| Le conteur:
| The storyteller:
|
| …C'était en 2015 et Noël approchait…
| …It was 2015 and Christmas was coming…
|
| Et comme en 1515, les enfants attendaient…
| And just like in 1515, the children were waiting...
|
| Le problème était là, bien fier devant nos portes…
| The problem was there, proudly outside our doors...
|
| Nous étions blêmes et las devant le Grand Cloporte…
| We were pale and weary in front of the Great Woodlouse...
|
| N’y avait plus de sucre, la Terre n’en donnait plus
| There was no more sugar, the Earth gave no more
|
| L’avait creusé sépulcre et ne répondait plus!
| Had dug him grave and answered no more!
|
| Le beau:
| The beautiful:
|
| «A prix d’or, Sœur Saccharine vendait ses prières…»
| "For gold, Sister Saccharine sold her prayers..."
|
| Le niais:
| The simpleton:
|
| «Oui mais alors, plus rien ne sert de racler la pierre!»
| "Yes, but then there's no point in scraping the stone anymore!"
|
| Le conteur:
| The storyteller:
|
| …C'était en 2015 et Noël approchait…
| …It was 2015 and Christmas was coming…
|
| Et comme en 1515, les enfants attendaient…
| And just like in 1515, the children were waiting...
|
| Et les heures qui filaient, aussi promptes que l’oiseau
| And the hours that flew by, swift as the bird
|
| Et les chiens qui crevaient à renifler de l’eau…
| And the dogs that died from sniffing water...
|
| N’y avait plus de sel, la Terre n’en donnait plus
| There was no more salt, the Earth gave no more
|
| Pour faire du sucre on prit du sel…
| To make sugar they took salt...
|
| 2014… ou 13?.. Je ne sais plus!
| 2014... or 13?... I don't know!
|
| L’enfant:
| The child:
|
| «Et le béton toujours vainqueur
| "And the concrete always wins
|
| Semait tristesse sur notre atoll
| Sowed sadness on our atoll
|
| Faisant valser nos cœurs-moteurs
| Spinning our engine hearts
|
| En une morne farandole…»
| In a gloomy farandole..."
|
| Le conteur:
| The storyteller:
|
| …C'était en 2015 et Noël arriva
| …It was 2015 and Christmas came
|
| Ce fut un 2015 pour les enfants sans joie…
| It was a 2015 for joyless kids...
|
| Devant leurs verts sapins aux branchages plastiques…
| In front of their green fir trees with plastic branches...
|
| Comme des santons-pantins en serviettes périodiques
| Like puppets in periodical napkins
|
| Leurs visages grisaillèrent, leurs yeux devinrent néons
| Their faces turned grey, their eyes turned neon
|
| Ils auraient fait la guerre pour sucer un bonbon!
| They would have gone to war to suck on a candy!
|
| …Les enfants s'éteignirent, un à un, en pleurant
| …The children passed away, one by one, crying
|
| Rendirent dernier soupir, devinrent beaux comme avant!
| Breathed their last, became beautiful as before!
|
| …Indifférents et délaissant le drame
| …Indifferent and forsaking the drama
|
| Les parents assoiffés léchèrent les larmes
| Thirsty parents licked the tears
|
| De leurs enfants frustrés
| Of their frustrated children
|
| Pourquoi, me direz-vous?!
| Why, will you tell me?!
|
| Parce qu’elles étaient sucrées… | Because they were sweet... |