Translating a French poem into English is like boiling down a strawberry
Hilaire Belloc
THE GOOD KING DAGOBERT
WENT HUNTING FOR A WOODPECKER
THE GREAT SAINT ELOI
SAID TO HIM : O MY KING
THE HUNT FOR A CUCKOO
SAID THE KING : THAT IS TRUE
SO TAKE CARE NOW
THAT WE DON'T HIT YOU.
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THE GOOD KING DAGOBERT
HAD A SWORD MADE OF IRON
THE GREAT SAINT ELOI
SAID TO HIM : O MY KING
YOU WELL COULD GET HURT
WALKING AROUND WITH THAT THING
SAID THE KING : CHANGE IT I SHOULD
SO GIVE ME ANOTHER, AND MAKE IT OF WOOD.
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THE GOOD KING DAGOBERT
HAD A DOG WITH FLEAS
THE GREAT SAINT ELOI
SAID TO HIM : O MY KING
ABOUT THIS YOU SURELY MUST DO SOMETHING
SAID THE KING : CLEAN HIM I WILL
IN THE SEINE COLD AND BLUE
WHERE I'LL DUNK HIM WITH YOU
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THE GOOD KING DAGOBERT
HAD AN OLD IRON CHAIR
THE GREAT SAINT ELOI SAID TO THE KING
YOU KNOW I JUST DONT LIKE THAT THING
SAID THE KING ME TOO : I DONT LIKE A CURULE
ITS JUST A CAMP STOOL
SO TAKE IT, MY FOOL
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THE GOOD KING DAGOBERT
TO ELOIS GAVE A TURKEY
A TURKEY FOR ME - HOW GENEROUS SAID HE
SAID THE KING TAKE IT THEN - TO REMEMBER ME
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THE GOOD KING DAGOBERT
WAS AFRAID OF HIS FATE
HIS HABIT WAS OFTEN TO ASSASSINATE
ELOI, YOU KNOW I ALWAYS DID RIGHT
PLEASE SAY IT WAS YOU WHO DIED TONIGHT
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SOME COMMENTS ON THE ORIGINAL POEM:
Le bon roi Dagobert
A mis sa culotte à l'envers ;
Le grand saint Éloi
Lui dit : Ô mon roi!
Votre Majesté
Est mal culottée.
C'est vrai, lui dit le roi,
Je vais la remettre à l'endroit.
GOOD KING DAGOBERT (THE GOOD BECAUSE HE WON WARS) PUTS ON HIS "BREECHES" ( CULOTTE) BACKWARDS. SAINT ELOI TELLS HIM HIS PANTS ARE "IN REVERSE". DAGOBERT SAYS HE WILL PUT THEM RIGHT. THE CULOTTE IS A SYMBOL OF FRENCH NOBILITY. DURING THE REVOLUTION THE "SANS-CULLOTE" WERE THE POOR WHO HAD ACHIEVED REPRESENTATION. UNABLE TO AFFORD THE FANCY CLOTHES THEY WORE REGULAR PANTS.
DAGOBERT LIVED FROM 603 - 639. (36 WAS PRETTY GOOD FOR HIS DAYS). MAL CULOTTEE WOULD HAVE MEANT IMPROPERLY DRESSED IN THE 600'S BUT HERE REMINDS ONE OF SANS-CULLOTE AND BOTH MEANINGS ARE IMPLIED IN THIS REVOLUTION ERA POEM.
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