by Robert Desnos (1900 - 1945)
Translation © by Grant Hicks

L'alligator
Language: French (Français) 
Our translations:  ENG
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.

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.

Text Authorship:

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

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

  • ENG English (Grant Hicks) , "The Alligator", copyright © 2026, (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: 12
Word count: 61

The Alligator
Language: English  after the French (Français) 
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.

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.

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: 79