Songfables for Well-Behaved Children

Translations © by Grant Hicks

Song Cycle by Roger Albin (1920 - 2001)

View original-language texts alone: Chantefables pour les enfants sages

1. Le Pélican  [sung text not yet checked]
Language: French (Français) 
Le Capitaine Jonathan,
Étant âgé de dix-huit ans,
Capture un jour un pélican
Dans une île d’Extrême-orient.

Le pélican de Jonathan,
Au matin, pond un œuf tout blanc
Et il en sort un pélican
Lui ressemblant étonnamment.

Et ce deuxième pélican
Pond à son tour, un œuf tout blanc
D’où sort, inévitablement
Un autre qui en fait autant.

Cela peut durer pendant très longtemps
Si l’on ne fait pas d’omelette avant.

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by Robert Desnos (1900 - 1945)
1. The Pelican
Language: English 
Captain Jonathan,
Eighteen years old,
Catches a pelican one day 
On an island in the Far East.

Jonathan's pelican
Lays a pure white egg the next morning 
And from it comes a pelican 
That bears it a striking resemblance.

And this second pelican 
In her turn lays a pure white egg
From which there inevitably comes
Another who then does the same.

This can go on for quite a while 
If someone doesn't first make an omelet.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2026 by Grant Hicks, (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.
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This text was added to the website: 2026-07-03
Line count: 14
Word count: 77

Translation © by Grant Hicks
2. La fourmi  [sung text not yet checked]
Language: French (Français) 
Une fourmi de dix-huit mètres
Avec un chapeau sur la tête
ça n'existe pas, ça n'existe pas.

Une fourmi traînant un char
Plein de pingouins et de canards,
ça n'existe pas, ça n'existe pas.

Une fourmi parlant français, 
Parlant latin et javanais
ça n'existe pas, ça n'existe pas.
Eh ! Pourquoi pas ?

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by Robert Desnos (1900 - 1945)
2. The Ant
Language: English 
An ant eighteen meters long
With a hat on its head,
There's no such thing, there's no such thing. 

An ant pulling a chariot
Full of penguins and ducks,
There's no such thing, there's no such thing. 

An ant speaking French, 
Speaking Latin and Javanese, 
There's no such thing, there's no such thing. 
Well, why not?

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2026 by Grant Hicks, (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.
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This text was added to the website: 2026-07-03
Line count: 10
Word count: 56

Translation © by Grant Hicks
3. Le tamanoir  [sung text not yet checked]
Language: French (Français) 
— Avez-vous vu le tamanoir ?
Ciel bleu, ciel gris, ciel blanc, ciel noir.
— Avez-vous vu le tamanoir ?
Œil bleu, œil gris, œil blanc, œil noir.
— Avez-vous vu le tamanoir ?
Vin bleu, vin gris, vin blanc, vin noir.

Je n’ai pas vu le tamanoir !
Il est rentré dans son manoir
Et puis avec son éteignoir
Il a coiffé tous les bougeoirs.
Il fait tout noir.

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by Robert Desnos (1900 - 1945)
3. The Giant Anteater
Language: English 
— Did you see the giant anteater? 
Blue sky, gray sky, white sky, black sky. 
— Did you see the giant anteater? 
Blue eye, gray eye, white eye, black eye. 
— Did you see the giant anteater? 
Blue wine, gray wine, white wine, black wine. 

I didn't see the giant anteater! 
He went back into his mansion
And then with his candle-snuffer
He gave all the candlesticks a trim.
Now it's completely dark.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2026 by Grant Hicks, (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.
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This text was added to the website: 2026-07-03
Line count: 11
Word count: 73

Translation © by Grant Hicks
4. Le homard  [sung text not yet checked]
Language: French (Français) 
Homard le pacha de la mer,
Homard le bleu, Homard le rouge,
Homard le nageur à l’envers,
Homard, si tu remues, tu bouges.

Homard, ermite des rochers,
Homard, mauvais garçon, bon prince,
Homard, la gloire des marchés,
Homard, Monseigneur de la Pince.

