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Gent dòu quartié  
(People from the district)
Traditional Christmas carol from County of Nice, 1810 (1).
This dark carol reflects the tremendous history of the County, immediately following the french Revolution period: Jesus is presented crossing sword with the Devil.
| 1st verse |
Gènt dòu quartié, escoutas la nouvella
Qu’embé plasì iéu vous veni dounà.
Sourtès, venès vé doun li a l’estella ;
A la cabana li vous vau menà.
Veirès lou Fiéu de Diéu e de Maria
Nat au moumen soubre d’un pau de fèn,
Veirès lou Fiéu de Diéu e de Maria
Nat au moumen soubre d’un pau de fèn,
Nat au moumen soubre d’un pau de fèn. | | People from the district, listen the news
That with pleasure I come to give you.
Get out, come to see where there is the star;
To the shed I’m going to lead you.
You will see the Son of God and Mary
Born this instant, on a bit of hay,
You will see the Son of God and Mary
Born this instant, on a bit of hay,
Born this instant, on a bit of hay. |
Chorus |
Anèn toui léu, anèn a la cabana,
Anèn toui, gran, pichoui, parent, vesin,
Grimpen la couola, devoren la plana,
Anèn adourà aqueu bèu Bambin. | | Let’s all go quickly, let’s go to the shed,
Let’s all go, tall, small, parents, neighbours,
Let’s climb up the hill, let’s devour the plain,
Let’s go and worship this beautiful small child. |
2nd verse |
Es èu lou Mestre dòu Ciel, de la Terra.
N’es vengut atrovà per nouostre ben,
Car au demoni va faire la guerra,
Qu’es un couquin, ma noun cregnès plus rèn :
L’espada es jà en la ganassa, (twice)
Li a qu’a poussà per lou ben terrassà. (twice)
Li a qu’a poussà per lou ben terrassà. | | It’s him the master of the heaven, of the earth.
He came to meet us for our good,
Because against the devil he’s going to wage war,
Who is a (2) rascal, but don’t be afraid:
The sword is already in the jaw (3), (twice)
There is just to push to well bring he down. (twice)
There is just to push to well bring he down. |
3rd verse (4) |
Qu es aquèu mourre de cùu de pairola
Qu’es ajoucat aià sus d’un caméu ?
Sacrapa d’un judiéu, couma fignoula,
N’a courouna e superbou mantèu.
Qu sau doun va, e qu sau de doun vengue ? (twice)
Faguesse pau au Pichoun, li a de còu ! (twice)
Faguesse pau au Pichoun, li a de còu ! | | Who is this mug of cauldron backside
Who stands over there on a camel?
Damned [name] of a Jew, how he puts on airs,
He wears crown and superb coat.
Who knows where he goes, and who knows from where he comes? (twice)
What if he scared the Child, sometimes? (twice)
What if he scared the Child, sometimes? |
1. The review Nice historique (cf. infra, Bibliography) indicates that this Christmas carol was sung in 1810.
2. The anacoluthon personifies prince of the devils: Satan, Belzebuth, Lucifer...
3. La ganassa, the lower jaw of quadrupeds, means here mouth of the devil.
4. This 3rd verse presents, in a way not very flattering, one of the Three Kings: probably Gaspard.
| Bibliography | | • | Delrieu (Georges), Anthologie de la chanson niçoise (Anthology of the Song from Nice), Nice, publisher Delrieu & Co, 1960, p. 234-235. | | • | 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. 134-135. | | • | revue Nice historique, Nice, n° 1, 1914, p. 61, 201 ; n° 4, 1920, p. 74. |
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