by Alphonse Daudet (1840 - 1897)
Translation Singable translation by Samuel Byrne (flourished 1889)

Les prunes
Language: French (Français) 
Si vous voulez savoir comment
Nous nous aimâmes pour des prunes,
Je vous le dirai doucement,
Si vous voulez savoir comment.
L'amour vient toujours en dormant,
Chez les bruns comme chez les brunes;
En quelques mots voici comment
Nous nous aimâmes pour des prunes.

Mon oncle avait un grand verger,
Et moi, j'avais une cousine;
Nous nous aimions sans y songer.
Mon oncle avait un grand verger.
Les oiseaux venaient y manger.
Le printemps faisait leur cuisine.
Mon oncle avait un grand verger,
Et moi, j'avais une cousine.

Un matin nous nous promenions
Dans le verger, avec Mariette,
Tout gentils, tout frais, tout mignons.
Un matin nous nous promenions.
Les cigales et les grillons
Nous fredonnaient une ariette:
Un matin nous nous promenions
Dans le verger, avec Mariette.

De tous côtés, d'ici, de là
Les oiseaux chantaient dans les branches,
En si bémol, en ut, en la,
De tous côtés, d'ici, de là,
Les prés en habit de gala,
Étaient pleins de fleurettes blanches.
De tous côtés, d'ici, de là
Les oiseaux chantaient dans les branches.

Arrivée au fond du verger,
Ma cousine lorgne les prunes;
Et la gourmande en veut manger,
Arrivée au fond du verger.
L'arbre est bas; sans se déranger
Elle en fait tomber quelques unes:
Arrivée au fond du verger,
Ma cousine lorgne les prunes.

Elle en prend une, elle la mord,
Et me l'ofrant: "Tiens" me dit-elle.
Mon pauvre coeur battait si fort;
Elle en prend une, elle la mord.
Ses petites dents sur le bord
Avaient fait des points de dentelle...
Elle en prend une, elle la mord,
Et me l'ofrant: "Tiens" me dit-elle.

Ce fut tout, mais ce fut assez;
Ce seul fruit disait bien des choses;
(Si j'avais su ce que je sais!)
Ce fut tout, mais ce fut assez.
Je mordis, comme vous pensez,
Sur la trace des lèvres roses:
Ce fut tout, mais ce fut assez;
Ce seul fruit disait bien des choses.

Oui, Mesdames, voilà comment
Nous nous aimâmes pour des prunes:
N'allez pas l'entendre autrement.
Oui, mesdames, voilà comment.
Si parmi vous pourtant, d'aucunes
Le comprenaient différemment,
Ma foi, tant pis! voilà comment
Nous nous aimâmes pour des prunes.

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):

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

  • ENG English [singable] (Samuel Byrne) , "All through plums"


Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 64
Word count: 361

All through plums
Language: English  after the French (Français) 
If you would like to know just why
We loved each other all thro' plums,
I'll tell you how it came about,
If you would like to know just why.
Love always comes while we're asleep,
If we're dark and of either sex!
In two or three words this is how
We fell in love all about plums!

A fine big orchard uncle had,
And I had well, a cousin sweet!
We loved each other unawares.
A fine big orchard uncle had.
And the birds all went there to eat.
For the spring there prepared their meals.
A fine big orchard uncle had,
And I had well, a cousin sweet!

One fine morn we went for a walk
In the orchard with fair Mariette,
All loving and gay and refreshed.
One fine morn we went for a walk.
The cricket and his little friends
Expressly hummed a hymn for us;
One fine morning we sauntered forth
In the orchard with fair Mariette.

On ev'ry side, from here and there,
The birds were singing on the branches,
In ev'ry note upon the scale.
On ev'ry side, from here and there,
The fields in holiday attire,
Were bedecked with buttercups.
On ev'ry side, from here and there,
The birds were singing on the branches.

After we reached the orchard wall,
My cousin glanced up at the plums
And some of them she'd like to eat,
After we reached the orchard wall.
The plumtree, which was low, she shook,
Letting fall just a few of them,
After we reached the orchard wall,
My cousin glanced up at the plums.

She picked up one, and took a bit,
And off'ring me: "Take it", she said.
Surprised, my heart went beating fast,
She picked up one, and took a bit.
Her little white teeth on the edge
Had made marks just like dainty point-lace;
She picked up one, and took a bit,
And off'ring me: "Take it", she said.

That was all, but it was enough;
That small fruit told me lots of secrets;
(oh, had I known that which I know!)
That was all, but it was enough.
I bit it, as you may believe,
In the marks of her ruby lips:
That was all, but it was enough;
That small fruit told me lots of secrets.

Yes, ladies, thus it came about.
We loved each other all through plums:
Do not think it was otherwise.
Yes, ladies, thus it came about.
If in your midst there may be some
Who have understood a diff'rent way,
So much the worse! For that was how
We loved each other all through plums.

From the Lavigne score.

Text Authorship:

Based on:

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

    [ None yet in the database ]


Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 64
Word count: 437