Monday, August 24, 2009

Homeschooling is Very Educational

My son is taking piano lessons. This week his first song to work on was the children's song, Alouette. You know, the one sung in French. As he was playing this morning, I was singing away...

"Alouette, gentille Alouette
Alouette je te plumerai
Alouette, gentille Alouette
Alouette je te plumerai
Je te plumerai la tête
Je te plumerai la tête
Et la tête, et la tête
O-o-o-o-oh!"

And so on. Just a pretty little French song, right? Well, I don't speak French, so when my inquisitive 9 year old son asked me what it meant, of course I had to look it up. Here's what Wikipedia had to say...

Alouette, gentille Alouette
Skylark, nice skylark
Alouette, je te plumerai
Skylark, I shall pluck you
Je te plumerai la tête
I shall pluck your head
(Je te plumerai la tête)
(I shall pluck your head)
Et la tête
And your head
(Et la tête)
(And your head)
O-o-o-oh

WHAT? It goes on to say that it was sung as a French Canadian song that trappers would sing as they paddled down rivers to pass the time. Skylarks were eaten as game birds during that time, so evidently they were hungry as they traveled downriver. Although after finishing this song, I can't imagine anyone being hungry. Here are the other additions to the verses, added one on top of the other, like we do with "The Twelve Days of Christmas".

Et le cou
And your neck
Et le dos
And your back
Et les ailes

And your wings
Et les pattes

And your feet
Et la queue

And your tail
Et le coeur

And your heart
Et les poumons

And your lungs
Et le cerveau
And your brain
O-o-o-o-oh
Alouette, gentille Alouette
Skylark, nice skylark
Alouette,
Skylark,
'Tu es un torse saignant

I left the translation for that last line out. You can look it up if you want to. But since I have peeps from Australia, and possibly even Great Britain, that sometimes read my blog, I will refrain so they don't think I'm cussing (or I guess they'd say "cursing", but hey, I'm from the South) on my blog. And only the Lord knows what kind of freaks I'd get on here if they happened to Google that phrase.

You're going to look it up, aren't you? So now that I have now ruined this precious little song for you I'll say that I figured if I had to learn about it, so did you. That's homeschoolin' for you. You're welcome.

I was going to go eat lunch now, but...um...(turning green)...I think I've lost my appetite.

16 comments:

CarlynB said...

Songbirds for supper? Quelle horreur!!

Kat said...

Okay. That made me laugh. I needed that laugh :)

Dawn said...

yikes!
see... you homeschoolin' girls still need to learn stuff whether you want to or not! i'd rather not learn. pretty sad, aren't i?

Darlene said...

Oh YUCK and I just always thought it was a sweet little song!! Guess I was wrong huh!

"Intentionally Katie" said...

Um...EWWWWWWWWWWW!

Anonymous said...

Not sure if I want to lookthat up or not...I just ate..hehe

Stephanie said...

OK that is so funny. Just goes to show how things change over the the years. It is a sweet sounding little French song. Provided, I guess, you don't know French. My sister was a French major in college...I'm going to have to ask her about that.

Trixi said...

Oh, this is too funny. My girls learned Alouette first also. I never knew.

L Harris said...

I admit, I looked it up!

oh my goodness!

My kids will love it!

Teri Lynne Underwood said...

Oh wow! That's just all I can say.

Teri Lynne Underwood said...

Oh wow! That's just all I can say.

Anne Marie said...

that totally cracked me up! sorry, but true :)

some of those songs little "hush little baby" even and "rockaby baby" are just cruel....but they were tougher back then eh?

so nice to meet you - I'll certainly be back!

Kim @ Everything Etsy said...

Oh my gosh! I've always thought it was a pretty song...until now. Homeschooling opens your eyes to so many things...love it!

Kim

Tee said...

Well now that's just disgusting. I remember singing that song in French class in first grade.

tpillstrom said...

We learned that song in French class in high school! I've taught it to Brady but I use it to teach him the body parts like eyes, nose, ears, mouth! He loves to sing it in the car!

Tracey said...

Those crazy French Canandians!