Mon père m'a donné un mari is one of a range of songs on the same theme that evoke the tragic-comic adventures told by disillusioned young wives.
The story of the song
This nursery rhyme has made a generation of children laugh, and fortunately they have grasped the original meaning of the song, which is a ridiculous story in the style of Tex Avery.
The song tells of the regrets of a young wife whose father forced her to marry a very small man. He was so small that he got lost, got roasted, and in the end the cat mistook him for a mouse and ate him.
Mon père m'a donné un mari
Lyrics, music, free download... let's learn more about the popular song:
The lyrics in French
The original song of Mon père m'a donné un mari has 11 verses.
Couplet 1
Mon père m'a donné un mari
Mon Dieu, quel homme, quel petit homme !
Mon père m'a donné un mari
Mon Dieu, quel homme, qu'il est petit !
Couplet 2
D'une feuille on fit son habit
Mon Dieu, quel homme, quel petit homme !
D'une feuille on fit son habit
Mon Dieu, quel homme, qu'il est petit !
Couplet 3
Je l'ai perdu dans mon grand lit
Mon Dieu, quel homme, quel petit homme !
Je l'ai perdu dans mon grand lit
Mon Dieu, quel homme, qu'il est petit !
Couplet 4
Je pris une chandelle et le cherchis
Mon Dieu, quel homme, quel petit homme !
Je pris une chandelle et le cherchis
Mon Dieu, quel homme, qu'il est petit !
Couplet 5
A la paillasse le feu prit
Mon Dieu, quel homme, quel petit homme !
A la paillasse le feu prit
Mon Dieu, quel homme, qu'il est petit !
Couplet 6
Je trouvai mon mari rôti
Mon Dieu, quel homme, quel petit homme !
Je trouvai mon mari rôti
Mon Dieu, quel homme, qu'il est petit !
Couplet 7
Sur une assiette je le mis
Mon Dieu, quel homme, quel petit homme !
Sur une assiette je le mis
Mon Dieu, quel homme, qu'il est petit !
Couplet 8
Le chat l'a pris pour une souris
Mon Dieu, quel homme, quel petit homme !
Le chat l'a pris pour une souris
Mon Dieu, quel homme, qu'il est petit !
Couplet 9
Au chat, au chat, c'est mon mari
Mon Dieu, quel homme, quel petit homme !
Au chat, au chat, c'est mon mari
Mon Dieu, quel homme, qu'il est petit !
Couplet 10
Fillette qui prenez un mari
Mon Dieu, quel homme, quel petit homme !
Fillette qui prenez un mari
Mon Dieu, quel homme, qu'il est petit !
Couplet 11
Ne le prenez pas si petit
Mon Dieu, quel homme, quel petit homme !
Ne le prenez pas si petit
Mon Dieu, quel homme, qu'il est petit !
Translation of the lyrics into English
Here is an approximative translation into English:
Verse 1
My father gave me a husband
My God, what a man, what a small man!
My father gave me a husband
My God, what a man, what a small man!
Verse 2
From a leaf they made his suit
My God, what a man, what a small man!
From a leaf they made his suit
My God, what a small man he is!
Verse 3
I lost him in my large bed
My God, what a man, what a small man!
I lost him in my large bed
My God, what a small man he is!
Verse 4
I took a candle and looked for him
My God, what a man, what a small man!
I took a candle and looked for him
My God, what a small man!
Verse 5
On the straw mattress the fire started
My God, what a man, what a small man!
To the straw mattress the fire caught
My God, what a small man!
Verse 6
I found my husband roasted
My God, what a man, what a small man!
I found my husband roasted
My God, what a small man he is!
Verse 7
On a plate I placed him
My God, what a man, what a small man!
On a plate I placed him
My God, what a small man he is!
Verse 8
The cat mistook him for a mouse
My God, what a man, what a small man!
The cat mistook him for a mouse
My God, what a small man he is!
Verse 9
Hey cat, hey cat, this is my husband
My God, what a man, what a small man!
Hey cat, hey cat, this is my husband
My God, what a small man!
Verse 10
Young girl who takes a husband
My God, what a man, what a small man!
Young girl who takes a husband
My God, what a small man he is!
Couplet 11
Don't take him so small
My God, what a man, what a small man!
Don't take him so small
My God, what a small man he is!