by
Jean Richepin (1849 - 1926)
Les Petiots
Language: French (Français)
Ouvrez la porte
Aux petiots qui ont bien froid.
Les petiots claquent des dents.
Ohé ! ils vous écoutent !
S’il fait chaud là-dedans,
Bonnes gens,
Il fait froid sur la route.
Ouvrez la porte
Aux petiots qui ont bien faim.
Les petiots claquent des dents.
Ohé ! il faut qu’ils entrent !
Vous mangez là-dedans,
Bonnes gens,
Eux n’ont rien dans le ventre.
Ouvrez la porte
Aux petiots qui ont sommeil.
Les petiots claquent des dents.
Ohé ! leur faut la grange !
Vous dormez là-dedans,
Bonnes gens,
Eux, les yeux leur démangent.
Ouvrez la porte
Aux petiots qu’ont un briquet.
Les petiots grincent des dents.
Ohé ! les durs d’oreille !
Nous verrons là-dedans,
Bonnes gens,
Si le feu vous réveille !
Confirmed with Jean Richepin, La Chanson des gueux, Maurice Dreyfous, 1881, pages 8-9.
Note provided by Laura Prichard for stanza 4, line 2: qu’ont is an improper contration of qui ont, as “qui” is not usually elided.
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):
- by César Antonovich Cui (1835 - 1918), "Les Petiots", op. 44 no. 3 [ voice and piano ], from Vingt Poèmes de Jean Richepin, no. 3, Éd. "Au Menestrel" Henri Heugel [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Ernest Moret (1871 - 1949), "Les Petiots", published 1908 [ high voice and piano ], from Vingt mélodies, 2ème volume, no. 7, Paris, Éd. Heugel [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Laura Prichard) , "The little ones", copyright © 2023, (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: 28
Word count: 116
The little ones
Language: English after the French (Français)
Open the door
To the little ones who are cold.
The little ones’ teeth chatter.
Hey! They listen to you!
If it’s warm inside,
Good people, [open the door]
Because it’s cold on the road.
Open the door
To the little ones who are hungry.
The little ones’ teeth chatter.
Hey! They need to come in!
If there’s food in there,
Good people, [open the door]
They have nothing in their bellies.
Open the door
To the little ones who are sleepy.
The little ones’ teeth chatter.
Hey! They need to get into the barn!
If one can sleep in there,
Good people, [open the door]
They are rubbing their eyes.
Open the door
To the little ones who have a light.
The little ones’ gnash their teeth.
Hey! Are you hard of hearing!
We want to see whether,
Good people,
The fire will wake you up again!
Text Authorship:
- Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2023 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.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
This text was added to the website: 2023-10-17
Line count: 28
Word count: 148