Quand j'tais chez mon pre,

apprenti pastoureau,

il m'a mis dans la lande,

pour garder les troupiaux.

Troupiaux, troupiaux,

je n'en avais gure.

Troupiaux, troupiaux,

je n'en avais biaux.



Mais je n'en avais gure,

je n'avais qu'trois agneaux;

et le loup de la plaine

m'a mang la plus biau.

Troupiaux, troupiaux, ...





Il tait si vorace

n'a laiss que la piau,

n'a laiss que la queue,

pour mettre mon chapiau.

Troupiaux, troupiaux, ...





Mais des os de la bte

me fis un chalumiau

pour jouer la fte,

la ft' du hamiau.

Troupiaux, troupiaux, ...





Pour fair' danser l'village,

dessous le grandormiau,

et les jeun's et les vieilles,

les pieds dan les sabiots.

Troupiaux, troupiaux, ...











When I lived with my father



When I lived with my father

as an apprentice shepherd,

he sent me to the moor

to look after the sheep.

Sheep, sheep,

I had but a few.

Sheep, sheep,

I had none that were bonny.





No, I had but a few,

I had but three lambs;

and the wolf from the plain

ate the finest of those.

Sheep, sheep, ...





He was so ravenous

he left only the pelt,

he left only the tail

to put on my hat.

Sheep, sheep, ...





But the bones of the animal

made me pipe

to play at the fair,

at the village fair.

Sheep, sheep, ...





So the village could dance

beneath the great elm,

young women and old

with clogs on their feet.

Sheep, sheep, ...