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Translation © by David Wyatt
Le petit enfant Amour
Language: French (Français) after the French (Français)
Our translations: ENG
Le petit enfant Amour Cueillait des fleurs à l'entour D'une ruche, où les avettes Font leurs petites logettes. Comme il allait les cueillant, Une avette sommeillant Dans le fond d'une fleurette Lui piqua sa main douillette. Sitôt que piqué se vit, « Ah, je suis perdu ! » se dit, Et, s'en courant près de sa mère, Lui montra sa plaie amère ; « Ma mère, voyez ma main, Ce disait Amour, tout plein De pleurs, voyez quelle enflure M'a fait une égratignure ! » Alors Vénus se sourit Et en le baisant le prit, Et sa main lui a soufflée Pour guérir sa plaie enflée. « Qui t'a, dis-moi, faux garçon, Blessé de telle façon ? Sont-ce les Grâces riantes, De leurs aiguilles poignantes ? -- Nenni, c'est un serpenteau, Qui vole au printemps nouveau Avecques deux ailerettes Ça et là sur les fleurettes. -- Ah ! vraiment je le connais, Dit Vénus ; les villageois De la montagne d'Hymette Le surnomment Mélicerte. Si doncques un animal Si petit fait tant de mal, Quand son alène époinçonne La main de quelque personne, Combien fais-tu de douleur, Auprès de lui, dans le cœur De celui en qui tu jettes Tes venimeuses sagettes ? »
About the headline (FAQ)
The text shown is a variant of another text. [ View differences ]
It is based on
- a text in French (Français) by Pierre de Ronsard (1524 - 1585), "L'Amour piqué par une abeille", appears in Odes de 1550, no. 16, Livre IV, first published 1550 [an adaptation]
- a text in Greek (Ελληνικά) by Theocritus (c310 BCE - c250 BCE), "Κηριολεπτησ"
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Gérard Condé (b. 1947), "Le petit enfant Amour", 2009, first performed 2010 [ tenor and piano ], from Marie ! Cinq poèmes de Ronsard, no. 2 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Charles Camille Saint-Saëns (1835 - 1921), "L'amour blessé", 1921, published 1921 [ voice and piano ], from Cinq poèmes de Ronsard, no. 2, Paris: Durand & Cie. [sung text checked 1 time]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in English, a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist [an adaptation] ; composed by Henry Purcell.
- Also set in English, a translation by Andrew Lang (1844 - 1912) , "Idyl XIX", appears in Theocritus, Bion and Moschus ; composed by Granville Ransome Bantock, Sir.
- Also set in French (Français), a translation by Charles-Marie-René Leconte de Lisle (1818 - 1894) , "Le kérioklépte", appears in Idylles de Théocrite et Odes anacréontiques, first published 1861 [an adaptation] ; composed by Albert Roussel.
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (David Wyatt) , "Love wounded", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2014-11-19
Line count: 40
Word count: 194
Love wounded
Language: English after the French (Français)
The little child Love [Cupid] Was picking flowers around A hive, where the bees Make their little homes. As he went picking them A sleepy bee In the heart of a little flower Stung him on his soft little hand. As soon as he felt himself stung He said "Oh, I'm done for!" And running towards [up to] his mother Showed her his painful wound. "Mother, look at my hand" -- So said Love, full Of tears, "look at the swelling That this scratch has given me." Well, Venus smiled to herself And, kissing him, picked him up And blew on his hand To cure the swollen wound. "Who was it, tell me, you naughty boy Who wounded you in such a way? Was it my laughing Graces With their sharp needles?" "No, no, it was a sort of snake Which flies at the start of spring With its two tiny wings Here and there on the flowers." "I knew it really," Said Venus, "The villagers Of Mount Hymettus Call it Honey-Sweet If such a small animal Does so much harm When his sting pricks Someone's hand How much pain do you cause Next to him, in the heart Of the man at whom you shoot Your little poisoned arrows?"
Translator's note: Mount Hymettus is the mountain overlooking Athens, famous for its honey since Aesop's Fables
Text Authorship:
- Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2014 by David Wyatt, (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 Not Applicable [an adaptation]
Based on:
- a text in French (Français) by Pierre de Ronsard (1524 - 1585), "L'Amour piqué par une abeille", appears in Odes de 1550, no. 16, Livre IV, first published 1550 [an adaptation]
Based on:
- a text in Greek (Ελληνικά) by Theocritus (c310 BCE - c250 BCE), "Κηριολεπτησ"
This text was added to the website: 2014-11-19
Line count: 40
Word count: 209