Three Little Kittens , (en français Trois Petits Chatons ) est une comptine pour enfants en langue anglaise, trouvant probablement ses racines dans le folk britannique traditionnel. La chanson connue aujourd'hui est attribuée à la poétesse américaine Eliza Lee Cabot Follen .
La chanson a été diffusée en Angleterre en 1827 par William Ewart Gladstone [ 1] . Une nouvelle version fut publiée plus tard en Angleterre, en 1833, puis aux États-Unis en 1843.
Illustration de la comptine en 1874
Les chatons jouant dans le jardin, illustration de 1874
« The cat and her kittens
They put on their mittens,
To eat a Christmas pie.
The poor little kittens
They lost their mittens,
And then they began to cry .
« O mother dear, we sadly fear
We cannot go to-day,
For we have lost our mittens ».
« If it be so, ye shall not go,
For ye are naughty kittens »[ 1] ».
De Gladstone, The Eton Miscellany (1827)
« The three little kittens they lost their mittens,
And they began to cry,
Oh, mother dear, we sadly fear
Our mittens we have lost
What? Lost your mittens, you naughty kittens!
Then you shall have no pie.
Mee-ow, mee-ow, mee-ow.
We shall have no pie.
Our mittens we have lost »
« The three little kittens they found their mittens,
And they began to smile,
Oh, mother dear, see here, see here,
Our mittens we have found
What? Found your mittens, you good little kittens,
And you shall have some pie.
Mee-ow, mee-ow, mee-ow.
We shall have some pie.
Let us have some pie ».
« The three little kittens put on their mittens,
And soon ate up the pie;
Oh, mother dear, we greatly fear
Our mittens we have soiled
What? Soiled your mittens, you naughty kittens!
Then they began to sigh,
Mee-ow, mee-ow, mee-ow.
Our mittens we have soiled.
Then they began to sigh ».
« The three little kittens they washed their mittens,
And hung them out to dry;
Oh! mother dear, look here, look here,
Our mittens we have washed
What? Washed your mittens, you good little kittens,
But I smell a rat close by.
Mee-ow, mee-ow, mee-ow.
We smell a rat close by.
Let's all have some pie. »
Ressource relative à la musique :
Jeu de main
Formulette d'élimination
Jeu en chanson
Berceuses
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