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Volez vous que je vous chant Un son d'amors avenant? Vilain ne.l fist mie, Ainz le fist un chevalier Souz l'onbre d'un olivier Entre les braz s'amie. Chemisete avoit de lin Et blanc peliçon hermin Et blïaut de soie, Chauces ot de jaglolai Et sollers de flors de mai, Estroitement chauçade. Çainturete avoit de fueille Qui verdist quant li tens mueille ; D'or ert boutonade. L'aumosniere estoit d'amor, Li pendant furent de flor : Par amors fut donade. Si chevauchoit une mule ; D'argent ert la ferreüre, La sele ert dorade ; Seur la crope par derrier Avoit planté trois rosiers Por fere li honbrage. Si s'en vet aval la pree ; Chevaliers l'ont encontree, Biau l'ont saluade : "Bele, dont estes vous nee?" "De France sui, la löee, Du plus haut parage. "Li rossignous est mon pere Qui chante seur la ramee El plus haut boscage; La seraine, ele est ma mere Qui chante en la mer salee El plus haut rivage." "Bele, bon fussiez vous nee, Bien estes enparentee Et de haut parage ; Pleüst a Dieu nostre pere Que vous me fussiez donee A fame espousade."
About the headline (FAQ)
Confirmed with Samuel N. Rosenberg, Margaret Switten, and Gérard Le Vot, Songs of the Troubadours and Trouveres: An Anthology of Poems and Melodies, New York: Taylor & Francis, 2013, Page 196.
Text as set by Tiersot:
Voulez-vous que je vous chant' Un son d'amour avenant ? Vilains nel fit mie, Ains le fit un chevalier Sous l'ombre d'un olivier Entr' les bras sa mie. Chemisette avait de lin Et blanc pelisson d'hermin Et bliaut de soie. Chauces eut de jaglolai Et solers de fleurs de mai, Estroit(e)ment chauçade. Ceinturette avait de fueil Qui verdit quand le temps mueil, D'or ert boutonade ; L'aumosnière était d'amour, Li pendant furent de fleur, Par amour fut donade. Et chevauchoit une mule; D'argent ert la ferreüre, La selle ert dorade : Sus la croupe par derriers Avait planté trois rosiers Pour fair(e) ci ombrage. Si s'en vet aval la prée : Chevaliers l'ont encontrée, Biau l'ont saluade. « Bele, dont estes vous née ? De France sui la loée Du plus haut parage. Li rossignox est mon père, Qui chante sur la ramée El plus haut boscage. La seraine ele est ma mère, Qui chante en la mer salée El plus haut rivage. Bele, bon fussiez vous née, Bin estes enparentée Et de haut parage. Pleüst à Deu notre père Que vous me fussiez donée A fame esposade! »
Text Authorship:
- by Anonymous / Unidentified Author, no title, 13th century [author's text checked 2 times 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 Julien Tiersot (1857 - 1936), "La Belle au Rossignol", subtitle: "Romance du XIIIe Siècle" [ medium voice and piano ], from Chants de la vieille France: 20 mélodies et chansons du XIIIè au XVIIIè siècles, no. 1, Éd. 'Au Ménestrel' Heugel, also set in French (Français) [sung text checked 1 time]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in French (Français), a translation by Léon-Émile Petitdidier (1839 - 1927) [an adaptation] ; composed by Julien Tiersot.
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Grant Hicks) , copyright © 2026, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Grant Hicks [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2025-08-12
Line count: 42
Word count: 182
Do you wish me to sing you A delightful song of love? It was not made by a peasant, Rather a knight made it, Under the shade of an olive tree In the arms of his sweetheart. She had a linen bodice And a white ermine coat And a tunic of silk, She had stockings of gladioli And slippers of mayflowers, That fitted her feet snugly. She had a belt of leaves That grew green in wet weather: It had golden buttons. She was love's almoner, Her fanons were of flowers; By love she was given. And she rode a she-mule; Of silver were its shoes, Its saddle was gilded; Behind, on its rump, She had planted three rosebushes To furnish her with shade. And she went off to the meadow; Some knights encountered her, They greeted her pleasantly: "Fair maid, where were you born?" "I am from France, the renowned, Of the highest birth. "The nightingale is my father Who sings on the branches In the highest grove; The siren is my mother, Who sings in the salty sea On the highest shore." "Fair maid, you were well-born, You are of good family And of high birth; Would to God our father That you had been given to me As my wedded wife."
About the headline (FAQ)
Translations of titles:
"La Belle au Rossignol" = "The Nightingale's Fair Maid"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from Old French (Ancien français) to English copyright © 2026 by Grant Hicks, (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 Old French (Ancien français) by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist , no title, 13th century
This text was added to the website: 2026-07-25
Line count: 42
Word count: 214