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Lyr Add: Mary Anne Went to the Mill (French)

29 Jun 20 - 07:13 PM (#4062090)
Subject: Lyr Add: Marianne and the Donkey
From: Joe Offer

Sung wonderfully and posted by Mrrzy at the Mudcat singaround.

Mariann' S'en Va-t-au Moulin / Marianne Went to the Mill

Mariann' s'en va-t-au moulin {2x}

C'est pour y faire moudre son grain {2x}

À cheval sur son âne, ma p'tit' mamzell' Marianne,

À cheval sur son âne Catin s'en allant au moulin

Le meunier, qui la voit venir

S'empresse aussitôt de lui dire

Attachez-donc votre âne, ma p'tit mamzell'

Marianne

Attachez-donc votre âne Catin, par derrièr' le moulin

Pendant que le moulin marchait

Le loup à l'entour rôdait

Le loup a manger l'âne,ma p'tit' mamzell,

Marianne

Le loup a mangé l'âne Catin, par derrièr' le moulin.

Mariann' se mit à pleurer

Cent écus d'or lui a donnés

Pour acheter un âne,ma p'tit' mamzell'

Marianne

Pour acheter un âne Catin, par derrièr' le moulin

Son père qui la voit venir

Ne put s'empêcher de lui dire

Qu'avez-vous fait d'votre âne, ma p'tit' mamzell' Marianne

Qu'avez-vous fait d'votre âne Catin, en allant au moulin?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMuWRP5kbz0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5e1DgpjnUs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9gCHwhwNAY

30 Jun 20 - 03:45 AM (#4062125)
Subject: ADD: Mary Anne Went to the Mill
From: Joe Offer

MARY ANNE WENT TO THE MILL

SOLO:        Oh, Mary Anne went to the mill,
CHORUS:        OH MARY ANNE WENT TO THE MILL,
SOLO:        To grind some gain, her sack to fill,
CHORUS:        TO GRIND SOME GRAIN, HER SACK TO FILL.
SOLO:        A-riding on her donkey, her pretty little donkey
CHORUS: A-RIDING ON HER DONKEY-DILL, CLIP-CLOP AWAY TO THE MILL

The miller, when he saw the maid,
MILLER, WHEN HE SAW THE MAID,
Went up to her, and thus he said:
WENT UP TO HER, AND THUS HE SAID:
"Hitch up your little donkey, your pretty little donkey,
"HITCH UP YOUR LITTLE DONKEY DILL, BACK THERE BEHIND THE MILL.

Then, as the miller turned the mill,
THEN, AS THE MLLER TURNED THE MILL,
A great big wolf came 'round the hill,
A GREAT BIG WOLF CAME 'ROUND THE HILL,
And gobbled up the donkey, the pretty little donkey,
HE GOBBLED UP THE DONKEY DILL, RIGHT THERE BEHIND THE MILL.

Poor Mary Anne began to cry,
POOR MARY ANNE BEGAN TO CRY,
The miller gave her gold to buy
THE MILLER GAVE HER GOLD TO BUY
Another little donkey, a pretty little donkey
TO BUY ANOTHER DONKEY DILL, TO TAKE HER        HOME FROM THE MILL.

But then, when Mary Anne got home,
BUT THEN, WHEN MARY ANNE GOT HOME,
Her father said: "What have you done?"
HER FATHER SAID: "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?"
"What's happened to your donkey? —your pretty little donkey?
"WHAT'S HAPPENED TO YOUR DONKEY DILL, THAT TOOK YOU TO THE MILL?

"Oh father, 'tis St. Michael's Day,
"OH FATHER, 'TIS ST. MICHAEL'S DAY,
"When donkeys change their skins, they say,
"WHEN DONKEYS CHANGE THEIR SKINS, THEY SAY.
This is the same old donkey, my pretty little donkey,
"THIS IS SAME OLD DONKEY DILL, THAT TOOK ME TO THE MILL!"



Notes: The wolf is again the villain in this song, as he is in many French folk songs, but the climax of this story is based on an old superstition that all donkeys change their skins on St. Michael's Day (Michaelmas). In this case, when Mary Anne's donkey is devoured by a wolf, and she arrives home with a newly-purchased donkey, she uses the old superstition to convince her father that It's the same beast.

