Attention! Some of this material is not in the public domain.
It is illegal to copy and distribute our copyright-protected material without permission. It is also illegal to reprint copyright texts or translations without the name of the author or translator.
To inquire about permissions and rates, contact Emily Ezust at licenses@email.lieder.example.net
If you wish to reprint translations, please make sure you include the names of the translators in your email. They are below each translation.
Note: You must use the copyright symbol © when you reprint copyright-protected material.
Il va sûrement se marier aujourd'hui. Ce devait être pour hier. En habit de gala, il était prêt. Il n'attendait que sa fiancée. Elle n'est pas venue. Elle ne peut tarder. Glorieux, il se promène avec une allure de prince indien et porte sur lui les riches présents d'usage. L'amour avive l'éclat de ses couleurs et son aigrette tremble comme une lyre. La fiancée n'arrive pas. Il monte au haut du toit et regarde du côté du soleil. Il jette son cri diabolique : Léon ! Léon ! C'est ainsi qu'il appelle sa fiancée. Il ne voit rien venir et personne ne répond. Les volailles habituées ne lèvent même point la tête. Elles sont lasses de l'admirer. Il redescend dans la cour, si sûr d'être beau qu'il est incapable de rancune. Son mariage sera pour demain. Et, ne sachant que faire du reste de la journée, il se dirige vers le perron. Il gravit les marches, comme des marches de temple, d'un pas officiel. Il relève sa robe à queue toute lourde des yeux qui n'ont pu se détacher d'elle. Il répète encore une fois la cérémonie.
Authorship:
- by Jules Renard (1864 - 1910), "Le paon", appears in Histoires naturelles, first published 1894 [author's text checked 1 time 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 Maurice Ravel (1875 - 1937), "Le paon", M. 50 no. 1 (1906), published 1907 [ voice and piano ], from Histoires naturelles, no. 1, Paris: Durand [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Ahmed E. Ismail) , "The peacock", copyright © 2005, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FIN Finnish (Suomi) (Erkki Pullinen) , "Riikinkukko", copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- GER German (Deutsch) (Bertram Kottmann) , "Der Pfau", copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 35
Word count: 187
He surely will be getting married today. It should have been yesterday. Dressed for a gala, he was ready. He was only waiting for his fiancée. She didn't come. She tarried. Magnificent, he strolled with the allure of an Indian prince and brought the customary rich presents. Love kindled a burst of colors and his aigret quivered like a lyre. His fiancée does not arrive. He climbs to the top of the roof and from its edge beholds the sun. He sounds his diabolical cry: "Leon! Leon!" Thus does he call his fiancée. He sees nothing come, and no one answers. The birds, accustomed to this, do not even raise their head. They are bored of admiring him. He comes down and enters the courtyard, so sure of his own beauty that he is incapable of rancor. His wedding will be tomorrow. And, not knowing what to do for the rest of the day, he heads toward the porch. He climbs its stairs, like the stairs of the temple, with an officious tread. He picks up his tailed robe so heavy from eyes that cannot detach themselves. He repeats the ceremony one more time.
Authorship:
- Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2005 by Ahmed E. Ismail, (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 French (Français) by Jules Renard (1864 - 1910), "Le paon", appears in Histoires naturelles, first published 1894
This text was added to the website: 2005-08-24
Line count: 35
Word count: 194