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Li a quaucarèn que m’a fa pòu   , (bis)
(There is something that has frightened me)
Lyrics by Nicolas Saboly, known as Micoulau Sabòli. Traditional from Provence.
Tune On a beau faire des serments.
Nicolas Saboly has proposed two versions for this Christmas carol, whose first one is on familiar tune On a beau faire des serments (Whatever you take oaths).
This Christmas carol begins the 3rd book holding 8 carols, published on 1669 by Pierre Offray. It appears with number 19 in the Fr. Seguin’s new edition.
| 1st verse |
Li a quaucarèn que m’a fa pòu,
Dòu long de la carriero,
Que tirassavo pèr lou sòu
Un tros de sarpeliero. | | There is something that has frightened me,
Along the street,
That was pulling on the ground
A piece of floorcloth (1). |
2nd verse |
Me siéu pres gardo qnantecant
Qu’èro uno vièio femo
Pu longo qu’un grand jour sèns pan,
Pu maigro que Caremo. | | I realized immediately (2)
It was an old woman
Longer than a day without bread,
Thiner than Lent. |
3rd verse |
Em’uno daio entre sei man
Se fasié faire plaço,
Lorsqu’un jòli petit enfant
Li vèn douna la casso. | | With a scythe in her hands
She was giving her [free] way,
When a pretty little child
Came and hunt her. |
4th verse |
Emé dous gros bastoun en crous
Li fretavo l’esquino
En li disent : « Retiras-vous,
Gros aucèu de rapino ! » | | With two large crosswise sticks
He was beating her black and blue
Saying: “Withdraw,
Big bird of ill omen!” |
5th verse |
Èro laido coume pecat,
La vièio desdentado :
Elo avié lei dous ue trauca
E la tèsto pelado. | | She was ugly as sin,
The toothless old woman:
Her two eyes were pierced
And she was bald-headed. |
6th verse |
Avié tout lou vèntre cura,
Semblavo un brus d’abiho ;
E sai pas qu li avié gara
Lou nas e leis auriho. | | Her belly was hollow,
She was looking like a bee hive;
And I don’t know who had removed
Her nose and her ears. |
7th verse |
Sei man, sei pèd fasien esfrai,
E sei cambo d’aragno
Que servirien, au mes de mai,
Pèr espòussa l’eigagno. | | Her hands, her feet were making terror,
And her spider legs
Were serving, on month of May,
To flick off the dew. |
8th verse |
Vous diriéu bèn quant a de tèms,
Car ai soun batistèri.
Ame mai vous dire lou sèns
De tout aquéu mistèri. | | I would say you how old she is,
As I have her baptism certificate.
I prefer tell you the meaning
Of all this mystery. |
9th verse |
Dins lou jas aquel enfant dor
Sus de paio pourrido ;
Es éu que vèn cassa la mort
Pèr nous douna la vido. | | In the sheepfold this child is sleeping
On decayed straw;
It’s him that is coming to hunt death
To give us the life. |
1. Sarpeliero or sarpeihièro, floorcloth; also wrapping coarse cloth.
2. Qnantecant : immediately. In Old French, it is found quant-et-quant (“when and when”) with same meaning.
| Bibliography | | • | Saboly (Nicolas), Lei noé de San Pierre de l’année 1669 (Christmas carols of Saint Peter for the year 1669), Pierre Offray printer, Avignon, 1669, p. 3-4. | | • | Recueil des noëls composés en langue provençale (Collection of Christmas carols composed in Provençal language), reprint Fr. Seguin, printer and bookseller, Avignon, 1856, p. 24. |
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