French name: Mariann' s'en va-t-au moulin

Source: French Folk Songs for Children in English, Sung by Alan Mills. Folkways record FC7018
Notes and translations by Alan Mills

https://folkways-media.si.edu/liner_notes/folkways/FW07018.pdf


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bV6cgzx2gkE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5e1DgpjnUs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9gCHwhwNAY

30 Jun 20 - 04:03 AM (#4062126)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Mary Anne Went to the Mill (French)
From: Joe Offer

And there's a Traditional Ballad Index entry on this song:

Mariann' s'en va-t-au Moulin (Marianne's Going to the Mill)

DESCRIPTION: French. Marianne rides her donkey to the mill to have her grain ground. A wolf eats her donkey as she waits. The miller pays to buy another. Her father asks what happened to the donkey. She says it is St. Michael's day, when donkeys change their coats
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1946 (BerryVin)
KEYWORDS: foreignlanguage grief death money humorous animal father miller
FOUND IN: US(MW) Can(Que)
REFERENCES (2 citations):
BerryVin, p. 76, "Mariann' s'en va-t-au moulin (Marianne's Going to the Mill)" (1 text + translation, 1 tune)
ADDITIONAL: Edith Fowke and Richard Johnston, _Folk Songs of Quebec (Chansons de Quebec)_, Waterloo Music Company, 1957, pp. 55-57, "Marianne S'en Va-t-au Moulin (Marie Went to the Mill)" (1 French text plus English translation, 1 tune)
File: BerV076

Go to the Ballad Search form
Go to the Ballad Index Song List

Go to the Ballad Index Instructions
Go to the Ballad Index Bibliography or Discography

The Ballad Index Copyright 2020 by Robert B. Waltz and David G. Engle.

30 Jun 20 - 04:14 AM (#4062128)
Subject: ADD: Marianne s'en va-t-au moulin
From: Joe Offer

And here's another rendition of the French:

Marianne s'en va-t-au moulin (2)

Mariann' s'en va-t-au moulin
C'est pour y faire moudre son grain
Elle s'en va dessur son âne
Ronfli ronfla ratati ratata
Elle s'en va dessur son âne
A l'ombre d'un buisson

Le meunier la voyant venir
De rir' ne pouvait se tenir
— Attachez là votre âne
A l'ombre d'un buisson

Pendant que le moulin moulait
Le beau meunier la caressait
Le loup à mangé l'âne
A l'ombre d'un buisson

— J'ai cinq écus dans ma tir'lir'
Prenez-en deux laissez en trois
Pour acheter un âne

Mariann' s'en va-t-au marché
C'est pour un âne y acheter
Elle acheta bœuf pour un âne

Son père la voyant revenir
Ne put s'empêcher de lui dir'
— Ce n'est pas là notre âne

Mon âne avait les quatr' pieds blancs
Le bout du nez en rabattant
Le bout de la queue noir(e)

— Mon père a bu du vin nouveau
Qui lui a troublé le cerveau
Tu n'reconnais donc plus notre âne



Source : La Loure, Chansons & musiques traditionnelles du bocage normand - Le Bocage Virois, chant n° 8

http://www.chants-populaires-francais.com/textes_133/Marianne_s-en_va-au_moulin.html

30 Jun 20 - 08:02 AM (#4062148)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Mary Anne Went to the Mill (French)
From: GUEST,Grishka

"French Folk Songs for Children", haha!

The song is obviously about sex. A man's sexual desire is a wolf; after the act the maid must conspire in order to avoid even more shaming. ("Me too".)

30 Jun 20 - 11:55 AM (#4062180)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Mary Anne Went to the Mill (French)
From: Mrrzy

Oh then there is the French children's song I thought was bad enough about a sheperdess whose cat gets into the cream, so she kills it, and is then sorry. Turns out there are additional verses I hadn't been taught, where she goes to confession and the priest makes her kiss him for the penance! Then makes her kiss him again, because he liked it!

30 Jun 20 - 12:36 PM (#4062188)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Mary Anne Went to the Mill (French)
From: Monique

Sometimes, she's called Marion instead. One rendition, another rendition.

Here is one set of lyrics from here:

1 Quand Marion va-t-au moulin,
Filant sa quenouille de lin,
À cheval sur son âne,
À l'âne ! (ter)
À cheval sur son âne Martin,
Pour aller au moulin.

2.
Quand le meunier la vit venir,
De rire n'a pu se tenir.
"Attachez là votre âne,
À l'âne ! (ter)
Attachez là votre âne Martin
Pour aller au moulin !

