from Volkslieder (Folksongs)
Translation © by Laura Prichard

Pastorale
Language: Occitan 
Our translations:  ENG
"Baïlèro, lèro, lèro!
Pastre, de dèlaï l'aïo!
As pas vist posa lo lèbré qu'onavo mèdré,
Lou bouon entré los combos dé do bon,
Lou coudie entré los combos dé dorriè,
Lou poumpo sú l'esquino,
Lo claù ol tráu,
Lou baïlèro, lèro!
Lèro, lèro, lèro, 
Baïlèro lô!"

"Aï fa maï qué lou béïré
Possa qué l'aï ottropat,
Lou baïlèro, lèro!
Lèro, lèro, lèro, 
Baïlèro lô!"

"Baïlèro, lèro, lèro!
Pastre, de dèlaï l'aïo! 
E du qu'as fat de lo pèl?
De qu'as fat de las oùrilhas?
E qu'as fat de lo quió?
De qu'as fat de tout oquó?
Dió, lou baïlèro, lèro?
Lèro, lèro, lèro, 
Baïlèro lô!"

"De lo pèl n'aï fat un montel!
De las oúrilhas n'ai fat un porel de mithos!

"E de lo quió uno troumpetto!
Sé les mé vouós croumpa
Tè les pourtoraï,
Dió, lou baïlèro, lèro, 
Baïlèro lô!"

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 (Laura Prichard) , copyright © 2016, (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: 31
Word count: 141

Baïlèro, lèro, lèro!
Language: English  after the Occitan 
“Baïlèro, lèro, lèro!
Shepherd, across the water.
Did you see the rabbit going harvesting,
The sickle between his front paws,
The whetstone between his hind paws,
His lunch on his back,			
The key tied to it,
Lou baïlèro, lèro!
Lèro, lèro, lèro, etc.
Baïlèro lô!” 

“I did more than just see him,
I caught him,
Lou baïlèro, lèro!
Lèro, lèro, lèro, etc.
Baïlèro lô!” 

"Baïlèro, lèro, lèro!
Shepherd, across the water.
So what have you made from the hide?
What have you made from the ears?
And what have you made from the tail?
What have you made from the rest of it?
Tell [me], lou baïlèro, lèro?
Lèro, lèro, lèro, etc.
Baïlèro lô!” 

“From the hide, I made a coat!
From the ears, I made a pair of gloves!

And from the tail I made a litttle trumpet!
If you want to buy them from me
I’ll bring them over to you,
Let me know, lou baïlèro, lèro, etc.
Baïlèro lô!”

About the headline (FAQ)

Translator's notes:
Stanza 1, Line 1, passim : This is the typical yodeling refrain of a shepherd’s dialogue common to the Auvergne (in southwest France), sung by characters on opposite sides of a river or gorge.
Stanza 1, Line 6: "lunch" -- "puompo à l’oli" literally means "oil pump" (pompe à l’huile in French), a sweet, airy olive bread from Provence similar to focaccia and brioche, served at Christmas time


Text Authorship:

  • Translation from Occitan to English copyright © 2016 by Laura Prichard, (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: 2016-01-04
Line count: 31
Word count: 162