About Me

French Instructor at the U of Minnesota,

French PhD candidate

A.A.S in Paralegal Studies

B.A. in English

Freelance Translator & Web-Designer

Full-time daddy/husband

Strong believer in the integration of technology in education.

L’Oiseau Sauvage

By prof_frenchtastic, on July 25, 2009, at 11:19 am | Leave a comment | 82 views
L’OISEAU SAUVAGE

This poem by female French writer Louisa Paulin [1888-1944] is about an unsuspecting and inexperienced wild little bird who is thirsty for adventures. He pleads with his father for permission to visit the countryside, but his more cautious father begs him in return not to leave the nest because of the many dangers the little bird will encounter outside. Will the father convince him to stay? That’s what you are about to discover in this nice poem, which I have the pleasure to read to you.

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L’Oiseau sauvage

Ils te prendront, petit oiseau sauvage.
–Père, mon père, je veux voir du pays.
Ils te prendront, petit oiseau sauvage.
–Père, mon père, je reste au bord du nid.

Ils te prendront, petit oiseau sauvage.
–Père, mon père, notre arbre est trop petit.
Ils te prendront, petit oiseau sauvage.
–Père, mon père, je reste auprès du nid.

Ils te prendront, petit oiseau sauvage.
–Père, mon père, je vole près d’ici.
Ils te prendront, petit oiseau sauvage.
–Père, mon père, je vois encor le nid.

Ils te prendront, petit oiseau sauvage.
–Père, mon père, que le monde est joli !
Ils te prendront, petit oiseau sauvage.
–Père, mon père, ô mon père, ils m’ont pris !

Louisa PAULIN, Rythmes et cadences
© 1947 Editions du Languedoc

 They will take you (away), wild little bird.
–Father, my father, I want to see some country.
They will take you (away), wild little bird.
–Father, my father, I remain by the nest.

They will take you (away), wild little bird.
–Father, my father, our tree is too small.
They will take you (away), wild little bird.
—-Father, my father, I remain by the nest.

They will take you (away), wild little bird.
–Father, my father, I fly nearby.
They will take you (away), wild little bird.
–Father, my father, I can still see the nest.

They will take you (away), wild little bird.
–Father, my father, what a beautiful world.
They will take you (away), wild little bird.
–Father, my father, ô my father, they took me away !

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July 25th, 2009 | Category: | Leave a comment | 82 views

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