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Dors, mon petit enfant, dors et rêve en silence Au bruit du berceau. Vois-tu, dans le grand chêne òu le vent le balance, Le nid de l'oiseau? Les nids sont des berceaux que les souffles d'orages Font tomber parfois, Et que les loups, la nuit, avec des cris sauvages, Mangent dans les bois. Mais toi, mon bel enfant, dors et rêve en silence Au bruit du berceau. Vois-tu, sur la mer bleue òu le vent le balance, Le petit vaisseau? La barque est un berceau que frappent les tempêtes De leurs fouets d'éclairs, Que de pauvres marins sont mangés par les bêtes Dans le fond des mers! Mais toi, mon bel enfant, dors et rêve en silence, Au bruit du berceau.
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Authorship:
- by Jean-François-Victor Aicard (1848 - 1921), "Chant de nourrice", appears in La chanson de l'enfant, in Aux mères, in 1. Les berceaux, no. 7, Paris, Éd. Georges Chamerot, first published 1884 [author's text not yet checked 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 Hector Michel Fraggi (1882 - 1944), "Chant de nourrice", 1907?, published 1907 [ high voice and piano ], from Trois mélodies, no. 2, Paris, Éd. Maurice Vieu [sung text not yet checked]
- by Vincent d'Indy (1851 - 1931), "Chant de nourrice", op. 102 (1931) [ three-part chorus ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Charles-Gaston Levadé (1869 - 1948), "Berceuse", published 1897 [ voice and piano ], Paris, A. Quinzard et Cie. [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Jules Massenet (1842 - 1912), "Chant de nourrice", published 1905 [ contralto and piano ], Paris, Au Ménestrel, Heugel et Cie éditeurs [sung text not yet checked]
- by Émile Paladilhe (1844 - 1926), "Chant de nourrice", published 1910 [ voice and piano ], from La chanson de l'enfant, no. 4, Paris, Au Ménestrel, Heugel & Cie [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Peter Low) , copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2011-05-03
Line count: 18
Word count: 121
Sleep, my little child, sleep and dream in silence to the sound of the cradle rocking. Can you see the bird's nest being swung by the wind in the tall oak? Nests are cradles that stormy gusts sometimes dislodge, and which, at night, wolves with savage cries devour in the woods. But you, my pretty child, sleep and dream in silence to the sound of the cradle rocking. Can you see the little ship on the blue sea where the wind is swaying it? The boat is a cradle which tempests strike with their whips of lightning. So many poor sailors are eaten by the creatures in the depths of the sea! But you, my pretty child, sleep and dream in silence to the sound of the cradle rocking.
About the headline (FAQ)
Translation of titles
"Chant de nourrice" = "Nanny's song"
"Berceuse" = "Lullaby"
Authorship:
- Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2022 by Peter Low, (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 Jean-François-Victor Aicard (1848 - 1921), "Chant de nourrice", appears in La chanson de l'enfant, in Aux mères, in 1. Les berceaux, no. 7, Paris, Éd. Georges Chamerot, first published 1884
This text was added to the website: 2022-10-31
Line count: 18
Word count: 129