La chasse aux papillons

La chasse aux papillons

Brassens is usually pessimistic about the permanence of human love but in this merry, bawdy song he suggests that extreme sexual passion is able to weld a couple together, fate willing, in a happy, lasting union.

Un bon petit diable à la fleur de l'âge, La jambe légère et l'oeil polisson, Et la bouche plein' de joyeux ramages, Allait à la chasse aux papillons. Comme il atteignait l'orée du village, Filant sa quenouille,(1) il vit Cendrillon,(2) Il lui dit : « Bonjour, que Dieu te ménage, J' t'emmène à la chasse aux papillons.» Cendrillon, ravie de quitter sa cage(3) Met sa robe neuve et ses botillons ; Et bras d'ssus bras d'ssous vers les frais bocages Ils vont à la chasse aux papillons. Ils ne savaient pas que sous les ombrages, Se cachait l'amour et son aiguillon,(4) Et qu'il transperçait les coeurs de leur âge, Les coeurs des chasseurs de papillons. Quand il se fit tendre, ell' lui dit : « J' présage Qu' c'est pas dans les plis de mon cotillon, Ni dans l'échancrure de mon corsage, Qu'on va-t-à la chasse aux papillons. » Sur sa bouche en feu qui criait : « Sois sage ! » Il posa sa bouche en guis' de bâillon, Et c' fut l' plus charmant des remue-ménage Qu'on ait vus d' mémoire de papillon.(5) Un volcan dans l'âme, i' r'vinr'nt au village, En se promettant d'aller des millions, Des milliards de fois, et mêm' davantage, Ensemble à la chasse aux papillons. Mais tant qu'ils s'aim'ront, tant que les nuages Porteurs de chagrins les épargneront, Il' f'ra bon voler dans les frais bocages, I' f'ront pas la chasse aux papillons..  Georges Brassens (1953 - La mauvaise réputation)

A right little devil in the prime of his life Nimble of limb and mischief in his eye And mouth replete with the merriest of banter Was off on the chase of the butterflies. As he was approaching the edge of the village Threading her distaff, he saw Cind’rella He said to her « Good day, may the Good Lord keep thee. I’m taking thee to chase the butterflies" Cind’rella, delighted to escape her cage Puts on her new dress and her new bootees And arms linked together, to the cool, leafy groves, They go off on the chase of butterflies. They did know that under the thick foliage Cupid was hiding with his goading spear And that he was wont to target hearts when young like theirs The hearts of the hunters of butterflies. When he grew romantic, she said to him: « I sense It’s not in the folds of my petticoat, Neither down the front of the bodice of my dress, That you go on the hunt for butterflies » Upon her mouth on fire which cried out « Behave now !» He placed his mouth to gag her further words And it turned into the most charming of frolics Seen in the memory of butterfly. Volcanos in their hearts they made their way back home Pledging to each other to go, millions, Nay, billions of times and even more than that, Off together in chase of butterflies While they love each other, as long as the dark clouds Bearers of life’s woes show mercy on them It will be nice to fly to cool and leafy groves. They won’t be chasing any butterflies….

TRANSLATION NOTES

1)      sa quenouille  - Her distaff, which is a tool used in spinning. It is designed to hold the unspun fibres, keeping them untangled (Wikipedia).

2)      Cendrillon is Cinderella.  Stories of a girl that goes from rags to riches date back to antiquity.  The great French writer, Charles Perrault (1628- 1703), who transcribed traditional tales wrote the story:  Cendrillon ou la Petite Pantoufle de verre . (Below) Cinderella runs from the ball at midnight.  An illustration from the French story drawn  by Elena Ringo

3)      Sa cage –No doubt a reference to her virtual imprisonment by the ugly sisters.

4)      Un aiguillon is a goad, which is a metal point on a long pole used to prick cattle to encourage them to move in the direction required. Cupid’s usual weapon would be an arrow or a dart. “ Cupid’s darts” translates into French: les flèches de Cupidon. On this occasion Cupid seems to be using an extreme weapon to exert extra stimulus to the lovers.

5)      “In the memory of man/ In living memory” translates “De mémoire d’homme” hence this little joke, the butterflies being the only spectators.

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