CE SONT TROIS GALIONS D'ESPAGNE (French) Ce sont trois galions d'Espagne, Prenez courage, Dedans la flotte ont pris congé, Prenez courage, beaux mariniers. C'était pour faire le tour du monde, Sans jamais la terre y aborder. Au bout de trois années entières, Le pain, le vin, leur z'a manqué. A fallu faire la courte paille, Pour voir lequel qui sera mangé. La courte paille resta z'au maître, C'est lui doit être mangé. "Y en a-t-il un de l'équipage Qui voudrait m'y manger ? Y en a-t-il un de l'équipage Qui dans la hune il veut monter ? Il aura le navire dessous mes pieds Et ma fille en mariage." C'était l' plus jeune de l'équipage Que dans la hune y a monté. Puis quand il fut dedans la hune, Il s'y mit à rire et à chanter. "J'y vois la tour de Babylone Et la terre de tous côtés. J'y vois les moutons dans la plaine Et ma maîtresse à s'y baigner. J'y vois les cheminées qui fument Pour nous y apprêter à dîner." Il était midi cinq minutes Quand l'ancre au fond y a tombé. Coirault : 7103 La courte-paille. RADdO : EA 00387.

THOSE ARE/WERE THREE GALLEONS FROM SPAIN Those are/were three galleons from Spain Take courage They left the navy, Take courage, you handsome sailors (1) It was to sail around the world Without ever landing. At the end of three full years They went short of bread and wine. They had to draw straws To know which one would be eaten. The short straw was left to the master He was the one to be eaten. "Is there one from the crew Who would want to eat me? Is there one from the crew Who want to climb in the top? (2) He will get the ship below my feet And my daughter as a bride." It's the youngest of the crew Who climbed in the top, Then when he was in the top, He began laughing and singing. "I see the Babylone tower And land on all sides. I see the sheep in the plain And my mistress a-bathing. I see the chimneys smoke To cook a dinner for us." (3) It was five past noon When the anchor touched the bottom.

(1) A "marinier" period is a bargeman and a galleon is not a barge. Here it could stand for "marin" (sailor) or as a short for "officier marinier" (petty officer)
(2) Since it's "dans la hune" ("in" the top), I take it to be "in the crow's nest", which is in French "la gabie" but though there's at least one sea shanty that has the word "gabier" (top man), it doesn't seem there's any with "gabie" while there are some with "hune".
(3) In province (read "outside Paris") people would have "déjeuner" (breakfast) in the morning, "dîner" (dinner) at noon and "souper" (supper) in the evening while in Paris people would have "petit déjeuner" (lit. "small breakfast) in the morning, "déjeuner" (breakfast) at noon and "dîner" (dinner) in the evening. This is still accurate nowadays though Paris's custom has spread.

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