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Li Bigneta  
(The Fritters)
Nissart lyrics and music by Louis Genari. Traditional from County of Nice.
Li bigneta (the fritters) are quoted in several traditionnal songs from the County of Nice, see for instance Lu Cougourdoun or Li Babarota.
| 1st verse |
La bigneta daurada,
En li jata a mouloun,
Ben gounfla e ben sucrada,
Vau toui lu pastissoun.
Quour’un plat n’en pareisse
De tant d’autre assourtit,
L’alegria n’en creisse,
Vous revèn l’apetit. | | The browned fritter,
In the dishes heaped up,
Well swollen and well sweetened,
Is just as good as all the cakes.
When a dish of them appears
With so many others matched,
The elation is increased by them,
And come back the appetite. |
Chorus |
Fès n’en plesì,
Pourtas n’en de bigneta,
Que, couma li baieta,
Noun pouodon mai finì ! (twice) | | Please us,
Bring us fritters,
Which, as kisses,
Can’t never end! (twice) |
2nd verse |
Sus l’aberge que pènde
Me davau lou moulin,
Véu l’òulivié que rènde
De oli lou pu fin.
En la plena sartaia
Bagnadi en lou liquour,
Audi la cansoun gaia
Que li fregisse autour. | | On the wall leaning
With, down below, the mill (1),
I see the olive tree which renders
The finest oil (2).
Inside the fulled frying pan
Soaking in the liquor,
I hear the cheerful song
Which is frying around them. |
3rd verse |
Véu tambèn ai couleta,
En pendoun blount o rous,
Mouscatèu o clareta
Que fan lou vin tant dous.
Si fa de crit, de landa,
Tra veisini e veisin,
E cadun noun demanda
Que bigneta e bouon vin. | | I see also on the lower hills,
In golden or russet bunches,
The muscat or the light sparkling grape
Which makes wine so sweet.
One yells, one makes a fuss,
Between neighbours,
And all everybody wants is
Fritters and good wine. |
4th verse |
Lou tap tant souvènt sauta
Que noun sàbon plus s’ès
De bigneta o de gauta
Que mouordon tant de fès.
La bigneta daurada,
En li plat a mouloun,
Ben gounfla e ben sucrada,
Vau toui lu pastissoun. | | So often leaps up the cork
That they don’t know anymore if it is
Fritters or cheeks
They bite so many times.
The browned fritter,
In the dishes heaped up,
Well swollen and well sweetened,
Is just as good as all the cakes. |
1. Lou moulin is a generic term, while lou defici is a specific term for the water mill producing olive oil.
2. It is not necessary to specify “olive” oil!
| Bibliography | | • | Delrieu (Georges), Anthologie de la chanson niçoise (Anthology of the Song from Nice), Nice, publisher Delrieu & Co, 1960, p. 72-73. | | • | Tosan (Albert), Princivalle (Gaël) and d’Hulster (Frédéric), Anthologie de la chanson du comté de Nice (Anthology of the Song from County of Nice), Nice, Serre publisher, series “Encyclopædia niciensis – Patrimoine régional”, volume III, 2001, p. 48-49. |
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