Une Souris Verte
French Nursery Rhyme
Original Lyrics
Une souris verteQui courait dans l’herbe.Je l’attrape par la queue,Je la montre à ces messieurs.Ces messieurs me disent :Trempez-la dans l’huile,Trempez-la dans l’eau,Ça fera un escargot tout chaud.
English Translation
A green mouseThat was running in the grass.I catch it by the tail,I show it to these gentlemen.These gentlemen tell me:Dip it in oil,Dip it in water,That will make a nice warm snail.
History and Meaning
“Une Souris Verte” is a French nonsense rhyme that starts with a mouse running in the grass and ends with the promise of a warm snail. The odd transformation is the punchline. The song doesn't explain it, and the words alone don't establish a hidden historical meaning.
How do you pronounce the words?
Souris (mouse) sounds like soo-REE, with a silent final s. Verte is the feminine form of green; its final t is pronounced. Queue is tail. Escargot is snail, with a silent final t. Trempez-la means “dip it,” with la standing in for the mouse.
Where does this version stop?
This short form ends with the snail, following the Académie de Lyon's school action-song collection. Longer versions can continue with extra verses. To act out the short version, trot for the running mouse, mime dipping with empty hands, and curl a hand into a snail shell on the last line.
Lyrics from nurseryrhymes.info