3.
Pendant que le grain se moulait,
L' meunier, la Marion caressait.
Le loup a mangé l'âne,
À l'âne ! (ter)
Le loup a mangé l'âne Martin...

4.
"Meunier, meunier, tu as grand tort,
Tu m'as caressée, l'âne est mort !
Tu m'y rach't'ras un âne,
À l'âne ! (ter)
Tu m'y rach't'ras un âne Martin...

5.
— J'ai dix écus dans mon gousset,
Prends-en trois, il en rest'ra sept !
Tu t'y rach't'ras un âne: !
À l'âne ! (ter)
Tu t'y rach't'ras un âne Martin..."

6.
Quand son père la voit venir,
De colèr' n'a pu se tenir; :
"Ça n'est point ça noutr' âne,
À l'âne ! (ter)
Ça n'est point ça noutr' âne Martin...

7.
Noutr' âne avait les quat' pieds blancs,
Les deux oreill' en relevant,
Le bout de la queue noire,
À boire ! (ter)
Le bout de la queue noire, Martin...

8.
— Ne sais-tu pas, pauvre nigaud,
Que les vieill's ân' changent de peau ?
C'est ce qu'a fait noutr' âne,
À l'âne !
(ter) C'est ce qu'a fait noutr' âne Martin
Qui allait au moulin !"
1 When Marion goes to the mill
Spinning her distaff of flax
A-riding her donkey
To the donkey! (3x)
A-riding her donkey Martin
To go to the mill

2.
When the miller saw her coming
He had a great laugh/he couldn't hold back his laughter
"Tie your donkey there
To the donkey! (3x)
Tie your donkey Martin there
To go to the mill!"

3.
While the grain was being ground)
The miller was caressing Marion
The wolf ate the donkey
To the donkey! (3x)
The wolf ate the donkey Martin

4.
"Miller, miller, you're very wrong
You caressed me, the donkey's dead
You'll buy me another donkey
To the donkey! (3x)
You'll buy me another donkey Martin"

5.
"I have ten crowns in my fob pocket
Take three of them, there'll be seven left
You'll buy another donkey
To the donkey! (3x)
You'll buy another donkey Martin

6.
When her father sees her coming
He can't hold back his anger
"This is not our donkey
To the donkey! (3x)
This is not our donkey Martin


7. Our donkey had four white feet
Both ears raised
The end of its tail black
Some drinks!(3x)
The end of its tail black, Martin"

8.
"Don't you know, you old fool
That old donkeys change their skin
It's what our donkey did
To the donkey! (3x)
It's what our donkey Martin did
[He that] was going to the mill."

30 Jun 20 - 12:53 PM (#4062189)
Subject: Lyr Add: Quand Marion va-t-au moulin
From: Monique

There's another version here (with score):
L'âne de Marion

Quand la belle au moulin s'en va,
Ell' n'va ni à pied ni à ch'va,
Ell' s'en va sur son âne,
À l'âne ! À l'âne ! À l'âne !
Elle s'en va sur son âne Martin
En allant au moulin.

Le meunier qui la voit venir
De rire ne peut se tenir :
— Attachez là votre âne
À l'âne ! À l'âne ! À l'âne !
Attachez là votre âne Martin
À la port' du moulin.

Tandis que le moulin moulait
Le meunier la bell' caressait
Le loup a mangé l'âne ;
À l'âne ! À l'âne ! À l'âne !
Le loup a mangé l'âne Martin
A la port' du moulin.

— Tenez, la belle, v'là cent écus,
De votre âne ne parlons plus,
Pour ach'ter un autre âne
À l'âne ! À l'âne ! À l'âne !
Pour ach'ter un autre âne Martin
Pour venir au moulin.

Quand son père la vit venir
De pleurer ne put se tenir :
— Ce n'est pas là notre âne
À l'âne ! À l'âne ! À l'âne !
Ce n'est pas là mon âne Martin
Qui revient du moulin.

Mon âne avait les quatr' pieds blancs
Et les oreill's en rabattant
Le bout de la queue noire
À boire ! à boire ! à boire !
Le bout de la queue noire, Martin,
En allant au moulin.

— Mon père a bu du vin nouveau
Qui lui a troublé le cerveau,
I n'connaît plus notre âne
À l'âne ! À l'âne ! À l'âne !
I n'connaît plus son âne Martin
Qui revient du moulin.

Voici le joli mois d'avril
Où les ânes changent d'habits
De même a fait notre âne
À l'âne ! À l'âne ! À l'âne !
De même a fait notre âne Martin
À la port' du moulin.

