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La Pastressa et lou Granadié  
(The Shepherdess and the Grenadier)
Traditional song from val d’Entraunes, County of Nice.
This pastourelle was collected in the Entraunes Valley by Gustave Adolphe Mossa.
| 1st verse |
Lou granadié
Bonjour, charmante bocagère,
J’arrive ici dans ce beau jour
Je viens te parler de la guerre,
De l’amitié et de l’amour.
Je viens pour essuyer tes larmes
Et pour te dire en vive voix
Que ton amant quitte les armes (twice)
Pour revenir auprès de toi. (twice) | | The grenadier
Hello, sweet bocage (1) girl,
I arrive here by this beautiful day
I’m coming to speak about the war,
Friendship and love.
I’m coming to wipe your tears
And to say you in person
That your lover leaves soldiering (twice)
To come back close to you. (twice) |
2nd verse |
La pastressa
Mi dias que sias moun calignaire
Ma ièu aco m’au cresi pas.
Mi fés l’efet d’un gros charaire,
Venés aici pèr m’enganar.
N’aves un pòu tròu de babiha,
Sias alumà coum’an gavèu.
Vous noun sias qu’un troumpur de fiha, (twice)
Poussa vou’n là e courrés léu ! (twice) | | The shepherdess
You tell me that your are my lover
But, me, I don’t believe that.
You strike me as being a glib talker,
You come here to abuse me.
You have a bit too much chatter,
You are lighted as a dry vine shoot.
You are only a girl deceiver, (twice)
Go away from here and run quickly! (twice) |
3rd verse |
Lou granadié
Belle, ne sois pas si sévère,
Écoute la voix d’un amant,
D’un ami sûr et bien sincère
Qui te donna ses sentiments.
Te souviens-t-il pas, ma petite,
À l’ombre de ces trois ormeaux
Des serments échangés par suite (twice)
En présence de nos troupeaux ? (twice) | | The grenadier
Belle, don’t be so severe,
Listen the voice of a lover,
A reliable friend and sincere
Who gave you his feelings.
Don’t you remember, my little [girl],
In the shade of these three young elms
Of the pledges exchanged therefore, (twice)
In the presence of our herds? (twice) |
4th verse |
La pastressa
A’ra coumenci à mi creire
Car cenque dies es bèn verai.
Sabi que venguerias mi veire
Li a agut set ans, au mes de Mai,
D’aqui parterias pèr l’armada,
Mi laisserias un bèu presènt.
A’ra siéu touta counsoulada, (twice)
Esplica-vous e farès bén. (twice) | | The shepherdess
Now I begin to believe you
Because what you say is true.
I (knew) that you would come and see me
There was seven years, on month of May,
From here you would go to army,
You would leave me a beautiful gift.
Now I’m consoled, (twice)
Let explain and do it well. (twice) |
5th verse |
Lou granadié
Écoute, douce Nathalie,
Je dirai tout d’un cœur loyal.
J’ai fait la guerre en Italie,
En Allemagne, en Portugal.
Regarde, ma chère petite,
Voici le prix de mon espoir,
C’est avec la croix du mérite (twice)
Que je reviens enfin te voir. (twice) | | The grenadier
Listen, sweet Nathalie,
I’ll all say with a loyal heart.
I was in the war in Italy,
In Germany, in Portugal.
Look, my dear little,
Here is the price of my hope,
It’s with the medal of merit (twice)
That I finally come back to see you. (twice) |
6th verse |
La pastressa
Sabias qu’un pòu jugà dòu fifre
Quant n’avés quità lou pahis.
Ancuei mi parlas coum’un libre,
Avés donc’après à liegi ?
Siéu counténta, siéu soudisfacha,
Moun téndre couor n’es encantà,
N’ai plus pour de vouostra moustacha, (twice)
Vous permeti de m’embrassà. (twice) | | The shepherdess
You knew to play fife just a little
When you left the country.
Today you speak to me as a book,
So, you learn reading?
I’m happy, I’m satisfied,
My tender heart is delighted,
I’m no more frightened of your moustache, (twice)
I permit you to kiss me. (twice) |
7th verse |
Ensen
Allons partons, prenons la route,
Nous irons voir tous nos parents.
Ils seront bien surpris, sans doute,
De nous voir ensemble à présent.
Ils diront : « Tiens ! Voilà Thalie,
Femme d’un vaillant guerrier. »
Et nous serons, ô ma jolie, (twice)
Tous deux à jamais réunis. (twice) | | Together
So let’s go, let’s get under way,
We will go and see all of our parents.
They will be surprised, most likely,
To see us together now.
They will say: “Look! Here is Thalie,
Wife of a valiant warrior.”
And we will be, o my pretty, (twice)
Two of us for ever gathered. (twice) |
1. Farmland criss-crossed by hedges and trees.
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© 2001-2024 Jean-Gabriel Maurandi.
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