Little Bird (Ti Zoizeau)

"This song, which tells the tale of a young and much too adventurous little bird, was based on a simple Haitian folk tune. Only a few of the words, telling a part of the sad saga, existed in the original, and both melody and words were expanded and developed by Frantz Casseus for the current version. The main interest in this folk tale lies in the ominous figure of Fillette LaLeau, a wicked witch, whose main purpose in Haitian folklore is to attract and then devour little birds."

Creole

"Ti zoizeau, coté ou pralle?"
"Moin prallé caille Fillette LaLeau"
"Fillette LeLeau conn' mangé ti moune,
        Bri colo bri!
        Bri colo bri!
        Rossignol mangé corossol!
        (repeat last three lines)

"Fillette LaLeau, bonjou'
M' c'est ti zoizeau.
"Fillette LaLeau, bonjou'
M' c'est ti zoizeau.
Manman moin allé chèché paille
Papa moin allé chèché dleau.
Main mangé moin poté pou' ou,
Fillette LaLeau."

        (repeat first seven lines)

"Fillette LaLeau mangé pitite moin,
Pitite moin, ti zoizeau!"
        (repeat above two lines)
Bri colo bri!
Bri colo bri!
Rossignol mangé corrossol!

English

"Little bird, where are you going?"
"I am going to see Fillette LaLeau."
"Fillette LaLeau eats little birds,
And if you go, she will eat you, too."
        Bri colo bri
        Bri colo bri
        The nightingale eats the corossol (fruit.)
        (repeat last three lines)

"Fillette LeLeau, good morning
I am the little bird.
Fillette LeLeau, good morning
I am the little bird.
My mother went away to look for straw
My father went away to look for water.
And I am here with something to eat for you,
Fillette LeLeau."

        (repeat first seven lines)

"Fillette LaLeau ate my little child
My little child, little bird!"
        (repeat above two lines)
Bri colo bri!
Bri colo bri!
The nightingale eats the corossol (fruit.)


[Haitian Folk Songs, Lolita Cuevas, Frantz Casseus, Folkways, FW 6811& FP 811, 1953]

Original liner notes (PDF) and sound samples here:
Smithsonian Folkways

Discography here:
Discogs: Lolita Cuevas, Frantz Casseus ‎– Haitian Folk Songs

Notes: This Haitian title is often confused with the semi-modern street name for Choucoune. If there is any doubt, the latter song can be heard at track A2 for comparison.