La Polichinelle Lyrics
Pan! A knock, and Polichinelle, the puppet clown, introduces himself. He is shy, cheerful, fond of dancing and keen to make children laugh. Six verses of knock, answer and portrait.
La Polichinelle
Pan! qu'est-c' qu'est là?
C'est Polichinelle,
Mam'selle.
Pan! qu'est-c' qu'est là?
C'est Polichinell' que v'là.
Il est mal fait
Et craint de vous déplaire,
Mais il espère
Vous chanter son couplet.
Pan! qu'est-c' qu'est là?
C'est Polichinelle,
Mam'selle.
Pan! qu'est-c' qu'est là?
C'est Polichinell' que v'là.
Toujours joyeux,
Il aime fort la danse;
Il se balance
D'un petit air gracieux.
Pan! qu'est-c' qu'est là?
C'est Polichinelle,
Mam'selle.
Pan! qu'est-c' qu'est là?
C'est Polichinell' que v'là.
A vous fair' rire,
Mes enfants, il aspire.
Jeunes et vieux,
Ceux qui rient sont heureux.
In English
Pan! who is there?
It is Polichinelle,
Miss.
Pan! who is there?
It is Polichinelle here.
He is not well made
And is afraid of displeasing you,
But he hopes
To sing you his verse.
Pan! who is there?
It is Polichinelle,
Miss.
Pan! who is there?
It is Polichinelle here.
Always cheerful,
He loves dancing;
He sways
With a pretty little air.
Pan! who is there?
It is Polichinelle,
Miss.
Pan! who is there?
It is Polichinelle here.
He is eager to make you laugh,
My children.
Young and old,
Those who laugh are happy.
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/la-polichinelle/
- Type
- Action Songs
- Tune
- A cheerful knock-and-answer tune, with the refrain Pan! qu'est-c' qu'est là? sung loudly each time
- Best for ages
- 3 to 8 years
Hand Motions and Actions
| When you sing | Do this |
|---|---|
| Pan! qu'est-c' qu'est là? | Knock three times on a table or on the floor. |
| C'est Polichinelle | Bow with a flourish, one hand on your chest. |
| Il se balance | Sway from side to side, arms loose, like a puppet on strings. |
What Does La Polichinelle Mean?
Polichinelle is the French name of a puppet character, and the song is in French. The name sounds like po-lee-shee-NEL. Polichinelle comes from the old Italian comic theatre, where he is a cheeky peasant who says out loud what others think, and in French he is the puppet that children know. The song does not describe his costume, so it is left to the singers.
The structure is easy to follow. The refrain is a knock, Pan!, and a question, qu'est-c' qu'est là? (who is there?), and the answer is always "It is Polichinelle". Mam'selle is a short way of saying mademoiselle, miss. Between the refrains Polichinelle is described, in the third person. He is mal fait, which here means not well made or awkward in his shape, yet he is not at all sorry for himself: he craint de vous déplaire (fears to displease you) but hopes to sing his verse. Then he is always cheerful and fond of dancing, and the last verse tells the children what he wants most: to make them laugh, because "those who laugh are happy".
Because the refrain is a knock, this song works well in a doorway. One child stands outside and knocks, the group asks who is there, and Polichinelle walks in.
History and Origin
Polichinelle is the French form of a character from the old comic theatre of Naples, a clumsy peasant who cheerfully says what others will not. French has made him a puppet, and a saying about him, le secret de Polichinelle, means a secret everyone already knows.
The song gives him a gentler face: shy, cheerful and fond of dancing, he is there to make children laugh.
Learning Activities
- Doorway game: one child knocks and the group asks who is there in French or English; the knocker steps in and bows.
- Puppet sway: loosen the arms and sway on the dance verse, then freeze on the last line.
- Make a laughter list: each child shares one thing that makes them laugh, as the last verse says.
- Hand puppet: draw a face on a paper bag or a sock and let it sing the song in its own voice.