Songs

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Charles d'Orléans

Quant j’ai ouy le tabourin

Sonner pour s’en aller au may,

En mon lit n’en ay fait affray

Ne levé mon chef du coissin;

En disant: il est trop matin,

Ung peu je me rendormiray,

Quant j’ai ouy le tabourin

Sonner pour s’en aller au may.

Jeunes gens partent leur butin;

De Nonchaloir m’acointeray,

A lui je m’abutineray;

Trouvé l’ay plus prochain voisin,

Quant j’ai ouy le tabourin!

English Translation © Richard Stokes

When I heard the drum

Summoning us to go maying,

I neither leapt from my bed

Nor lifted my head from the pillow.

And I said: it is too early.

I shall sleep a little longer:

When I heard the drum

Summoning us to go maying.

Let the young divide their spoils,

I shall be happy to remain indifferent

And share my spoils with him –

For he was my nearest neighbour,

When I heard the drum beat.

Translation © Richard Stokes, author of A French Song Companion (Oxford, 2000)

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