[transcription by Stephane Osstyn

corrections, notes and English translation by Tina Weymouth]



L'éléphant et l'hippopotame 

(Se) Sont déguisés en hommes. 

(Ils) Ont marché au beau village, 

Marché, marché, marché, marché. 



Sur le chemin, (ils) ont rencontré 

Des enfants des hommes, 

Et des femmes qui courraient 

Courraient, courraient, courraient, courraient. 



Tout en courrant, les femmes pleuraient 

Pleuraient des grosses larmes 

Grosses gouttes, grosses larmes 

Tombaient, tombaient, tombaient, tombaient. 



L'éléphant et l'hippopotame 

Voulaient savoir ce qu'elles avaient 

Voulaient savoir la raison qu'elles 

Pleuraient, pleuraient, pleuraient, pleuraient. 



Un enfant, tout terrifié, 

S'est arrêté pour leur parler. 

Sa bouche ouvrait, mais il est resté 

Muet, muet, muet, muet. 



*Enlevez vos costumes bêtes, 

Leur chantaient les oiseaux. 

**Gobe-mouches pipits, chouettes et hiboux 

Chantaient, chantaient, chantaient, chantaient: 



C'est la guerre, la guerre des hommes. 

Ils se sont disputés. 

Tout autour, ils veulent tuer, 

Tuer, tuer, tuer, tuer. 



Tuer, tuer, tuer, tuer. 

Tuer, tuer, tuer, tuer. 

Tuer, tuer, tuer, tuer. 

Tuer, tuer, tuer, tuer. 



************************************************** 



*Bêtes is plural for bête, which means beast, animal,

or dumb creature. It also means silly, stupid, dumb,

or idiotic. Since the animals are dressed as men,

this is a play on words. 



**In ornithology, gobe-mouches pipits are fly-catching

tit-larks, or pipits, a species of bird. In botany,

un gobe-mouches is defined as a fly-trap. Gobe-mouches

also translates into simpleton, fool, gull, dupe, sap

or, in slang, as sucker. This is another play on words. 



************************************************** 

THE ELEPHANT (translation into English) 



The elephant and the hippopotamus 

Disguised themselves as men. 

They walked to the beautiful village, 

Walked, walked, walked, walked 



On the path, they met 

The children of men 

And women, who were running, 

Running, running, running, running 



As they ran, the women were crying, 

Crying fat tears. 

Large drops, big fat tears, were 

Falling, falling, falling, falling 



The elephant and the hippopotamus 

Wanted to know what was the matter, 

Wanted to know the reason they were 

Crying, crying, crying, crying. 



A terrified child 

Stopped to speak with them. 

His mouth opened, but he remained 

Mute, mute, mute, mute. 



*"Take off your foolish/beastly costumes," 

Sang to them the birds. 

**Pipits, screech owls, and owls were 

Singing, singing, singing, singing: 



"It is war, the war of men. 

They have quarreled among themselves. 

All around, they want to kill, 

Kill, kill, kill, kill" 



Kill, kill, kill, kill 

Kill, kill, kill, kill 

Kill, kill, kill, kill 

Kill, kill, kill, kill