![\"children](\"http:\/\/p7.storage.canalblog.com\/78\/46\/222490\/102548636_o.jpg\")
\nI recently discovered this treasure: “La petite hirondelle”! It’s a French-Canadian folk song and dance, similar to “London Bridge”, but instead of a bridge falling down, the theme is a naughty swallow who has stolen our wheat and must be punished!<\/p>\n
“Qu’est-ce qu’elle a donc fait,
\nla petite hirondelle
\nElle nous a voler
\nTrois petits grains de ble
\nNous l’attrapperons,
\nla petite hirondelle
\nNous lui donnerons
\nTrois petits coup d’baton <\/p>\n
Pass, pass, passera,
\nla derniere, la derniere
\nPass, pass, passera,
\nla derniere restera!<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n What has she done, We catch her, Pass, pass, pass through, In the dance, as you can see in the video, the children pass under the joined hands of the adults (or other children) until the last line of the chorus. Then the last swallow is caught, and put in the center of the dance. Finally she is “punished” – the others tap her on the head (GENTLY) to represent the strikes of the baton. <\/p>\n\nTranslation<\/ul>\n
\nthe little swallow?
\nShe has stolen from us
\nthree grains of wheat! <\/p>\n
\nthe little swallow,
\nand we give her
\nthree strikes with a baton! <\/p>\n
\nthe last one, the last one,
\npass, pass, pass through,
\nthe last one stays!<\/em><\/p>\n