Pelot from Hennebont

Click to see the original lyrics (French)

My dear mummy I write to you

To say we have entered Paris

That I are already corporal

And will be soon general.

At the battle I fought

The enemies of the nation

And all who showed themselves

With great saber lashes pruned them.

King Louis have called me

"No-Quarter", the name he called me.

But "No-Quarter" is no name of mine,

Said t'him : "I'm call'd Pelot from Hennebont !"

There got I a pr'tty ribbon

And a know-not-what that tastes like silver.

He said t'me : "Put this on your coat

And always fight the enemy."

That must be som'thing precious

'cause the others call me "Sir"

And chuck their hand on to their hatties

When they want t'speak t'the Pelot.

My mother if I die fighting

I'll send this pretty ribbon

And you'll put it t'your spindle

In memory of the lad Pelot.

Tell my father, my cousin,

My friends, that I am fine.

I am their humble servant,

Pelot who kisses your heart.

Thanks! ❤
thanked 26 times

Submitted by

Tybalt on 2015-01-01

Author's comments:

The original French lyrics include many archaisms that would be mistakes in present day language :
A frequent device is the use of a plural verbal form in place of the singular ("je sommes" instead of "je suis" : I translated by "I are" ; "je combattions" instead of "je combattais", which I couldn't translate with an equivalent solecism in English ; "ceux qui se présentiont" instead of "se présentaient", "les émondions" instead of "les émondais", and so on).
Another caracteristic is the alteration of some syllables and vowels, like in : "biau ruban" instead of "beau ruban" (an alteration I didn't convey in the translation), "fusiau" instead of "fuseau", or "lou main à lou chapiau" instead of "leur main à leur chapeau" (their hand to their hat").
The lyrics also include deliberately erroneous liaisons, a very frequent comic device in French, like in : "m'a z'appelé" instead of "m'a appelé" (there should be no liaison since "m'a" is not finished by an "s").

Original lyrics