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FRENCH POETRY F OR B E G I N N E R S' A. WATSON BAIN M A C M I L L AN F R E N CH P O E T RY For Beginners EDITED BY A. WATSON BAIN, M.A. MACMILLAN AND CO. LIMITED BOMBAY CALCUTTA MADRAS LONDON 1962 MACMILLAN AND COMPANY LIMITED London Bombay Calcutta Madras Melbourne THE MACMILLAN COMPANY OF CANADA LIMITED Toronto ST. MARTIN'S PRESS INC New York This book is copyright in all countries which are signatories to the Berne Convention First Edition 1925 Reprinted 1926, 1927, 1929, 1933, 1940, 1952, 1953 and 1962 (twice) MADE IN INDIA AT THE I. S. S. D. PRESS, MADRAS 2 FOREWORD THE value of reading and learning poetry is now generally recognized; and this applies to other languages as well as to English. Practice should begin as early as possible, for the sake both of attuning the student's ear and of revealing to him the genius of the language in a way that cannot be done through prose alone. This little book, as its title implies, is meant to be taken up very early in the study of French, probably in the second year, or, at least, as soon as the pupils are beyond the " Mon frère Jacques " and the " Pont d'Avignon " stage; and it should serve until they reach that of the School Certifi- cate. It has now been followed by a more ad- vanced book suitable for senior students. As there is much variety in the subject matter, it has been thought advisable to place together poems by the same author, and also to give the fourteen fables as a group; but, of course, they need not be read in the order in which they are printed. It is good to encourage pupils now and then to try their hand at verse translation: if this does nothing else, it stimulates their appreciation of 3 4 * FRENCH POETRY FOR BEGINNERS 4 poetry, which was perhaps the chief advantage of the old practice of writing Greek and Latin verse. A few renderings of this type are appended, not, of course, as models, but simply to show how literal a verse translation may be, if sufficient pains are taken. More elegant renderings of some of the poems may be found in the published work of various eminent hands. Cordial thanks are tendered to Mademoiselle Déroulède for kind permission to reprint " Le Soldat " and " Le bon Gîte " by her late brother; to Monsieur Frédéric Bataille for " Un Héros en Paroles " ; and to the publishers named under the other copyright poems. A. W. B. June, 1925. This impression (the fourth) contains a new translation (of No. 14) and a few additions to the Vocabulary. June, 1929. CONTENTS PAGE A NOTE ON FRENCH VERSE 9 . . 1. LE RÉVEIL 13 2. LE PAPILLON ET L'ABEILLE 13 3. UN HÉROS EN PAROLES Frédéric Bataille 14 4. Au CLAIR DE LA LUNE 14 .. .. 5. LE MOULIN A VENT 15 .. 6. LE PINSON ET LA PIE Mme. de la Ferrandière 15 7. L'AMITÉ Eugène de Lonlay .. 16 8. L'HIRONDELLE Mlle, de Montgolfier 17 .. 9. LE PETIT PIERRE .. Boucher de Perthes .. 19 10. LE CHIEN DE BERGER Pierre Dupont 20 11. BERCEUSE D'ARMORIQUE Anatole le Braz 22 12. LE VIEIL HOMME TOUT NOIR Jean Riehepin 23 13. TERRIENNE JJ • • 24 14. LA FEUILLE Arnault 26 15. LA CIGALE ET LA FOURMI La Fontaine 26 16. LE CORBEAU ET LE RENARD 9) • • 27 17. LE LABOUREUR ET SES ENFANTS S) • • 28 18. LE POT DE TERRE ET LE POT DE FER W • » 29 19. LE LOUP ET L'AGNEAU ÎJ • • 30 5 6 FRENCH POETRY FOR BEGINNERS PAGE 20. LE RENARD ET LA GIGOGNE . La Fontaine 31 21. LA LAITIÈRE ET LE POT AU LAIT 33 22. LES DEUX VOYAGEURS Florian 34 23. LA BREBIS ET LE CHIEN 55 35 24. LE GRILLON 55 36 25. LE COQ, FANFARON 33 . . • 37 26. LA CHUTE D'UN GLAND . Viennet 38 27. LE CHAT ET LE CUISINIER 33 . . • 39 28. LA RAVE Houdart de la Motte 40 29. LE VER LUISANT .. Mlle. S. Brès 42 30. LE FUSEAU DE GRAND' t MÈRE Edouard Plouvier . 43 31. LE BON CHEVAL GRIS Victor de Laprade . 45 32. LES DEUX BLESSÉS Jean Aicard 48 33. CARCASSONNE Gustave Nadaud 49 34. LA BRIGANTINE Casimir Delavigne . 51 35. LE SOLDAT Paul Déroulède 52 36. LE BON GÎTE 55 53 ,37. DOUCEMENT 55 ' ' 55 38. LE RETOUR André Lemoyne 56 39. LE CHAUFFEUR Alexandre Vessiot 57 40.- L'AIGLE ET LE SOLEIL Lamartine .. 58 41. LA SOURCE ET L'OCÉAN . Victor Hugo 59 42. APRÈS LA BATAILLE 55 60 43. ELLE AVAIT PRIS CE PLI 55 61 44. LES DEUX SŒURS .. 55 62 45. EXTASE 33 63 CONTENTS 7 \ PAGE 46. VENISE ENDORMIE .. ALFRED DE MUSSET .. 64 4-7. NOËL .. .. .. THÉOPHILE GAUTIER .. 65 ^8. LA SOURCE .. .. „ .. .. 66 À. LE ROI D'YVETOT .. BÉRANGER .. .. 67 ÔJ). LES SOUVENIRS DU PEUPLE .. .. „ .. .. 69 51. LA BRABANÇONNE .. JENNEVAL .. .. 72 «52. LA MARSEILLAISE .. ROUGET DE LISLE .. 74 TRANSLATIONS 14. THE LEAF .. .. .. .. .. .. 76 15. THE CRICKET AND THE ANT .. .. .. 77 17. THE FARMER AND HIS CHILDREN .. .. 78 21. THE MILKMAID AND THE MILKPOT .. .. 79 32. THE TWO WOUNDED MEN 80 40. THE EAGLE AND THE SUN .. .. .. 81 43. CHILDHOOD'S WAYS .. .. .. .. 82 VOCABULARY .. .. .. .. .. 83 /