(Variante du couplet 6 par les pêcheurs de morue de Terre-Neuve)

Mon âne avait les quatre pieds roux,
Et les oreilles comm' nos péchoux,
Le bout de la queue noire,
À boire ! à boire ! à boire !
Le bout de la queue noire
En allant au moulin.		 Marion's Donkey

When the girl goes to the mill
She doesn't walk nor ride a horse
She goes a-riding her donkey
To the donkey! To the donkey! To the donkey!
She goes a-riding her donkey Martin
When going to the mill.

The miller who sees her coming
Can't refrain from laughing,
"Tie your donkey here,
To the donkey! To the donkey! To the donkey!
Tie your donkey Martin here
At the mill door."

While the mill was grinding
The miller was caressing the girl
The wolf ate the donkey
To the donkey! To the donkey! To the donkey!
The wolf ate the donkey Martin
At the mill door.

"Here you are, girl, here are a hundred crowns,
Let's not speak of your donkey again,
To buy another donkey
To the donkey! To the donkey! To the donkey!
To buy another donkey Martin
To come to the mill."

When her father saw her coming
He couldn't refrain from crying,
"This is not our donkey
To the donkey! To the donkey! To the donkey!
This is not my donkey Martin
That comes back from the mill.

My donkey had four white feet
And hanging ears
The tip of its tail black
Some drinks! Some drinks! Some drinks!
The tip of its tail black, Martin,
When going to the mill."

"My father drank some new wine
That confused his brain
He doesn't know our donkey
To the donkey! To the donkey! To the donkey!
He doesn't know his donkey Martin
That comes back from the mill.

Now is the pretty month of April
When the donkeys change their clothes
Our donkey did it too
To the donkey! To the donkey! To the donkey!
Our donkey Martin did so too
At the mill door."

(Variant of verse #6 by Newfoundland cod fishermen)

My donkey had his 4 feet red
And his ears like our fishermen
The tip of its tail black,
Some drinks! Some drinks! Some drinks!
The tip of its tail black
When going to the mill.

Btw, our donkeys are traditionally called "Martin" (Cf. St Martin -Martin of Tours)

30 Jun 20 - 01:04 PM (#4062190)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Mary Anne Went to the Mill (French)
From: Monique

There are some versions from here to there, including one in Lemosin Occitan.

Here is an Occitan version of it as sung by Maria Roanet (Marie Rouanet in Fr.) in the early 70's -it's the one I knew and never considered it a children's song.
La bèla Marion se'n va al molin
Amb sa tuqueta plena de vin
A chaval sus son ase
La don don don
A chaval sus son ase
La bèla Marion.

Quand lo molinièr la vegèt venir
"Bèla Marion, veni aicí
Passaràs la primièira
La don don don
Passaràs la primièira
La bèla Marion.

Lo molinièr se metèt a la careçar
O molinièr laissa me'n anar
Lo lop m'escana l'ase
La don don don
Lo lop m'escana l'ase
La bèla Marion.

O bèla Marion, laissa-lo l'escanar
Ai cent escuts per te donar
Ne compraràs un autre
La don don don
Ne compraràs un autre
La bèla Marion.

Quand son paire la vegèt venir
Ma filha qué menas aquí?
Aquò n'es pas nòstre ase
La don don don
Aquò n'es pas nòstre ase
La bèla Marion.

O mon paire que sètz vos camèl
Totes los ases càmbian de pèl
Aital a fach lo nòstre
La don don don
Aital a fach lo nòstre
La bèla Marion.		 The beautiful Marion goes to the mill
With her gourd full of wine
A-riding her donkey
La don don don
A-riding her donkey
The beautiful Marion.

When the miller saw her coming
"Beautiful Marion, come here
You'll go first
La don don don
You'll go first."
The beautiful Marion.

The miller started to caress her
"Oh, miller, let me go
The wolf is strangling my donkey
La don don don
The wolf is strangling my donkey."
The beautiful Marion.

"Oh, beautiful Marion, let it strangle him
I have a hundred crowns to give you
You'll buy another one
La don don don
You'll buy another one."
The beautiful Marion.

When her father saw her coming
"Daughter, what do you bring here?
This is not our donkey
La don don don
This is not our donkey."
The beautiful Marion.

