Mots d’Heures: Gousses, Rames (Mother Goose Rhymes)

© Valery Sibrikov | dreamstime.com

Here’s a post that will appeal to all non-native speakers of French.

Even if your French is a little rusty (or you’ve forgotten most of what you learned in French classes at school), try reading these little ditties out loud – and see if you can work out the English childrens’ rhymes they’re based on…

Here goes…

Un Petit D'Un Petit

Un petit d’un petit

S’étonne aux halles.

Un petit d’un petit

Ah! Degrés te fallent.

Indolent qui ne sort cesse

Indolent qui ne se mène

Qu’importe un petit d’un petit

Tout Gai de Reguennes.

Jacques S’Apprête

Jacques s’apprête coulis de nos fête.

Et soif que dites nos lignes.

Et ne sauve bédouine tempo y aussi

Telle y que de plat terre, cligne.

Lit-Elle Messe, Moffette

Lit-elle messe, moffette satan ne te fête,

Et digne somme coeurs et nouez.

À longue qu’aime est-ce pailles d’Eure

Et ne Satan bise ailleurs,

Et ne fredonne messe. Moffette, ah, ouais!

Et Qui Rit Des Curés D’Oc?

Et qui rit des curés d’Oc?

De Meuse raines, houp! De cloques.

De quelles loques ce turque coin,

Et ne d’ânes ni rennes.

Écuries des curés d’Oc.

L’Île Déjà Accornée

L’Île déjà accornée satinées cornée

Y dîner guérisse masse bâille.

Il se taquine costumes,

Et ne poule d’août des plumes,

Et ne ses doigts des gouttes beaux émaille.

Pas De Caïque, Pas De Caïque

Pas de caïque, pas de caïque, bécasse, mâne,

Bec ami est coquille à ce vaste Assise ou Cannes.

Roulette et n’épate éden marcou y débit.

Aîné petit inédit, oh vaine! Fort bébé ennemi.

Give up on any -or all - of these? Scroll down to see the English versions!

About the author: Luis d’Antin Van Rooten

Born in Mexico City in 1906, Van Rooten moved to the USA as a child. He studied architecture at Pennsylvania University. During the 2^nd World War, he was recruited by the US Army as a radio announcer, where his excellent language skills meant he could broadcast in English, French, Spanish and Italian.

After the 2^nd World War, Van Rooten became a TV and film actor, especially noted for his voiceover work as the King and Grand Duke in Disney’s ‘Cinderella’. He also wrote several books – the best known being ‘Mots d’Heures: Gousses, Rames’ (Mother Goose Rhymes), which took famous English childrens’ poems and recreated them using French words. Pure linguistic fun!

Van Rooten died in Massachusetts in 1973.

Humpty Dumpty

Sat on a wall.

Humpty Dumpty

Had a great fall.

And all the King’s horses

And all the King’s men

Can’t put Humpty Dumpty

Together again.

Jack Spratt

Could eat no fat.

His wife could eat no lean.

And so between them both, you see

They licked the platter clean.

Little Miss Muffet

Sat on a tuffet

Eating some curds and whey.

Along came a spider

And sat down beside her,

And frightened Miss Muffet away.

Hickory dickory dock,

The mouse ran up the clock.

The clock struck one,

And down he ran.

Hickory dickory dock.

Little Jack Horner

Sat in a corner

Eating a Christmas pie.

He stuck in his thumb

And pulled out a plum,

And said, what a good boy am I.

Pat a cake, pat a cake, baker’s man,

Bake me a cookie as fast as you can.

Roll it and pat it, and mark with a B

And put it in the oven for baby and me.