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La Regina dòu mai  
(The Queen of May)
Nissart lyrics by Juli Eynaudi, music by Cinto Tarelli. Traditional from County of Nice.
This poem is an excerpt from the Eynaudi’s anthology Dapè dòu fougueiron (Near the Hearth) published on 1926.
| 1st verse |
Se voules saupre lou perqué
Dòu mai mi plas d’estre regina,
Lou vous dirai, li a de qué.
Se voules saupre lou perqué,
Emé passioun aimi Francé
Que ’sta dapé ma tanta Fina,
Si calignan, es lou perqué
Dòu mai mi plas d’estre regina. | | If you want to know why
Of the May it like me to be the queen,
I’ll tell you, there are means.
If you want to know why
Passionately I love Francis
Who is (lives) near my aunt Josephine,
We cuddle, that’s why
Of the May it like me to be the queen. |
2nd verse |
Per m’adourà, que d’amourous
Vènon s’ajougne ai mièu sujèti.
Toui mi fan d’uès bèn langourous,
Per m’adourà, que d’amourous !
Que sigon brun, que sigon rous,
Mi cuèrbon lèu de flou à-breti...
Per m’adourà, que d’amourous
Vènon s’ajougne ai mièu sujèti. | | To adore me, what a lot of lovers
Come to join my subjects.
All of them make languorous eyes to me,
To adore me, what a lot of lovers!
Whether they are brown or red,
They quickly cover me with flowers in abundance...
To adore me, what a lot of lovers
Come to join my subjects. |
3rd verse |
Ma noun pressès pas troù lou pas,
Autour doù mai intras en dansa,
Viras, viras, noun siguès las,
Ma noun pressès pas troù lou pas.
Fes atencioun... noun esparas,
Tra doui, de coù, lou couor balança...
Ma noun pressès pas troù lou pas,
Autour doù mai intras en dansa. | | But don’t hurry too much,
Around the [tree of] May, enter the dance,
Turn, turn, don’t be weary too much,
But don’t hurry too much.
Be careful... don’t hope,
Between the two, sometimes, the heart is tearing...
But don’t hurry too much,
Around the [tree of] May, enter the dance. |
4th verse |
Siéu regina dòu mes de mai,
Noun mi venguès cuntà floureta
Jurant m’aimà tant e pi mai,
Siéu regina dòu mes de mai.
Gardas pèr d’autri lu cascai !
Per vous siéu pas... margarideta,
Siéu regina dòu mes de mai,
Mi laissi pas cuntà floureta. | | I’m the queen of May,
Don’t come and whisper sweet nothings in my ear
Swearing to love me over and over,
I’m the queen of May.
Keep to others the clinking noises (1)!
For you I’m not... small marguerite (2),
I’m the queen of May,
I don’t let myself be whispered sweet nothings in my ear. |
5th verse |
Es per Francé qu’es lou miéu couor,
Déuguessi pèrdre lou miéu troune,
Couma si dì : qu’un jou si mouòr,
Es per Francé qu’es lou miéu couor.
Ai amourous de mai, bonsoir !
Que fasse bèu o ben que troune,
Es per Francé qu’es lou miéu couor,
Déuguessi perdre lou miéu troune. | | My heart is for Francis,
Shall I have to lose my throne,
As it is said: a day we die,
My heart is for Francis.
I have lovers too much, not a chance!
The weather may be fine or thundering,
My heart is for Francis,
Shall I have to lose my throne. |
6th verse |
Lu miéu poudé dùron qu’un an
E vous laissi la miéu courouna ;
Ensin lou vòu lou Diéu qu’es gran,
Lu miéu poudé dùron qu’un an.
Au car Francès douni la man,
Lou prim’ amour noun s’abandouna.
Lu miéu poudé dùron qu’un an
E vi laissi la miéu courouna. | | My powers last for only one year
And I leave my crown;
So wants the God who is great,
My powers last for only one year.
To my dear Francis I give my hand,
The first love has not to be abandoned.
My powers last for only one year
And I leave my crown. |
1. I.e. the noise of all that is flashy, shallow-minded...
2. The one that is played “she-loves-me, she-loves-me-not”...
| Bibliography | | • | Delrieu (Georges), Anthologie de la chanson niçoise (Anthology of the Song from Nice), Nice, publisher Delrieu & Co, 1960, p. 172-173. | | • | revue Armanac nissart, Nice, 1934, p. 6-7 ; 1941, p. 4. | | • | revue Lou Sourgentin, Nice, n° 181, avril 2008, p. 36. |
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