AR PAPER TIMBR
1. Petra nevez 'zo e Breizh?
Trouz ha moged 'zo a-leizh.
2. Marc'h ar Roue, hag eñ kamm,
'Zo houarnet a-nevez-flamm,
3. A ya da gas e Breizh-Izel
Ar Paper Timbr hag ar Siell.
4. C'hwec'h kabiten 'n-deus Roue Frañs,
Tudjentil vras, tud a noblañs,
5. C'hwec'h kabiten 'n-deus ar Roue
Da lakaat war e inkane:
6. Daou war an dibr, daou war ar goug,
Ha daou all tost da benn e chouk!
7. Skañvañ arme 'n-deus Roue Frañs
'Bouezo ket kant lur 'n hon valañs!
8. 'R c'hentañ 'nezhe 'zoug pavilhon
Ha flourdilizenn ar poltron.
9. An eil 'n deus ur c'hleze merglet
Ha na ray droug da zen ebet.
10. An trede 'n deus e c'hentroù plouz (*)
Evit krafignat al loen lous.
11. Ar pevare 'n-deus diw bluenn,
Unan war e dok kabiten,
12. Unan war e dok kabiten
Hag un all e-drek e skouarn.
13. Gant ar pempvet 'mañ 'n drouk-louzou,
Ar Paper-Timbr,ar yalc'h c'houllo,
14. Yalc'h ar Roue, don 'vel ar mor
'Vel an Ifern bepred digor!
15. An diwezhañ, krog 'barzh al lost,
A zo konduer ar marc'h post.
16. Pebezh harnez 'n deus ar Roue!
Pebezh noblañs, pebezh arme!
17. Na pa errujont da gentañ
Gant Paper timbret er vro-mañ
18. E oant kempennet gant truilhou
Ha treut evel ar c'hoazh deliou.
19. O fri 'oa hir, o lagad bras,
O diwjod gwenn ha kazi noazh;
20. O diwac'har a oa bizhier kloued,
Hag o daoulin skoulmou keuned.
21. Met ne oant ket bet pell er vro
Ma oa chenchet hon c'hwec'h aotrou:
22. Chupenn voulouz pasamantet,
Loeroiou seiz, hag i brodet!
23. Pep a gleze troad olifant
'Devoa prenet hon c'hwech krokant.
24. E berr amzer en hon c'hanton
Na chenchet e oa o feson!
25. Bizaj ledan, fri d'ar gwin,
Daoulagad bihan ha lirzhin,
26. Kofou kement hag un donell,
Setu poltred hon c'hwec'h urcher.
27. Evit o dougen da Roazhon
E voe brevet c'hwec'h marc'h limon.
28. Na pa errujuont da gentañ
Gant paper timbret er vro-mañ,
29. Yann KOUER a veve war ar maez,
Dousik ha sioul, en e aez.
30. War-benn ma retornjont d'ar gêr
E oa bet trubuilh 'n hon c'harter,
31. Ker e oa d'hon yilc'hier koustet
Ober kalfetiñ hon paotred!
32. Ma mignoned, nen eo ket faos
Ar pezh a lavar ar re gozh:
33. En amzer an Dugez Annañ
Ne oa ket graet dimp er giz-mañ!
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LA RONDE DU PAPIER TIMBRE
1. Que se passe-t-il en Bretagne?
Que de fumée! De grondements!
2. La rosse du roi, cette cagne
On l'a ferrée, tout récemment.
3. Qu'aux Bretons la bête de somme
Porte sceaux et papier timbré.
4. Ce sont six nobles gentilshommes
Que le roi Louis en a chargés.
5. Oui, pas moins de six capitaines
Chevauchent cette haquenée:
6. Deux sur le cou, deux sur la selle,
Deux autres en croupe. L'armée
7. Sur notre balance est légère!
Moins de cent livres de pesée!
8. Le premier porte l'oriflamme
A fleurs de lys du roi poltron.
9. Le second une piètre lame
Sans danger pour un moucheron.
10. Le troisième écorche la rosse:
De paille sont ses éperons. (*)
11. Et le quatrième a deux plumes:
Sur son couvre-chef élégant
12. De capitaine il en porte une.
A son oreille l'autre pend .
13. Le cinquième, en charge a l'immonde:
Papier timbré, bourse à remplir.
14. Bourse, comme la mer, profonde,
Enfer qui veut tout engloutir.
15. Le dernier, assis tout derrière,
Fait figure de postillon.
16. Admirez le bel équipage!
Que de noblesse ont ces guerriers!
