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from Volkslieder (Folksongs)
Translation © by Guy Laffaille

Oh! the Oak and the Ash
Language: English 
Our translations:  FRE
A North Country maid up to London had strayed
Although with her nature it did not agree,
Which made her repent, and so bitterly lament,
Oh I wish again for the North Country.
  Oh the oak and the ash and the bonnie ivy tree,
  They flourish at home in my own country.

O fain would I be in the North Country,
Where the lads and lasses are making of hay;
There should I see what is pleasant to me,
A mischief light on them entic'd me away!
  Oh the oak and the ash, etc.
 
I like not the court, nor the city resort,
Since there is no fancy for such maids as me;
Their pomp and their pride I can never abide,
Because with my humor it does not agree.
  Oh the oak and the ash, etc. 

How oft have I been in Westmoreland green,
Where the young men and maidens resort for to play,
Where we with delight, from morning till night,
Could feast and frolic on each holiday.
  Oh the oak and the ash, etc.

The ewes and their lambs, with the kids and their dams,
To see in the country how finely they play;
The bells they do ring, and birds they do sing,
And the fields and the gardens are pleasant and gay.
  Oh the oak and the ash, etc.

At wakes and at fairs, being freed of all cares,
We there with our lovers did use for to dance;
Then hard hap had I, my ill fortune to try,
And so up to London, my steps to advance.
  Oh the oak and the ash, etc.
 
But still I perceive, I a husband might have,
If I to the city my mind could but frame;
But I'll have a lad that is North Country bred,
Or else I'll not marry, in the mind that I am.
  Oh the oak and the ash, etc.

A maiden I am, and a maid I'll remain,
Until my own country I again I do see,
From here in this place I shall ne'er see the face
Of him that's allotted my love for to be.
  Oh the oak and the ash, etc. 

Then farewell my daddy, and farewell my mammy,
Until I do se you, I nothing but mourn;
Rememb'ring my brothers, my sisters, and others,
In less than a year I hope to return.
  Oh the oak and the ash, etc.

Text Authorship:

  • from Volkslieder (Folksongs)  [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

  • by Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich (1906 - 1975), "Oh! the Oak and the Ash", 1943, first performed 1944 [ voice(s) and orchestra ], from Eight British and American Folk Songs, no. 4 [sung text checked 1 time]

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

  • FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Oh! Le chêne et la cendre", copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Researcher for this page: Martin Jahn

This text was added to the website: 2011-01-12
Line count: 46
Word count: 402

Oh! Le chêne et la cendre
Language: French (Français)  after the English 
Une jeune fille du Nord s'était égarée jusqu'à Londres
Bien que cela n'alla pas avec sa nature,
Ce qui la faisait se lamenter, et si amèrement se lamenter,
Oh, je souhaite encore le Nord.
  Oh, le chêne et la cendre et le joli  lierre,
  Ils fleurissent à la maison dans mon pays.

Oh, je voudrais bien être dans le Nord,
Où les garçons et les filles sont en train de faire les foins ;
Là je verrais ce qui m'est agréable,
Une lumière malicieuse sur eux m'a ensorcelée au loin !
  Oh, le chêne et la cendre, etc.

Je n'aime pas la cour, ni la ville,
Car il n'y a aucune fantaisie pour des filles comme moi ;
Leur pompe et leur fierté, je ne peux jamais les supporter,
Parce qu'elles ne s'accordent pas avec mon humeur.
  Oh, le chêne et la cendre, etc.

Combien j'ai été souvent dans la campagne du Westmoreland,
Où les jeunes hommes et les jeunes filles viennent pour s'amuser,
Où avec délice, du matin jusqu'à la nuit, nous
Pouvions festoyer et batifoler à chaque vacance,
  Oh, le chêne et la cendre, etc.

Les brebis et leurs agneaux, avec les enfants et leurs barrages,
Les voir dans la campagne comment ils jouaient bien ;
Les cloches, elles sonnent, et les oiseaux, ils chantent,
Et les champs et les jardins sont agréables et joyeux.
  Oh, le chêne et la cendre, etc.

Aux congés et aux foires, étant libre de tout souci,
Là avec nos amoureux nous avions l'habitude de danser ;
Ensuite j'ai eu une chance difficile, ma fortune
Et ainsi de suite jusqu'à Londres, mes pas pour avancer,
  Oh, le chêne et la cendre, etc.

Mais encore je perçois, je pourrais avoir un mari,
Si je ne pouvais qu'enfermer mon esprit dans la cité ;
Mais j'aurai un garçon qui a été élevé dans le Nord,
Ou sinon je ne me marierai pas, dans l'esprit où je suis.
  Oh, le chêne et la cendre, etc.

Une jeune fille je suis et une jeune fille je resterai,
Jusqu'à ce que je vois à nouveau mon pays,
D'ici à cet endroit je ne vois jamais le visage
De celui à qui mon amour est destiné.
  Oh, le chêne et la cendre, etc.

Alors adieu mon papa, et adieu ma maman,
Jusqu'à je vous vois, je ne vais que gémir ;
Me rappelant mes frères, mes sœurs et les autres,
Dans moins d'un an j'espère revenir.
  Oh, le chêne et la cendre, etc.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from English to French (Français) copyright © 2015 by Guy Laffaille, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
    Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net

Based on:

  • a text in English from Volkslieder (Folksongs)
    • Go to the text page.

 

This text was added to the website: 2015-08-27
Line count: 46
Word count: 407

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–Emily Ezust, Founder

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