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Home > Sounds > La Cigale et la Fourmi - Jean de La Fontaine

‘La Cigale et la Fourmi - Jean de La Fontaine’
Click to listen to La Cigale.mp3 (595Kb)
Non-native speaker
Accent: american
Author: JW
Date: 4/25/2008

Description of what is on the sound file:
my attempt at a standard french accent

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Transcript of sound file:
La Cigale, ayant chanté
Tout l'été,
Se trouva fort dépourvue
Quand la bise fut venue :
Pas un seul petit morceau
De mouche ou de vermisseau.
Elle alla crier famine
Chez la Fourmi sa voisine,
La priant de lui prêter
Quelque grain pour subsister
Jusqu'à la saison nouvelle.
Je vous paierai, lui dit-elle,
Avant l'Oût, foi d'animal,
Intérêt et principal.
La Fourmi n'est pas prêteuse :
C'est là son moindre défaut.
Que faisiez-vous au temps chaud ?
Dit-elle à cette emprunteuse.
- Nuit et jour à tout venant
Je chantais, ne vous déplaise.
- Vous chantiez ? j'en suis fort aise.
Eh bien! dansez maintenant.

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Translation:
The Cicada, having sung
All summer long,
Found herself wanting
When the north wind came.
Not a single morsel
Of fly or tiny worm.
She went begging for food
To her neighbour the Ant,
Asking her to lend her
Just a few grains to get by
Until the next season.
I will pay you back, she said,
Before August, animal's honor,
Interest and principal.
The Ant is no lender:
This is the least of her faults.
What were you doing during the warm days?
She said to this borrower.
--Night and day no matter what
I was singing, like it or not.
--You were singing? I'm very glad:
Very well, start dancing now.
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