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by Pierre-Jules-Théophile Gautier (1811 - 1872)
Translation © by Michael P Rosewall
Tous les jours, écartant les roseaux et...
Language: French (Français)
Available translation(s): ENG
Tous les jours, écartant les roseaux et les branches, Près du fleuve où j'habite un pêcheur vient s'asseoir -- Car sous l'onde il a vu glisser des formes blanches -- Et reste là, rêveur, du matin jusqu'au soir. L'air frémit, l'eau soupire et semble avoir une âme, Un œil bleu s'ouvre et brille au cœur des nénuphars, Un poisson se transforme et prend un corps de femme, Et des bras amoureux, et de charmants regards. « Pêcheur, suis-moi ; je t'aime. Tu seras roi des eaux, Avec un diadème D'iris et de roseaux ! « Perçant, sous l'eau dormante, Des joncs la verte mante, Auprès de ton amante Plonge sans t'effrayer : « À l'autel de rocailles, Prêt pour nos fiançailles, Un prêtre à mains d'écailles Viendra nous marier. « Pêcheur, suis-moi ; je t'aime. Tu seras roi des eaux, Avec un diadème D'iris et de roseaux ! » Et déjà le pêcheur a mis le pied dans l'onde Pour suivre le fantôme au regard fascinant : L'eau murmure, bouillonne et devient plus profonde, Et sur lui se ferme en tournant... « De ma bouche bleuâtre, Viens, je veux t'embrasser, Et de mes bras d'albâtre T'enlacer, Te bercer, Te presser ! « Sous les eaux, de sa flamme L'amour sait m'embraser. Je veux, buvant ton âme, D'un baiser M'apaiser, T'épuiser !... »
About the headline (FAQ)
Authorship:
- by Pierre-Jules-Théophile Gautier (1811 - 1872), "L'Ondine et le Pêcheur", written 1841, appears in Poésies diverses, poésies nouvelles et inédites, poésies posthumes, in Poésies diverses 1838-1845 [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 Anonymous/Unidentified Artist , as Vicomte de W., "L'Ondine et le Pêcheur", published 1860 [ high voice and piano ], Paris, Flaxland [sung text not yet checked]
- by François Emmanuel Joseph Bazin (1816 - 1878), "L'Ondine et le Pêcheur", 1841 [ soprano and piano ], Éd. S. Richault [sung text not yet checked]
- by Pierre (Onfroy) de Bréville (1861 - 1949), "L'Ondine et le Pêcheur", 1884 [ soprano and orchestra ] [sung text not yet checked]
- possibly by Émile Louis Victor Mathieu (1844 - 1932) and by Jenny Cogen-Van Rysselberghe (1879 - 1966), "L'Ondine et le Pêcheur", 1903 [ mezzo-soprano or soprano and piano or orchestra ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by R. Cottier , "L'Ondine et le Pêcheur", published 1876 [ mezzo-soprano or soprano and piano ], Paris, Minier [sung text not yet checked]
- by Paul Abraham Dukas (1865 - 1935), "L'Ondine et le Pêcheur", 1884 [ soprano and orchestra ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Émile Filliaux , "L'Ondine et le Pêcheur", published 1885 [ medium voice and piano ], Nice, E. Filliaux [sung text not yet checked]
- by Vincent d'Indy (1851 - 1931), "L'Ondine et le Pêcheur", mentioned in Charles de Lovenjoul's Bibliographie et littérature, possibly an error [sung text not yet checked]
- by Paul Xavier Désiré, Marquis Richard d'Ivry (1829 - 1903), "L'Ondine et le Pêcheur", published 185-? [ voice and piano ], Paris, E. Heu [sung text not yet checked]
- by Léon Charles François Kreutzer (1817 - 1868), "L'Ondine et le Pêcheur", published 1847 [ soprano and piano ], from 26 mélodies pour chant et piano, no. 17, Paris, Richault [sung text not yet checked]
- by Louis (Trouillon) Lacombe (1818 - 1884), "L'Ondine et le Pêcheur", op. 39 no. 1, first performed 1847 [ tenor or soprano and orchestra or piano ], Paris, Éd. Richault [sung text not yet checked]
- by Paul-Jean-Jacques Lacôme d'Estalenx (1838 - 1920), "L'Ondine", published 1866 [ high voice, piano, and violoncello ], from Trois Lieder avec accompagnement obligé de piano et de violoncelle ou violon, no. 3, Paris, Heugel [sung text not yet checked]
- by Edmond Michotte (1831 - 1914), "L'Ondine et le Pêcheur", published 1879 [ high voice and piano ], Bruxelles, Schott [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Dr Michael P. Rosewall) , copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Peter Low) , copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2013-03-09
Line count: 40
Word count: 220
Every day, where the reeds and branches...
Language: English after the French (Français)
Every day, where the reeds and branches spread, By a river near where I live, a fisherman comes to sit – For there, beneath the waves, he has seen pale shapes – And there, the dreamer remains from morning until evening. The air trembles, the water sighs and appears to be alive [have a soul], A blue eye opens and sparkles in the heart of a water lily, A fish is transfigured and takes on the form of a woman, With lovely arms and a charming appearance. “Fisherman, come with me: I love you. You will be king of the waters, With a crown Of iris and reeds! “Penetrate, beneath the still water, Like the darting of a green mantis; Following your beloved, Dive in without fear: “At an altar in the shoals, Made ready for our wedding vows, A priest with scaled hands Arrives in order to marry us. “Fisherman, come with me: I love you. You will be king of the waters, With a crown Of iris and reeds!” And as the fisherman put his foot in the wave To follow the beguiling apparition: The water began to murmur, to froth and to deepen, And to close upon him in a whirl… “With my pale blue lips, Come, I want to kiss you, And with my alabaster arms To enfold you, To cradle you, To squeeze you! “Beneath the waters, with the flame of his Passion, my love knows how to warm me. I want, intoxicated by your soul, A kiss To gratify me, Exhaust yourself!...”
About the headline (FAQ)
Translation of the title "L'Ondine et le Pêcheur" = "The Undine and the Fisherman"Authorship:
- Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2022 by Michael P Rosewall, (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 Pierre-Jules-Théophile Gautier (1811 - 1872), "L'Ondine et le Pêcheur", written 1841, appears in Poésies diverses, poésies nouvelles et inédites, poésies posthumes, in Poésies diverses 1838-1845
This text was added to the website: 2022-09-05
Line count: 40
Word count: 258