Little shepherdess of Savoy | Little shepherdess of Savoy

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by Anonymous / Unidentified Author

Translation © by David Wyatt

Bergerette savoyenne

Language: French (Français)

Our translations: ENG

« Bergerette Savoyenne
Qui gardez moutons aux praz
Dy-moy si veulx estre myenne
Je te donneray uns soulas.

Je te donneray uns soulas
Et ung petit chaperon;
Dy-moy se tu m'aymeras
Ou par la merande ou non. »

« Je suis la proche voisine
De monsieur le Cura
Et pour chose qu'on me die
Mon vouloir ne changera.

Mon vouloir ne changera
Pour François né Bourgoignon. »
« Par le cor Dé, si fera,
Ou par la merande ou non. »

Text Authorship:

by Anonymous / Unidentified Author [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 Josquin des Prez (c1440 - 1521), "Bergerette savoyenne" [ vocal quartet ] [sung text checked 1 time]

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

ENG English (David Wyatt) , "Little shepherdess of Savoy", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this page: David Wyatt

This text was added to the website: 2012-07-14
Line count: 16
Word count: 81

Little shepherdess of Savoy

Language: English after the French (Français)

"Little shepherdess of Savoy
Who watches the sheep in the meadows
Tell me if you'll be mine,
I'll give you some fun

I'll give you some fun
And a little bonnet;
Tell me if you'll love me
Either near La Merande or not."

"I'm a near neighbour
Of our priest
And whatever you might say to me
My wishes won't change.

My wishes won't change
For Frenchman or Burgundian"
"By God's heart, it will
Either near La Merande or not."

Translator's notes
Stanza 2, line 2: "some fun ... a bonnet" sounds similar to "some shoes ... a bonnet". I've opted for what he means, rather than the more innocent version.
Stanza 2, line 4: now part of Chambéry, Savoie's second city; like note 1 above, there's a second meaning, as the line sounds like "whether it's deserved or not".

Text Authorship:

Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2012 by David Wyatt, (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:

a text in French (Français) by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2012-07-14
Line count: 16
Word count: 80