19 December 2008

A Menton Christmas - Maman, les p'tits bateaux


The Jardin Bioves is a child's delight. Nursery rhymes with audio. A little train runs around the displays, overflowing with young children. And note: more steam as in the donkey's photograph the other day.

This nursery rhyme is about a child who asks his mother if the boat has legs - she replies that if it didn't, then it couldn't walk. She says that when the child grows up he will go around the world but will surely come back to kiss his mother. And she finishes by saying that it walks straight ahead but because the world is round, then it will return home. (If I'm wrong, hopefully a French reader will correct me.)


Maman les p'tits bateaux
Qui vont sur l'eau ont-ils des jambes ?
Mais oui mon gros bĂȘta
S'ils n'en avaient pas
Ils ne march'raient pas
Va quand tu seras grand
Tu f'ras le tour du monde
Tu reviendras sûrement
Embrasser ta maman


Allant droit devant eux,
Ils font le tour de monde,
Et comme la terre est ronde
Ils reviennent chez eux.

8 comments:

  1. Beautiful pictures you have.

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  2. Perhaps I'll bring my grandson down..though being a maniac about transport I know he'd want a go in the boat.
    Lovely photo, Jilly.

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  3. I think this piece wins the cake as far as poor taste goes but I enjoyed remembering "maman les petits bateaux" - I haven't sung this nursery rhyme for ages and had almost forgotten it. It didn't strike a chord when I saw the picture...

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  4. And yes your translation is accurate. Good job!

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  5. Your broken pottery photo was quite spectacular too!!!

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  6. Oh this is sooo French. I love these quirky statues. I have a collection of rond ponts.

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  7. A colorful picture and a neat little nursery rhyme.

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