Ce fut en mai

Ce fut en mai is a mid-13th century trouvere song, by Moniot d'Arras. It is a monophonic French song, with improvised accompaniment. The setting of the song is strophic, with 5 verses, each with the internal form of AABB. The rhythm scheme of each internal form is aabaaabccbccb. An instrumental interlude, quite brief, is improvised between each verse.

This story's plot is about an unhappy lover finding joy in the arms of another couple. This music is folk-like and charming, and there is no attempt of the unhappiness of the plot in the text.

French text

:Ce fut en mai:Au douz tens gai:Que la saisons est bele,:Main me levai,:Joer m'alai:Lez une fontenele.:En un vergier:Clos d'aiglentier:Oi une viele;:La vi dancier:Un chevalier:Et une damoisele.

:Cors orent gent:Et avenant:Et molt très bien dançoient;:En acolant:Et en baisant:Molt biau se deduisoient.:Au chief du tor,:En un destor,:Doi et doi s'en aloient;:Le jeu d'amor:Desus la flor:A lor plaisir faisoient.

:J'alai avant.:Molt redoutant:Que mus d'aus ne me voie,:Maz et pensant:Et desirrant:D'avoir ausi grant joie.:Lors vi lever:Un de lor per:De si loing com j'estoie:Por apeler:Et demander:Qui sui ni que queroie.

:J'alai vers aus,:Dis lor mes maus,:Que une dame amoie,:A cui loiaus:Sanz estre faus:Tot mon vivant seroie,:Por cui plus trai:Peine et esmai:Que dire ne porroie.:Et bien le sai,:Que je morrai,:S'ele ne mi ravoie.

:Tot belement:Et doucement:Chascuns d'aus me ravoie.:Et dient tant:Que Dieus briement:M'envoit de celi joie:Por qui je sent:Paine et torment::Et je lor en rendoie:Merci molt grant:Et en plorant:A Dé les comandoie.

English translation

:It happened in May, when skies are gay:And green the plains and mountains,:At break of day I rose to play:Beside a little fountain.

:In garden close where shone the rose:I heard a fiddle played, then:A handsome knight that charmed my sight,:Was dancing with a maiden.

:Both fair of face, they turned with grace:To tread their May-time measure.:The flowering place, their close embrace::Their kisses brought them pleasure.

:But shortly they had slipped away:To stroll among the bowers.:To ease their heart, each played his part:In love's games on the flowers.

:I crept ahead, all chill with dread,:Lest someone there should see me.:Bemused and sad because I had:No joy in love to please me.

:Then one of those I'd seen there rose:And from afar off speaking,:He questioned me, who I might be,:And what I came there seeking.

:I stepped their way to sadly say:How long I'd loved a lady,:Who all my days my heart obeys,:Full faithfully and steady.

:Though still I bore a grief so sore:In losing one so lovely,:That surely I would come to die:Unless she deigned to love me.

:With wisdom rare, with tactful air:They counseled and relieved me.:They said their prayer was God might spare:Some joy in love that grieved me.

:Where all my gain was loss and pain:So I in turn extended:My thanks sincere, with many a tear,:And them to God commended.