The White Friar (LOU PERO BLANC), Provençal song by Damase Arbaud (Chants populaires de la Provence, 1862)

Song no. 33 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

Dins Paris l'y a 'n Pero blanc, (') Patalin, patatan, tarabin, taraban, Dins Paris l'y a 'n Pero blanc oo Que confess' uno moungeto, ' Trin, trio, trin, dins soun jardin, Que counfess' uno moungeto. Mai tout en la counfessant, Palatin. . . .. : Mai tout en la counfessant : Voudriatz estre ma mestresso %. . . .. La mounget' a respoundut : Lou foudra dir". à moun pero. . . .. Se lou Pero blanc s'en vai Trouvar lou per' de la filho:. . . .. Digo douuc, riche marchand, Me dounaries ta filheto?. . . .. Lou marchand li a respoundut : Es enca' trop jouvenelo. . . .. Se lou Pero blanc s'en vai, S'en vai dire la grand messo, . . .. Toutes les mots que disie : Alleluia | par ma mestresso. . . .. Lou clerzoun li a respoundut : Aco n'es pas dins Ja messo. . . .. Teiso-te, pichot gabian, Patalin, patalan, tarabin, taraban, (*) Teiso-te, pichot gabian, Se l'y es pas, lou l'y fau mettre, Trio, trio, trin, dins lou jardin, Se l'y es pas, lou l'y fau mettre.

English translation of the full text forthcoming.

Notes

A satirical, ribald song about a friar, the White Father, who, while pretending to hear a young nun's confession, declares his love for her. She refers him to her father, a rich merchant who refuses to marry her off so young. The nonsense refrain "Patalin, patatan, tarabin, taraban" punctuates every verse. Arbaud gives the piece no printed title, identifying it only by its opening line.

Notable words

Provençal	French
moungeto	petite religieuse, nonnette
mestresso	maîtresse, bien-aimée
filheto	petite fille, fillette
jouvenelo	trop jeune
clerzoun	petit clerc
gabian	goéland, employé ici en surnom moqueur

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