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Lou Vaquié  
(The Cowherd)
Nissart lyrics and music by Georges Delrieu. Traditional from County of Nice.
See also L’Ouferta de Calèna.
Drawing by Gustav Adolf Mossa published in Anthologie de la chanson niçoise, éd. Delrieu, to illustrate Lou Vaquié. | | 1st verse |
En estiéu sus li mountagna
M’au bestiari stau soulet.
Es per iéu luèc de coucagna,
E que luèc, San Pataclet!
N’audi rèn que li campana
De li vacas mastegant;
Noun véu que parèu de bana
Sus lou prat si proumenant. | | During summer on the mountains
With the cattle I’m alone.
It’s for me land of plenty,
And what a place, Saint Pataclet!
I hear nothing but bells (1)
Of the cows chomping [grass];
I see only pairs of horns
On the meadow strolling. |
Chorus |
Lou souvran de li autura
Es lou vaquié (twice)
Lou vaquié!
E un rei dins la natura
Es lou vaquié (twice)
Lou vaquié! | | The sovereign of the heights
Is the cowherd (twice)
The cowherd!
And a king in nature
Is the cowherd (twice)
The cowherd! |
2nd verse |
À l’autoun, moun average
Embé iéu s’arrecampan
Per s’assoustà au village.
La maioun es au mitan.
Bèn au caut me l’average,
En mi manjant de froumai,
Dai miéu flourit pasturage
Quant de fès ai lou pantai! | | On autumn, my herd
With me we come back home
To take cover in the village.
The house is in the middle.
Quite in the warm with the herd,
Eating cheese,
Of my pastures in full bloom
How often I’ve the dream! |
3rd verse |
En l’iver, pastre, pastressa
S’escauffan au fugairoun.
La blanca nèu es mestressa
Dai couol, dai lac e dai mount.
Pi’n jour, natura s’esviha
À l’aureta dòu printèmp;
L’average mi repiha:
Rèn, plus rèn noun mi retèn! | | During winter, shepherd, shepherdess
We warm ourselves by the hearth.
The white snow is mistress
Of the passes, of the lakes, of the mounts.
Then a day, nature wakes up
With the breeze of spring;
The herd takes me again:
Nothing, nothing more keeps me. |
Last chorus |
Tourni mai à li autura
Iéu lou vaquié (twice)
Lou vaquié!
Enmascat per la natura
Iéu lou vaquié (twice)
Lou vaquié! | | I go back to the heights
Me the cowherd (twice)
The cowherd!
Bewitched by nature
Me the cowherd (twice)
The cowherd! |
1. Small bells tied to the neck of the cattle or livestock.
| Bibliography | | • | Delrieu (Georges), Anthologie de la chanson niçoise (Anthology of the Song from Nice), Nice, publisher Delrieu & Co, 1960, p. 56-57. | | • | 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. 264-265. |
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