La Belle dé la Ville

Nou-s'a d'mandé eune tchestchion entouor l'identificâtion d'un but d'poésie macaronnique. J'avons proposé la poésie "La Belle dé la Ville" dé Jean Dorey tchi sembl'ye êt' eune vèrsion d'eune chanson Cannadgienne d'1843. La vèrsion publiée sus la gâzette "La Patrie" en 1854 et r'publiée dans "Rimes et Poësies Jersiaises" en 1865 est difféthente d'la cheinne du mannuscrit d'Jean Dorey d'1868. La v'chîn:

We've been consulted on the identification of a fragment of macaronic verse. Our suggestion was Jean Dorey's "La Belle dé la Ville" which seems to be a version of a Canadian song of 1843. The version of the poem published originally in La Patrie newspaper in 1854 and in the anthology "Rimes et Poësies Jersiaises" in 1865 is different from the version contained in Jean Dorey's 1868 manuscript which goes as follows:

La Belle dé la Ville

Oh no! we ne'er talk Jersey-french,
Its sounds are no more to be heard;
Our lips are now forbid to speak
Even the smallest local word.

I cannot say "J'n'eum' pas la louang',"
Or, "Coument té port'-tu, p'tit doux?"
Nor he reply, "Dé-charm' mène ang'" -
Oh, certainly, it would not do.

I dare not sigh, "Pens' don à mai,"
Or, "Sait-mai bon et bain fidèl';"
Nor can he say, "J'sis tout à tai,"
Or, "A-bétôt ma chière," or "bell'."

And if "Né m'ennyie pas" slips out -
As it some times will, I'm aware,
"They're talking French," is screamed about,
Ere I may softly add "Man chier."

And "M'eum'-tu bain?" I never hear,
Nor does he ever dare to say -
"Jusqu'à la mort!" so much we fear
To pâlé en not' vier patouais.

All ears are open when he sits,
Courting, beside one after tea,
Lest he should say, "Permèt, ma p'tit',"
And I, of course should answer - "Oui!"

J.D.R.
St.-Sauveux, 1854