The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #85422   Message #3631633
Posted By: Monique
09-Jun-14 - 08:11 AM
Thread Name: Tune Req: What's this French tune called?
Subject: RE: Tune Req: What's this French tune called?
Going(passing) through Lorraine, with my clogs (on)/ I met three captains / They called me "Villain!" / I'm not such a villain / Since the king's son loves me / He gave me as a present / A bunch of marjoram / I planted it in the plain / If it blooms I'll be queen / If it dies I loose my sorrow.
This song is a later variant to "C'était Anne de Bretagne" that you can read there with some historical background (in French).
Nowadays "vilain" can be understood as "villain" but also as ugly, bad and about a child as naughty, all notions deriving from the primary meaning.