The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #135870   Message #3687828
Posted By: GUEST,Roly Scales
22-Dec-14 - 01:29 PM
Thread Name: Why 'in a pear-tree?'
Subject: RE: Why 'in a pear-tree?'
There are many traditional versions in France. I have a copy of a field recording of a one variant from Moncoutant, Deux-Sèvres, Western France. It begins:

Au premier mois de l'année,
Que donn'rai-je à ma mie?
Une perdriole, qui va, qui vient, qui vole,
Une perdriole qui vole dans les bois.

Au deuxième mois de l'année
Que donn'rai-je à ma mie?
Deux tourterelles,
Une perdriole, qui va, qui vient, qui vole,
Une perdriole qui vole dans les bois.

A partridge, which comes, which goes, which flies, which flies in the woods.
The song progresses through two turtle doves, three wood pigeons, four flying ducks, five rabbits scratching the earth, six hares in the field, seven dogs running, eight white sheep, nine milch cows, ten oxen in the meadow, eleven fine lads and twelve lovely fair maidens.