Centre for Romanian Studies

Poetry in Translation (CCCXX): George TOPÂRCEANU (1886-1937), ROMANIA – “L’âne philosophe”, “Măgarul filosof”, “The Philosopher Ass”

George Toparceanu

L’âne philosophe
George TOPÂRCEANU (1886-1937)

Un jeune âne amoureux d’une noble cavale,
Lui demanda la main (le sabot de devant).
— Mais… vous êtes du peuple, et moi — je suis pur sang,
Je vous ferai cocu! lui promit-elle.
— J’avale
Tout ce que vous voudrez! dit l’âne sans émoi,
Car…
Moralité:
Promettre c’est noble, tenir serait bourgeois…

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Măgarul filosof
George TOPÂRCEANU (1886-1937)

Îndrăgostit lulea de o iapă de rasă,
Măgarul i-a propus, s-o ia la el acasă.
– Dar nu se poate, dragă,- eşti un nenorocit…
Iar eu fiind de pur-sânge, o să te-nşel cumplit!
– Vei fi a mea prinţesă de măgar amorez…
Şi-n sine s-a gândit:
S-o promiţi este nobil, dar s-o ţii e burghez…

Rendered in Romanian from the original French verse: by Constantin ROMAN, London
© 2015 Copyright Constantin ROMAN, London

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The Philosopher Ass
George TOPÂRCEANU (1886-1937)

A young ass fell in love with a pedigree mare
And asked for her hand (her shoe as a token)
– But you are of low breed and not even broken…
I will make you a cuckold! she said. – I don’t care

– I’ll give all you dream of! said the ass without quivers,
Because …
As the old saying goes:
The Noble may well promise, but the Bourgeois delivers.

Rendered in English from the original French verse: by Constantin ROMAN, London
© 2015 Copyright Constantin ROMAN, London

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SHORT NOTE: The Memorial house George TOPÂRCEANU has been gifted, in 1966, by the poet’s late wife. This had since been declared a historic monument. Here the great national poet had lived for eight years, before WWII and apart from personal archives, it contains the poet’s library. Although the poet was born in Bucharest and died at Iasi, in Moldavia, where he was invited to be an editor, his own mother lived in this same village of Nămăești, where she founded an atelier creating traditional rugs. The poet’s spouse and son lived in the current house, before it became a museum.
The 19th c. Memorial house is built in the typical style of the Carpathian foothills and is situated in the village of Nămăești, Valea Mare-Pravăț, county Argeș, some 115 Km NW of Bucharest.