"Souvenirs d'un veillard" is the title to this song. The English translation is "Memories of an eldery man"/person in English. When first posted to the website the title was used. Since people have stopped by to hear the song it has also brought back many fond memories to them of this song having been sung to them when they were children. Like my family the only title they ever called it was "Petits Enfants". Nobody seemed to know that the title was something other than that. Consequently, I have changed the title to what most of us are familiar with "Petits Enfants". The graphic I chose for this page is that of a mother and child because when I was a little girl my Mother and especially my Mémère Lévesque used to sing this song to me. As mentioned, we like so many others, did not know the title of the song back then. So we called it "Petits Enfants" or "Little Children".My Mémère/Grandmother had learned it from her mother and they had come to Massachusetts from Ste-Anastasie de Lyster, Quebec when my grandmother was a young teen. As an adult I used to ask my grandmother to sing it for me when I would take her out in the car. She never refused. These times remain some of my fondest memories. I spent a great deal of time with my grandmother as a child and that time spent together was precious.
When our daughters were born I sang it to them every night when I rocked them to sleep.
Now I sing it to our first grandchild Theo was born September 20, 2008. I had the good fortune of helping after he was born and I so enjoy baby sitting. Whenever I rock him I always sing "Petits Enfants". On December 17th, quite by accident, I found the song in midi format online and I immediately put this page together.
Whatever fond memories you have of growing up you should find a way to preserve them for your children and great grandchildren so that it will continue to be passed down through the next generations.
Here are the words to "Souvenirs d'un vieillard" or "Petits Enfants"
Pe-tits en-fants, jou-ez dans la prai-ri-e.Thanks to Michel Pellerin of St-Hyacinthe, Quebec for the addition of accents to the above song.
Sent-ez, sent-ez le doux par-fum des fleurs.
Pro-fit-ez bien du prin-temps de la vi-e.
Trop tôt hél-as! vous vers-er-ez des pleurs.Quoi-que bien vieux, j'ai le coeur plein de charm-e.
Perm-ett-ez-moi d'ass-is-ter a vos jeux.
Pour un vieill-ard out-ragé plein de lar-m-es,
Aup-rès de vous, je me sens plus heu-reux.Refrain
Der-niers a-mour de ma vieill-ess-e.
Ven-ez a moi pe-tits en-fants.
Je veux de vous un-e car-ess-e,
Pour oub-li-er, pour oub-li-er mes che-veux blanc.Pet-its en-fants, vous av-ez un-e mè-re,
Et tous les soirs pres de vot-re ber-ceau.
Pour elle au ciel, off-rez vot-re pri-èr-e.
Aim-ez-la bien jus-qau jour du tom-beau.En vieil-lis-ant, soy-ez bons char-i-tabl-es,
Aux mal-heur-eux, pret-ez vot-re se-cour.
Il est si beau d'ass-is-ter ces semb-lab-les,
Un peu de bien em-bell-it nos vieux jours.Refrain
Der-niers a-mour de ma vieill-ess-e.
Ven-ez a moi pe-tits en-fants.
Je veux de vous un-e car-ess-e,
Pour oub-li-er, pour oub-li-er mes che-veux blanc.Pet-its en-fants quand j'e-tais a votre ag-e,
Je poss-e-dais la douc-e paix du coeur.
Que de beau jours ont pass-e sans nu-ag-e,
Je ne voy-ais que des jours de bon-heur.En vieill-i-sant, j'ai con-nu la tris-tess-e.
Ceux que j'aim-ais, je les ai vue part-ir.
Oh, laiss-ez-moi vous prouv-ez ma ten-dress-e,
C'est en aim-ant que je voud-rais mour-ir.Refrain
Der-niers a-mour de ma vieill-ess-e.
Ven-ez à moi pe-tits en-fants.
Je veux de vous un-e car-ess-e,
Pour oub-li-er, pour oub-li-er mes che-veux blanc.Fin.