Songflowers and Songfables

Translations © by Grant Hicks

Song Cycle by Witold Lutoslawski (1913 - 1994)

View original-language texts alone: Chantefleurs et chantefables

1. La Belle‑de‑Nuit  [sung text not yet checked]
Language: French (Français) 
Quand je m'endors et quand je rêve
La belle-de-nuit se relève.
Elle entre dans la maison
En escaladant le balcon,
Un rayon de lune la suit,
Belle-de-nuit, fleur de minuit.

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by Robert Desnos (1900 - 1945)
1. The Night Beauty
Language: English 
When I fall asleep and dream, 
The night beauty arises.
She comes into the house 
By climbing the balcony, 
A moonbeam follows her, 
Night beauty, flower of midnight.

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: the flower known in French as belle-de-nuit ("beauty of night") is generally known in English as the "four o'clock flower," but the peculiarity of translating the last line as "Four o'clock flower, flower of midnight" requires no comment.

This text was added to the website: 2026-07-01
Line count: 6
Word count: 28

Translation © by Grant Hicks
2. 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)
2. 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
3. La véronique  [sung text not yet checked]
Language: French (Français) 
La véronique et le taureau
Parlaient ensemble au bord de l’eau.
Le taureau dit : « Tu es bien belle, »
La véronique : « Tu es beau »
La véronique est demoiselle
Mais le taureau n’est que taureau.

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by Robert Desnos (1900 - 1945)
3. The Veronica
Language: English 
The veronica and the bull
Were talking together at the water's edge. 
The bull said, "You are very beautiful," 
The veronica, "You are handsome." 
The veronica is a lady
But the bull is just a bull.

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: 2026-07-01
Line count: 6
Word count: 36

Translation © by Grant Hicks
4. L'églantine, l'aubépine et la glycine  [sung text not yet checked]
Language: French (Français) 
Églantine, aubépine, 
Rouge, rouge, rouge et blanc. 
Glycine, 
L’oiseau vole en chantant. 
Églantine, aubépine, 
Bouge, bouge, bouge et vlan ! 
Glycine, 
L’oiseau vole en chantant. 
Et vlan, vlan, vlan !

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by Robert Desnos (1900 - 1945)
4. The Dog Rose, the Hawthorn and the Wisteria
Language: English 
Dog rose, hawthorn,
Red, red, red and white.
Wisteria,
The bird flies, singing.
Dog rose, hawthorn,
Move, move, move and wham!
Wisteria,
The bird flies, singing.
And wham, wham, wham!

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: this translation represents the literal sense of the French words, but the real effect of the poem comes from its sounds rather than its meaning.

This text was added to the website: 2026-07-01
Line count: 9
Word count: 30

Translation © by Grant Hicks
5. La tortue  [sung text not yet checked]
Language: French (Français) 
Je suis tortue et je suis belle,
Il ne me manque que des ailes
Pour imiter les hirondelles,
Que ? Que ? 

Mon élégant corset d’écailles
Sans boutons, sans vernis, ni mailles
Est exactement à ma taille.
Ni ? Ni ?

Je suis tortue et non bossue,
Je suis tortue et non cossue,
Je suis tortue et non déçue,
Eh ? Non ?

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by Robert Desnos (1900 - 1945)
5. The Tortoise
Language: English 
I am a tortoise and I am beautiful,
I lack but wings
To imitate the swallows,
But? But?

My elegant corset of scales
With neither buttons nor varnish nor stitches,
Is exactly my size.
Nor? Nor?

I am a tortoise and no hunchback,
I am a tortoise and no moneybags,
I am a tortoise and no malcontent,
And? No?

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: 2026-07-02
Line count: 12
Word count: 59

Translation © by Grant Hicks
6. La rose  [sung text not yet checked]
Language: French (Français) 
Rose rose, rose blanche,
Rose thé,
J’ai cueilli la rose en branche
Au soleil de l’été
Rose blanche, rose rose,
Rose d’or,
J’ai cueilli la rose éclose
Et son parfum m’endort.

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by Robert Desnos (1900 - 1945)
6. The Rose
Language: English 
Pink rose, white rose, 
Tea rose, 
I've picked the rose on its stem
In the summer sun.
White rose, pink rose, 
Golden rose, 
I've picked the rose in bloom 
And its perfume puts me to sleep.

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: 2026-07-02
Line count: 8
Word count: 36

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
8. L'angélique  [sung text not yet checked]
Language: French (Français) 
Ravissante angélique
La mésange a chanté,
Disant dans sa musique
La douceur de l’été.
Angélique du soir,
Mésange des beaux jours,
Angélique d’espoir,
Angélique d’amour.

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by Robert Desnos (1900 - 1945)
8. The Angelica
Language: English 
Delightful Angelica
The titmouse has sung, 
Telling in its music 
The sweetness of Summer. 
Angelica of the evening, 
Titmouse of beautiful days, 
Angelica of hope, 
Angelica of love.

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: 2026-07-02
Line count: 8
Word count: 28

Translation © by Grant Hicks
9. Le papillon  [sung text not yet checked]
Language: French (Français) 
Trois cents millions de papillons
Sont arrivés à Châtillon
Afin d’y boire du bouillon,
Châtillon-sur-Loire,
Châtillon-sur-Marne,
Châtillon-sur-Seine.

Plaignez les gens de Châtillon !
Ils n’ont plus d’yeux dans leur bouillon
Mais des millions de papillons.
Châtillon-sur-Seine,
Châtillon-sur-Marne,
Châtillon-sur-Loire.

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by Robert Desnos (1900 - 1945)
9. The Butterfly
Language: English 
Three hundred million butterflies 
Have come to Châtillon
There to drink bouillon,
Châtillon-sur-Loire,
Châtillon-sur-Marne,
Châtillon-sur-Seine.

Pity the people of Châtillon!
They no longer have fat floating in their bouillon 
But millions of butterflies.
Châtillon-sur-Seine,
Châtillon-sur-Marne,
Châtillon-sur-Loire.

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: 2026-07-02
Line count: 12
Word count: 36

Translation © by Grant Hicks