Translation of the song La ballade du chien-loup artist Nana Mouskouri
La ballade du chien-loup
The Ballad of the German Shepherd
Priez pour le pauvre chien-loup
Pray for the German Shepherd,
Sa louve est partie
his she-wolf has gone.
Il la cherche comme un fou
He searches for her like crazy,
De fermes en prairies
from farms to fields.
Mais le fleuve est en crue
But the river is in flood
Et les routes inondées
and the paths inundated.
La terre a disparu
The land has disappeared
Et les ponts sont tombés
and the bridges have fallen.
Il a perdu sa trace
He has lost her trail
Et il va n'importe où
and he goes nowhere.
C'est partout l'impasse
Everywhere is blocked.
L'absence est partout
Her absence is everywhere,
Et les grillons lui brisent
and the crickets break
Le cœur de leur chant
his heart with their song.
Son courage s'enlise
His courage sinks
Dans le soleil couchant
In the setting of the sun.
Il croit l'apercevoir
He thinks he sees her
Par-dessus les fougères
above the ferns.
Traversant le soir
Crossing the night
De sa course légère
With her light gait.
Mais oui c'est bien elle
Yes, it's really her,
Son allure un peu folle
her pace a little wild.
Ses façons de gazelle
Her gazelle like ways,
On dirait qu'elle vole
one would say that she flies.
Elle est là toute proche
She is there, so close,
C'est bien son odeur
it truly is her scent.
Il tourne il s'accroche
He turns, he clings
A son ancien bonheur
to his former happiness.
Et le jour se lève
And the day breaks,
Il ne l'a pas trouvée
he has not found her.
Excepté en rêve
Except in dreams
Il s'endort épuisé
He falls asleep exhausted.
Priez pour le pauvre chien-loup
Pray for the German Shepherd,
Sa louve est partie
his she-wolf has gone.
Il la cherche comme un fou
He searches for her like crazy,
De fermes en prairies
from farms to prairies.
Mais le matin est froid
But the morning is cold,
Et son cœur s'éveille
and his heart awakens.
Battant plus qu'autrefois
Beating more than before,
Mais moins fort que la veille
but weaker than the day before.
Soudain elle est là
Suddenly she is there,
Au bord du chemin
at the end of the path.
Elle ne regarde pas
She doesn't look at him,
Son compagnon lointain
her distant companion.
Il se couche près d'elle
He lays down beside her,
Il lui fait la cour
He courts her.
Et ses bons yeux fidèles
And his good faithful eyes,
Lui demandent l'amour
demand of her love.
Priez pour le pauvre chien-loup
Pray for the poor German Shepherd,
Sa louve est revenue
his she-wolf has returned.
Le collier autour du cou
The collar around her neck,
Mais le cœur n'y est plus
but her heart is no longer there.
Elle a couru le monde
She has run the wild world,
Connu la liberté
known freedom.
Les journées sont plus longues
The days are longer,
Quand on est attaché
when one is tied.
Et il la regarde
And he watches her,
Tout en sachant trop bien
while knowing all too well,
Qu'il est un chien de garde
that he is a guard dog,
Qui ne garde plus rien
who guards nothing any more.
Qui leur a mis la laisse?
Who puts a leash on them?
D'où vient leur servitude?
From where does their servitude come?
L'amour ou la faiblesse
Love or weakness,
Le maître ou l'habitude
the master or the usual.
Priez pour le pauvre chien-loup
Pray for the poor German Shepherd,
Sa louve est partie
his she-wolf is gone.
Il la cherche comme un fou
He looks for her like crazy,
De fermes en prairies
from farms to fields.
Mais le fleuve est en crue
But the river is in flood,
Et les routes inondées
and the roads inundated.
La terre a disparu
The land has disappeared,
Et les ponts sont tombés
and the bridges have fallen.
Il a perdu sa trace
He has lost the trail,
Et il va n'importe où
and he goes nowhere.
C'est partout l'impasse
Everywhere is blocked.
L'absence est partout
Her absence is everywhere,
Et les grillons lui brisent
and the crickets are breaking
Le cœur de leur chant
his heart with their song.
Son courage s'enlise
His courage sinks,
Dans le soleil couchant
in the setting of the sun.