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Lou Pous (The Well) Traditional song from County of Nice.
1st verse |
Un còu, un jouv’ et bèu galan, Dapé d’un pous si proumenava. Veniha de cuhi de flour Per li pourtà au siéu amour. (twice) | | One time, a young and pretty lover, Near a well was going for a stroll. He just picked flowers For bringing them to his love (twice). |
2nd verse |
Tout à l’entour d’aqueste pous Li èra ’na peira lèvaïssa. Lou pèn li venguèt à ’sparà, Dintre lou pous s’anèt jità. (twice) | | All around this well There was a drawn stone (1). His foot slid, In the well he launched himself. (twice) |
3rd verse |
Coura siguèt en de davau (2) Cridav’ : « A Dièu, misericordia, Cambarada vau à la mouort, N’atrovi d’aiga fin au couol. » (twice) | | When he was down in the bottom He shouted: “Farewell, mercy, Friends, I’m going to death, I’ve got water up to my neck.” (twice) |
4th verse |
Aquelu qu’èron d’ençamoun Sabion plus cen que si faire ; Li jitèron lou siéu mantèu : « Cambarada, chape-ti lèu (3). » (twice) | | Those which were at the top Didn’t know what to do; They threw him his coat: “Friend, catch it quickly.” (twice) |
5th verse |
Coura si trovèt dessamoun, Auguèt un frei que tremoulava : « Mena-mi lèu au miéu oustau Aqui m’escauferai un pau. » (twice) | | When he was up again, He was cold and shaking: “Take me quickly to home There, I’ll warm a little.” (twice) |
6th verse |
Lou jour d’après, lou bèu galan Diguèt ensin à la siéu bella : « Tené, Mïoun (4), aquelli flou. Per vous mi sièu jità ’n lou pous. (twice) | | The day after, the pretty lover Told in this way to his belle: “Take, Mary, these flowers. For you, I launched myself in the well. (twice) |
7th verse |
— En lou pous noun sarias toumbà Li anessias embé la luna. La lun’auria fà esclarcità, En lou pous noun sarias toumbà. » (twice) | | — In the well you wouldn’t fall If you went with the moon. The moon would make light, In the well you wouldn’t fall.” (twice) |
8th verse |
Ahura farai vout à Dièu De noun aimà autant li filha (5) : Mi cau quittà de calignà, Que sièu sujet à li toumbà. (twice) | | Now I’ll vow to God Not to love so much the girls: I’ve to stop to pay court, Because I prone to fall (6). (twice) |
1. I.e. pulled free, out of the ground. 2. In his Dictionnaire français-niçois, Georges Castellana gives the variant: Coura si trouvet dessavau... (When he was at the bottom...). 3. Georges Castellana, ibid., gives the variant: Cambarada, lèu, pita lèu... (Friend, quick, catch quickly...). 4. Manin, Mietta, Mïoun: diminutives for Mary, Mary-Ann. It’s also found the variant Tenè, mignoun’... (Take it, cutie...). 5. Georges Castellana, op. cit., gives the variant: Mi caurà fair’un vout à Diéu | De noun plus parlà à li filha (I’ll have to vow to God | Not to talk to the girls). 6. Li toumbà: play on words “to fall in the well” or “to fall in love”.
Bibliography | • | Delrieu (Georges), Anthologie de la chanson niçoise (Anthology of the Song from Nice), Nice, publisher Delrieu & Co, 1960, p. 110-111. | • | 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. 226-227. |
See also Lou Galant dins lou pous.
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