Le roi Renaud (Complainte du...)

King Renaud came back from war
Holding his guts in his hands.
His mother was on the rampart
Watching her son Renaud approach.

- Renaud, Renaud, rejoice!
Your wife has given birth to a king!
- I can't rejoice for my wife or my son
Not a chance in hell.

Go on, mother, lead the way,
Make me a fine white bed.
I won't stay long there:
By midnight, I’ll be gone.

But make it here on the ground
So the new mother won't hear.
And when midnight came around,
King Renaud breathed his last..

It wasn't even morning
Before the servants were all crying.
It wasn't time for breakfast
Before the maids started weeping.

- But tell me, mother, my friend,
Why are our servants crying here?
- My daughter, while washing our horses
They let the finest one drown.

- But why, mother, my friend,
Cry over a horse like that?
When Renaud comes back,
He'll bring a better horse.

And tell me, mother, my friend,
Why are our maids crying here?
- My daughter, while washing our shrouds
They let the newest one slip away.

But why, mother, my friend,
Cry over a shroud like that?
When Renaud comes back,
We'll stitch a finer shroud.

But, tell me, mother, my friend,
What are the priests singing here?
- My daughter, it's the procession
That circles around the house.

Now, when it was time to rise,
She wanted to go to mass,
And when noon arrived,
She wanted to put on her clothes.

- But tell me, mother, my friend,
What outfit should I wear today?
- Wear the green, wear the gray,
Wear the black to make a better choice.

- But tell me, mother, my friend,
What does that black mean?
- A woman who's just given birth,
Black suits her much better.

When she entered the church,
A candle was presented to her.
Kneeling down, she noticed
The fresh earth beneath her bench.

- But tell me, mother, my friend,
Why is the earth so fresh?
- My daughter, I can’t hide it anymore,
Renaud is dead and buried.

- Renaud, Renaud, my comfort,
So you’re now among the dead!
Divine Renaud, my comfort,
So you’re now among the dead!

Since King Renaud is dead,
Here are the keys to my treasure.
Take my rings and my jewels,
Take good care of son Renaud.

Earth, open up, earth, split wide,
So I can go with Renaud, my king!
The earth opened, the earth split,
And there was the beautiful one swallowed.