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Un jour un coq détourna Une perle, qu'il donna Au beau premier lapidaire. Je la crois fine, dit-il ; Mais le moindre grain de mil Serait bien mieux mon affaire. Un ignorant hérita D'un manuscrit qu'il porta Chez son voisin le libraire. Je crois, dit-il, qu'il est bon ; Mais le moindre ducaton Serait bien mieux mon affaire.
Text Authorship:
- by Jean de La Fontaine (1621 - 1695), "Le coq et la perle", written 1668, appears in Fables [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 Melchior Alexandre Bruneau (1823 - 1898), "Le coq et la perle", op. 377 no. 17 (1879) [ medium voice and piano or harmonium ], from 25 fables de La Fontaine, no. 17 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Marie-Madeleine Duruflé-Chevalier (1921 - 1999), "Le Coq et la perle", published 1962 [ women's chorus ], from Six Fables de La Fontaine pour chœur à deux ou trois voix de femmes sans accompagnement, no. 2, Éd. Durand [sung text not yet checked]
- by Noël Gallon (1891 - 1966), "Le coq et la perle", published 1933 [ vocal trio or chorus a cappella ], Paris, Éd. Durand [sung text not yet checked]
- by Philippe Mazé (b. 1954), "Le coq et la perle", 2009, published 2016 [ medium voice and piano ], from 9 Fables de Jean de La Fontaine pour une voix et piano, no. 5, Clichy, Éd. Musicales Artchipel [sung text not yet checked]
- by Tiarko Richepin (1884 - 1973), "Le Coq et la perle", 1939, published 1939 [ baritone and piano ], from Fables de La Fontaine, no. 2, Éd. Choudens [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Grant Hicks) , "The Cock and the Pearl", copyright © 2025, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2015-04-13
Line count: 12
Word count: 56
One day a cock turned up A pearl, which he at once gave To the nearest fine gem-cutter. "I think it's exquisite," he said, "But the smallest grain of millet Would suit my needs much better." An unschooled heir received A manuscript that he took To his neighbor the bookseller. "I think it's very nice," he said, "But the smallest silver ducat Would suit my needs much better."
Text Authorship:
- Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2025 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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Based on:
- a text in French (Français) by Jean de La Fontaine (1621 - 1695), "Le coq et la perle", written 1668, appears in Fables
This text was added to the website: 2025-09-08
Line count: 12
Word count: 68