Jouons
tous ensemble!
31. C’est Gugusse
32. Un soir dans sa cabane
33. La mistenlaire
34. Le plus nous sommes
ensembles
Dans le
bois
35. Le furet du bois
36. Enfilons les aiguiles du bois
37. Nous n’irons plus au
bois
38. La secouette
39. Dans la forêt lointaine
En avant!
40. Fanfan la Tulipe
41. Les fourmis marchent
42. Chevaliers de la table
ronde
43. Le chevalier du Guet
11/08/2012 14:34
The songs below are part of ‘Allons-y!’ The French collection compiled, adapted, translated
and illustrated by Dany Rosevear
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© Dany Rosevear 2008 All rights reserved
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31. C’est Gugusse O A lively song played by
village fiddlers and danced in Champagne, Vosges and the Lorraine departments
of France since the Second Empire. Watch at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDmrtV6mMi4&feature=related Children each take a partner
and stand in a circle holding hands with ‘Gugusse’
in the centre.
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32. Un soir dans sa cabane O A popular camping song in
the French and English speaking world where it is sung as ‘Someone’s in the
kitchen with Dinah’ with the chorus of ‘Fee-fi-fiddley-i-o’. Children love songs with
nonsense words and phrases and even the youngest will pick up the words of
the chorus quickly. Substitute with other phrases: eg
Boum chiqua, boum chiqua, boum ha-ha! or Oumbala, oumbals, oum oh, oh! Watch at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-pN7Or-yVQ&NR=1 Begin in groups of three.
Two children hold hands to make a house for the third child who stands
inside. Swap roles at the beginning of each verse so each have a turn as the
little man in the centre.
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33. La mistenlaire O This dance, known as ‘Bransle Gay’ in the 16th century, was popular
at weddings, banquets and public holidays especially through the 17th
century. A cumulative game song where
the participants mime playing the various instruments. Others might include: mistenaccordéon, misteviolin, mistencaisse. Finish with the first couplet. Watch at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-2SR2DSjKc
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34. Le plus nous serons ensemble O Sing this
cheerful little song in one of many languages, here it is in French. The lyrics
remind us of the value of friendship and teamwork. Try this song
using the names of children in each group in the third line: ‘Nous avons Lois et
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35. Le furet du bois joli O In this traditional ‘pass
the ring’ game the children stand in a circle holding a long piece of string
behind them. A ring is threaded over the string and the ends are tied. One
child stands in the centre of the circle and attempts to work out the
whereabouts of the ring as it is passed surreptitiously from hand to hand. If
correct that child swaps places with the child who has the ring. If incorrect
they try twice more before swapping. A jolly video can be found at: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x279uc_il-court-le-furet_music and music at: www.auxpetitesmains.free.fr/chansonfuret.htm . A more
lively version is played below. Divide the class into three equal size
circles with a child as the ferret in each one.
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36. Enfilons les aiguilles de bois O A game played in a similar
manner to ‘The alley alley O’. Children stand in line
holding hands, the one at the end places their hand against a wall to form an
arch. The leader (the needle) threads the line through that arch so the last
person to go under will find their arms now cross their chest. The game
continues with the needle threading through subsequent arches until all
children have crossed arms. The two end children then join hands to make a
circle. Listen to Thierry Maucarré at: http://www.etab.ac-caen.fr/apiedu/eps/index.php?id=26
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37. Nous n’irons plus au bois O A children’s dance from the
15th century. The first few notes in this music were taken from
the Kyrie of the Catholic mass. More charming verses about
the birds and other creatures of the woods can be found online; watch at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67hjF9fd_0Q&feature=related The child standing in the
centre can mime these. The simple game below allows for constant repetition
and learning of a more limited vocabulary.
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38. La secouette O This dance from Brittany can
be accompanied by the beating of drums or tambours to make a fine sound and
lift the dancing to another level. Listen at: http://www.amazon.com/La-secouette/dp/B002A2PA92 Begin in a circle of pairs,
side by side, with hands crossed in front skating style. }x2
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39. Dans
la forêt
lointaine O In this familiar song
children mime the actions of the birds, animals and trees. Aim to make the
singing and acting atmospheric by setting the scene beforehand. Listen at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbFbDg1v7l4&feature=related
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40. Fanfan la Tulipe
O Fanfan la Tulipe is the archetypal Gallic hero. He
plays a role central to the French national identity, as a soldier in Louis
XVs regiment of Watch Dorothée at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tfwtp5pCTns Two lines of four children
face each other about 1½ metres apart.
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41. Les fourmis marchent
O Ants know how to eat
healthily and bring home more than their five helpings of fruit and
vegetables! The translated version has been adapted to rhyme with each
number. This is another familiar
tune known in the English language as either ‘The animals went in two by two
/ Noah’s Ark’ or ‘When Johnny comes marching home’.
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42. Chevaliers de la table ronde O ‘We’re the knights of the
round table.’ The joyful rhythm of this drinking song makes it particularly
suitable for dancing. Watch Dorothée at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=munDm1sTSOU&feature=related Stand side by side in pairs in
a circle.
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43. Le Chevalier du Guet O This song is the story of a
conversation between the knight of the Guet, a night watch officer who patrolled the streets of
Paris on horseback, and the Company of the Marjolaine,
a guild of perfumers. The soldier of the watch, whose order dates from the time
of Charlemagne, wishes to marry one of their daughters. Gold and silver is
spurned by the Compagnon, but he is given leave to
choose any of their daughters when he offers his heart. Below are just a couple of
the many verses, providing a showcase for its delightful tune. The rest of
the verses and the full story can be found easily online. Watch at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ng5916Bj3VM Divide the class into two
lines, ‘les chevaliers’ and ‘les compagnons’, who
face each other.
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