"Oh father, what a fool you are
All donkeys change their skin
Thus did ours
La don don don
Thus did ours."
The beautiful Marion.
Here is a more recent rendition with a different tune.
Quand la Marion se'n va al molin
Pren sa conolha fiala de lin
A caval sus son ase
La pinga pinga pon
A caval sus son ase
La bèla Marion.

Lo molinièr la vei venir
De rire se pòt pas tenir
"Estaca aquí ton ase!
La pinga pinga pon
"Estaca aquí ton ase!"
La bèla Marion.

Del temps que lo molin moliá
Lo molinièr la caressiá
Lo lop li manjèt l'ase
La pinga pinga pon
Lo lop li manjèt l'ase
La bèla Marion.

"N'ai cinc escuts dins mon borset
Pren te ne dos daissa ne tres
Cromparàs un autre ase.
La pinga pinga pon
Cromparàs un autre ase."
La bèla Marion.

Quand son paire la vei venir
De plorar se pòt pas tenir
"Aquò's pas lo nòstre ase.
La pinga pinga pon
Aquò's pas lo nòstre ase.
La bèla Marion.

Lo nòstre aviá los pès blancs
Dos de darrièr dos de davant
E las aurelhas negras
La pinga pinga pon
E las aurelhas negras.
La bèla Marion.

- O mon paire que sètz camèl
Totas las bèstias càmbian de pèl
Aital a fach nòstre ase."
La pinga pinga pon
Aital a fach nòstre ase."
La bèla Marion.		 When Marion goes to the mill
She takes her distaff, she spins flax
A-riding her donkey
La pinga pinga pon
A-riding her donkey
The beautiful Marion.

The miller sees her coming
He can't refrain from laughing
"Tie your donkey here
La pinga pinga pon
Tie your donkey here!"
The beautiful Marion.

While the mill was grinding
The miller was caressing her
The wolf ate her donkey
La pinga pinga pon
The wolf ate her donkey
The beautiful Marion.

"I have five crowns in my little purse
Take two for you, leave three
You'll buy another donkey
La pinga pinga pon
You'll buy another donkey."
The beautiful Marion.

When her father sees her coming
He can't refrain from crying
"This is not our donkey
La pinga pinga pon
This is not our donkey."
The beautiful Marion

"Ours had white feet
Two at the back, two at the front
And black ears
La pinga pinga pon
And black ears."
The beautiful Marion

"Oh, father, what a fool you are
All the animals change their skin
Thus did our donkey
La pinga pinga pon
Thus did our donkey."
The beautiful Marion.

02 Jul 20 - 05:36 PM (#4062512)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Mary Anne Went to the Mill (French)
From: Monique

There are slightly different versions. Sometimes the guy at home is her father, sometimes he's her husband, the donkey may have raised ears or hanging ones, it usually has white feet but the black part may be the ears (as in the 2nd version above) or its rump or some more precise spots there depending on whether the donkey is male or female.

02 Jul 20 - 06:40 PM (#4062521)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Mary Anne Went to the Mill (French)
From: Mrrzy

Known this song all my life, never heard these other versions, coolio!

03 Jul 20 - 02:56 AM (#4062553)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Mary Anne Went to the Mill (French)
From: Monique

Btw, in Mrrzy's song the donkey name is "Catin" which at first was a pet name for Catherine and came to refer to any peasant girl. In Louisiana and Quebec the word is still used for a doll or a little girl but in France it also meant slut/whore and it's the only meaning it has nowadays. So you can understand some sentences as you see fit.

03 Jul 20 - 10:44 AM (#4062611)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Mary Anne Went to the Mill (French)
From: Charmion

On a visit to my brother, then serving with an artillery regiment at Canadian Forces Base Valcartier, I heard this song droning through the summer air and lo! a platoon of soldiers came trotting down the road, sort-of singing on their way.

I don't know if Canadian infantry units still do this, but back in the day troops would sing while running or on long ruck marches, partly to keep them moving and partly as an extra fitness challenge. In francophone regiments, the repertoire was the traditional songs they learned as little kids, such as Alouette, Cadet Roussel and Marianne. The sight of a bunch of lumpy grunts on the move in full fighting order can be a bit intimidating, but the effect is rather mitigated if they're singing about a girl going to the mill with her donkey.

03 Jul 20 - 11:05 AM (#4062614)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Mary Anne Went to the Mill (French)
From: Mrrzy

We thought Catin was French for Dill for a while...

03 Jul 20 - 12:41 PM (#4062628)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Mary Anne Went to the Mill (French)
From: Monique

Tu veux dire "dill" comme "crétin"?