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by Henri Cazalis (1840 - 1909), as Jean Lahor

Charmeuse de Serpents
Language: French (Français) 
Our translations:  ENG
A petits pas, à pas très lents,
Va la charmeuse de serpents,
Vers leurs corps souples et rampants.

Elle chante et sourit tranquille,
Tandis qu'à ses pieds un reptile
A dardé sa langue subtile.

Est-ce avec ses yeux ou sa voix
Qu'elle sait ainsi chaque fois
Les attirer du fond des bois ?

Deux serpents aux bras, la charmeuse
Sous leur caresse paresseuse
Tressaille et rêve langoureuse.

Elle tient fermés ses yeux lourds,
Et rêve à de fauves amours,
A des corps enlacés toujours,

Et soudain farouche, extatique,
Ainsi qu'une prêtresse antique,
Danse, en sifflant un chant mystique.

Confirmed with Jean Lahor, L'Illusion, Troisième Édition, Paris, Alphonse Lemerre, 1893, pages 73-74.


Text Authorship:

  • by Henri Cazalis (1840 - 1909), as Jean Lahor, "Charmeuse de serpents", appears in L'Illusion, in 1. Chants de l'Amour et de la Mort, Paris, Éd. Alphonse Lemerre, first published 1875 [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 Charles Lefebvre (1843 - 1917), "Charmeuse de Serpents", published [1900] [ high voice and piano ], from Vingt Mélodies en trois volumes, no. 9, Paris, Éd. A. Noël [sung text not yet checked]

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

  • ENG English (Grant Hicks) , "Snake Charmer", copyright © 2025, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Researcher for this page: Grant Hicks [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2025-05-17
Line count: 18
Word count: 97

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