuech li bigneta Per s’en tapà un cantoun. Si fa pas d’ecounoumia Coura si dèu festejà : Li era un mouloun de boutilha E de tout a mastegà. | | The other day, my little daughter Makes her first communion. We cooked doughnuts To stuff into our mouth. No money is saved When we have to feast: There was lot of bottles And plenty of all to munch on. |
2nd chorus |
Li babarota, li babarota Denedavon en lou vin. En li bigneta, li babarota Remplassavon lou raïn. En toui lu plat, li babarota Pihavon part au festin E d’en couhina fin a la crota, Sentia bouon lou lapin. | | The cockroaches, the cockroaches Swam in the wine. Inside the doughnuts, the cockroaches Took the place of grape. In all the dishes, the cockroaches Took part in the feast And from the kitchen to the cellar, It was smelling good the rabbit. |
3rd verse |
Li a blanchi babarota Que an la coulou doù riz, Noun mangion que d’archicòta E buvon pas de pastis, E la babarota negra Begna en lu fugairoun, A la coulou de la péga E lu barbis en pougouns. | | There are white cockroaches That have rice color, They only eat artichokes And don’t drink pastis, And the black cockroach Baths in the hearth, It has the color of the pitch And the whiskers (messy?). |
3rd chorus |
Li babarota, li babarota, En la souta doù carboun, Fan la pelota e la belota. Sensa nouostra permissioun, En li carotta, li babarota Venon faire li sieu où. E coura trotta la babarota, Attenti ai soulie noù. | | The cockroaches, the cockroaches In the coal bunker, Feather their nest and [play] belote. Without our permission, In the carrots, the cockroaches Come and lay their eggs. And when scampers the cockroach, Be carefull with new shoes. |
4th verse |
Iéu, mi plas li babarota Qu’an un poù d’educacioun Per depauva la sieu crota. Li ai fach la lessoun : Sourton de souta lou liech, Tre per caire, plan planin, N’en van faire un kilo miech Su la taula doù vesin. | | Me, I like the cockroaches Having a bit education To dump their droppings. I taught them: They go out from under the bed, Three on (each) side, slowly, They go to produce one kilo[gram] ans half On the table of the neighbour. |
4th chorus |
Li babarota, li babarota Finisson per anuià. E coura l’audi, la babarota, Segur que deves pensa : Ma que marmota, li babarota ! Aquéu malurous garçoun Déu n’avé una, de babarota, Grossa couma un cougourdoun ! | | The cockroaches, the cockroaches Begin to annoy. And when I hear it, the cockroach, Sure you think: But what a marmot, the cockroach! This poor boy May have one, a cockroach, As big as a marrow! |
1. Babarota refers to all species of Blattaria associated with human habitats. Cockroach word comes from Spanish cucaracha. 2. Kind of character famous in the County of Nice, see this poultrymaid. 3. From estremà, meaning to hide, to conceal, to lock up in a safe place... An allusion to Catarina, the daughter of the dog pound employee, see La Fiha dòu chapacan.
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