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by Robert Desnos (1900 - 1945)
4. The Lobster
Language: English 
Lobster, the pasha of the sea, 
Lobster the blue, lobster the red, 
Lobster the backwards swimmer, 
Lobster, if you wriggle, you move. 

Lobster, hermit of the rocks, 
Lobster, bad boy, good prince, 
Lobster, the glory of the market, 
Lobster, Your Lordship of the Claw.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2026 by Grant Hicks, (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.
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This text was added to the website: 2026-07-03
Line count: 8
Word count: 44

Translation © by Grant Hicks
5. La sauterelle  [sung text not yet checked]
Language: French (Français) 
Saute, saute, sauterelle,
Car c’est aujourd’hui jeudi.
Je sauterai, nous dit-elle,
Du lundi au samedi.

Saute, saute, sauterelle,
À travers tout le quartier.
Sautez donc, Mademoiselle,
Puisque c’est votre métier.

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by Robert Desnos (1900 - 1945)
5. The Grasshopper
Language: English 
Hop, hop, grasshopper, 
Because today is Thursday.
"I'll hop," she says to us,
"From Monday till Saturday." 

Hop, hop, grasshopper, 
Throughout the neighborhood. 
So hop then, little lady,
Since that's your occupation.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2026 by Grant Hicks, (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.
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Note for stanza 2, line 3: the French word for "grasshopper," sauterelle, is feminine, so the insect is referred to in this line as Mademoiselle.

This text was added to the website: 2026-06-27
Line count: 8
Word count: 32

Translation © by Grant Hicks
6. Le ver luisant  [sung text not yet checked]
Language: French (Français) 
Ver luisant tu luis à minuit,
Tu t’allumes sous les étoiles
Et, quand tout dort, tu t’introduis
Dans la lune et ronge sa moelle.

La lune, nid des vers luisants,
Dans le ciel continue sa route.
Elle sème sur les enfants,
Sur tous les beaux enfants dormant,
Rêve sur rêve, goutte à goutte.

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by Robert Desnos (1900 - 1945)
6. The Glowworm
Language: English 
Glowworm, you glow at midnight, 
You catch fire under the stars
And, while all is asleep, you crawl
Into the moon and gnaw her marrow.

The moon, nest of glowworms,
In the sky continues on her way.
She scatters over the children,
Over all the beautiful sleeping children,
Dream upon dream, drop by drop.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2026 by Grant Hicks, (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.
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This text was added to the website: 2026-07-03
Line count: 9
Word count: 54

Translation © by Grant Hicks
7. L'alligator  [sung text not yet checked]
Language: French (Français) 
Sur les bords du Mississippi
Un alligator se tapit,
Il vit passer un négrillon
Et lui dit: "Bonjour, mon garçon."
Mais le nègre lui dit: "Bonsoir,
La nuit tombe, il va faire noir,
Je suis petit et j'aurais tort
De parler à l'alligator."
Sur les bords du Mississippi
L'alligator a du dépit,
Car il voulait au réveillon
Manger le tendre négrillon.

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Note: This text reflects attitudes and assumptions of its historical period and contains language, ideologies, stereotypes, or themes that may be offensive. It is included for scholarly and educational purposes.

by Robert Desnos (1900 - 1945)
7. The Alligator
Language: English 
On the banks of the Mississippi 
An alligator was lurking,
He saw a young Black boy pass by,
And said to him, "Good day, my boy." 
But the boy replied, "Good evening,
Night is falling and it's getting dark,
I am little and it would be a mistake
For me to talk to an alligator." 
On the banks of the Mississippi 
The alligator is disappointed,
Because he was hoping, for his evening meal,
To eat the tender little fellow.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2026 by Grant Hicks, (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.
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Translator's note: Several times in this text the poet uses terms for "Black child" that today would be considered extremely offensive. I have tried to convey the sense of the poem without its offensiveness. Those who think that I haven't gone far enough, and that the boy's color is inessential to the story, may have a point; they should feel free to omit the word "Black" from line 3 if they wish.

This text was added to the website: 2026-07-02
Line count: 12
Word count: 79

Translation © by Grant Hicks