17. Quand ils vinrent dans nos parages
Apporter le papier timbré,
18. Ils étaient vêtus de guenilles,
D'une maigreur à faire peur.
19. Longs nez. Des yeux qui s'écarquillent,
Des joues blanches sans épaisseur,
20. Jambes en lisses de barrière,
Genoux tels des nœuds de fagots!
21. A peine ici, ces pauvres hères
Etaient devenus gras et gros:
22. De beaux pourpoints doublés de moire,
De beaux bas de soie, du velours
23. Des épées à pommeau d'ivoire
Complétaient leurs riches atours.
24. Un court séjour dans la province,
Ils étaient métamorphosés!
25. Nez vineux, visages de princes
Dans leurs petits yeux, la gaieté.
26. Ventre épais comme des barriques:
Tels étaient donc nos six huissiers.
27. Pour les conduire à Rennes vite,
On creva six chevaux de trait.
28. Avant qu'en ces lieux ils ne viennent
Apporter le papier timbré,
29. Jean PAYSAN, qu'il t'en souvienne,
Etait tranquille et satisfait.
30. Mais lorsqu'il rentre, après sa course,
Que le spectacle est affligeant!
31. Qu'il en coûta cher à sa bourse
D'avoir engraissé tous ces gens!
32. Amis, c'est bien vrai ce que clament
Les vieilles gens: Au temps jadis,
33. Au temps de notre duchesse Anne,
On ne nous traitait point ainsi!
(*) Cf. Louis-François Sauvé , Proverbes et dictons de la Basse-Bretagne, 1878: "Kemeret ar gouriz plouz" , "Prendre la ceinture de paille". Autrefois les banqueroutiers étaient promenés avec une ceinture de paille autour des reins.
Traduction Christian Souchon (c) 2012
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ROUND DANCE OF THE STAMPED PAPER
1. What's the matter with Brittany?
The poor land is in agony.
2. The King's nag, clumsy, lame and old
Is being shod anew, I was told,
3. To bring to Brittany with zeal,
Stamped paper with wax and seal,
4. Six captains are sent by the King,
Six noblemen with noble kin,
5. Six captains ride by King's order
On the fine horse o'er the border.
6. Two in the saddle, two in front
Two on the pillion. What a stunt!
7. Heavy? The King's troopers are not:
Not a hundred pounds the whole lot!
8. The first of them holds the standard
With fleur-de-lis of the coward.
9. The second wields a rusty blade
In as bad state as the old jade.
10. The third's spurs they are made of straw, (*)
That the nag he might scratch and claw.
11. The fourth wears a plume and a pen.
On his cap: a sign for his men.
12. On his cap a plume, long and fine:
On his ear, a quill-pen to sign.
13. And the fifth wears those things accursed:
Stamped paper and empty purse.
14. The king's purse is deep like the sea,
And like hell for all entry-free.
15. The last one who clings on the tail
Is as postilion of avail.
16. For a great king, what pageantry!
What noble air! And what army!
17. When they first have crossed our border
With seal and stamp, by King's order,
18. They were clad in tatters and rags
And they were as thin as their nags!
19. With long noses, dilated eyes
Their caved in cheeks, their voiceless cries,
20. Their legs as lean as barrier rails
Their knees as gnarled as old pig tails.
21. But hardly did they here arrive
When our six lords began to thrive.
22. With embroidered stockings of silk,
And braided velvet of that ilk;
23. Each a sword with ivory hilt
That hung from his girth on a tilt
24. After a short stay about here
Their old habits were dropped sheer.
25. Who had such face with wine-red nose,
Or such wee, sparkling eyes, like those?
26. Such paunchy stomachs, for instance?
T'was our six bailiffs' appearance!
27. To take them to Rennes, out of breath,
Six horses were ridden to death.
28. Before they brought to Brittany
Stamped paper so hurriedly,
29. John PEASANT had lived as snug
As a cat curled up in a rug.
30. But when from his fields he came home
His quiet river was full of foam.
31. His purse was ransacked, truly:
Each bailiff had filled his belly!
32. My friends, they spoke the truth the old
People that in former time told:
33. "In Duchess Anna's days, surely,
We were not treated so badly!"
(*) Cf. Louis-François Sauvé," Proverbs and sayings of Lower Brittany", 1878: "Kemeret ar gouriz plouz", "Taking the belt of straw". Formerly bankers were carried about town with belts of straw around their waists.
Translated by Christian Souchon (c) 2012
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