Dors dors ma petite fille
Agnès Chaumié Hélène Bohy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dors, dors mon petit bébé
Le sommeil s'en est allé
À cheval sur une chèvre
Le sommeil viendra demain
À cheval sur un poulain.
"Dors, dors ma petite fille" is a lullaby that has been cherished by French parents for generations. The song is meant to soothe a baby and help them drift off into sleep. The lyrics are simple but effective, conveying a sense of comfort and care that the parent is offering to their child.
The first line "Dors, dors ma petite fille" means "Sleep, sleep my little girl." The next line is "Dors, dors mon petit bébé," which translates to "Sleep, sleep my little baby." The third line, "Le sommeil s'en est allé," means "Sleep has gone away," and the fourth line, "À cheval sur une chèvre," translates to "On the back of a goat." The fifth line, "Le sommeil viendra demain" means "Sleep will come tomorrow," and the sixth line, "À cheval sur un poulain" translates to "On the back of a colt."
The imagery of the song is playful and imaginative, as the sleep is seen as riding on the back of animals. The song acknowledges that the child may have trouble sleeping but reassures them that sleep will come soon enough.
Overall, "Dors, dors ma petite fille" is a sweet and gentle lullaby that conveys the unconditional love and care that a parent has for their child. In this way, it has become an enduring piece of French cultural heritage that parents continue to sing to their children.
Line by Line Meaning
Dors, dors ma petite fille,
Close your tired eyes, dear little girl,
Dors, dors mon petit bébé
Slumber now, my sweet little baby,
Le sommeil s'en est allé
Sleep has disappeared,
À cheval sur une chèvre
Riding on a goat,
Le sommeil viendra demain
Tomorrow, sleep will come,
À cheval sur un poulain.
Riding on a foal.
Contributed by Kaylee W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.