Provençal song

The Water Joust

In Provençal: La Targo

Song no. 36 Damase Arbaud, 1862

Song no. 36 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

Jugam à la targo Bravis martegaus, Se toumbam dins l'aiguo Si farem pas mau. Es sus la tinthino. . Qu'un marin adrech, Coumo la poulend Deou se tenir dreth. Per plairé ei filhetos Quand anatz targar, Fau de pampalhetos Ben estr" habitlat. Se l'y a d'amoulaire Que vougoun mountar, Lis aurem, pecarie, Ben leou debausssats. Quand es d'attaraires (") Que toumboun soulets, Ei daim de targaires Doou bon rei Rene ; Car poudent va dire Quand lis vis toumbar Manquo pas de rire Li vesent soutar. Mai lis traus dins l'aiguo Si counnouissoun pas: Si bagnoun lis brayos, Lis faran secar. Quand la targ' es lesto Si faut desfrairar. Per gagnar la peço Fau tout debarcar.

English translation of the full text forthcoming.

Notes

A festive song tied to the "targa", the traditional water joust of Provençal ports in which two jousters, each armed with a lance, face off standing on a platform fixed to the stern of a boat, the goal being to knock the opponent into the water. The text addresses the people of Martigues and evokes the jousters of King René, a sovereign remembered in Provence as a patron of popular traditions. Arbaud notes the piece was communicated to him by M. Martini.

Notable words

ProvençalFrench
targotargue, joute nautique
martegaushabitants de Martigues
tinthinotintaine, plateforme du jouteur
pampalhetosrubans, parures
amoulairerival, concurrent
attarairesjouteurs, ceux qui joutent

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. 36. Public domain. Digitization: https://archive.org/details/chantspopulaire00arbagoog. Transcription and formatting by Lingua Nostra.

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