| Originale | English version by Riccardo Venturi
|
| TRI YANN: DE NIVÔSE EN FRIMAIRE | SLIPPY THROUGH FREEZY |
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| Où Ian traverse les saisons où lui sont contés les heurs et malheurs des | In which Ian passes through the seasons when he has been told |
| Coquillards sur la route de Saint-Jacques… | of joys and sorrows suffered by Coquillards on their way to Santiago |
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| Si l’hiver au château trouve nobiesse au chaud, | If the gentlemen stay so well heated and lay |
| Le bourgeois dans close litière, | in their castles and beds in winter, |
| Il jette en chemin au failli pélégrin, | the poor pilgrim, he finds always on his way |
| Misère, gelure et malandrins. | poverty, hard frost and outlaws. |
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| Si Nivôse en froidure présage fruits bien mûrs, | A cold Slippy forebodes juicy and well ripe fruits |
| Neuve paille aux toits des chaumières, | and fresh straw on the roof of the huts, |
| Pluviôse au balcon, Germinal aux tisons, | and if you can stay in Drippy outside, |
| Si maigres flocons, maigres chapons. | Showery will be cold: few snow, few food. |
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| Printemps en courroux finira doux, tout doux ; | A cloudy spring will end with sweet sun, |
| Le coucou chassera loups et renards. | the cuckoo will chase wolves and foxes away |
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| Si Germinal est frais, si Floréal est chaud, | If Showery is cool, if Flowery is hot |
| Il y aura du foin pour tes chevaux, | there'll be enough hay for your horses, |
| Floréal pluvieux, Prairial trop venteux, | but a rainy Flowery and a windy Bowery |
| Feront le paysan disetteux. | will cause the peasant a long famine. |
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| Soleil en été gorge caves et greniers, | The summer sun fills cellars and barns up, |
| Messidor vaut pour maîtres et pour valets. | Wheaty is both for masters and servants |
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| Fructidor en pluie fera verger rempli | If it rains in Sweety, the orchard will flourish |
| Si soleil vient à point dorer le fruit. | when the sun comes right to ripen the fruits, |
| Vendanges dans joie feront l’hiver moins froid, | a merry grape harvest makes winter less cold, |
| Vendémiaire est dit-on sorcier du vin. | Wheezy is called the wizard of wine. |
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| Si Brumaire est de glace, la vermine trépasse | If frost comes in Sneezy, all the bad bugs die |
| Et l’automne se meurt en Frimaire, | and autumn dies out in Freezy, |
| Reviennent au chemin du failli pélégrin | the pilgrim will find again on his way |
| Misère, gelure et malandrins. | poverty, hard frost and outlaws. |
