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Provençal song

The Rose of May

In Provençal: LA ROSO DE MAI

Song no. 45 Damase Arbaud, 1862

Song no. 45 from the collection Chants populaires de la Provence by Damase Arbaud (1814-1876), published in 1862. Public domain. The text follows Arbaud's own spelling, which predates the Félibrige standard, and is reproduced unchanged.

Text

La roso de mai Es pa 'nca 'spandido À qu la dounarai A Thereso ma mio, Point de roso, Point de flours, Belo filho reviratz-vous. Aquelo qu'a lou bout de caire Que li va tant ben, Que soun caregnaire N'i a fach present, Quand s'en v' à la messo Sembl' uno princesso, Quand s'en v' à Touloun Sembl' un pastissoun.

English translation of the full text forthcoming.

Notes

A courting round built on the motif of the May rose, promised to a girl named Thérèse while it is not yet in bloom. The second verse compares the adorned girl to a princess when she goes to mass, and to a vain little miss when she goes to Toulon. Arbaud notes he received this piece from M. Letuaire.

Notable words

ProvençalFrench
rosorose
spandidoépanouie
filhofille
caregnaireamoureux, prétendant
pastissounpetite mijaurée, pimbêche (figuré)

Glosses are given in French, as delivered by our lexicographic source; an English gloss is not yet available for these words.

Source: Damase Arbaud, Chants populaires de la Provence, 1862, song no. 45. Public domain. Digitization: https://archive.org/details/chantspopulaire00arbagoog. Transcription and formatting by Lingua Nostra.