Sunday, Jul. 29, 2012 1:20 p.m.

The poem recited by the girl in Himizu and the little boy in I Wish was written by the French poet Francois Villon (lived in the early to mid-15th century). I haven't found out why this poem would be included in primary education of Japan (despite of the plain language, it could be a difficult poem for children!), and I can't find any Chinese translation.

The following is in French. May need to change the encoding of the page to see the characters.

Ballade by Fran�ois Villon

Je connais bien mouches en lait,
Je connais � la robe l�homme,
Je connais le beau temps du laid,
Je connais au pommier la pomme.
Je connais l�arbre � voir la gomme,
Je connais quand tout est de m�mes,
Je connais qui besogne ou ch�me,
Je connais tout, fors que moi-m�mes.

Je connais pourpoint au collet,
Je connais le moine � la gonne,
Je connais le ma�tre au valet,
Je connais au voile la nonne,
Je connais quand pipeur jargonne,
Je connais fols nourris de cr�mes,
Je connais le vin � la tonne,
Je connais tout, fors que moi-m�mes.

Je connais cheval et mulet,
Je connais leur charge et leur somme,
Je connais Bietris et Belet,
Je connais jet qui nombre et somme,
Je connais vision et somme,
Je connais la faute des Boesmes,
Je connais le pouvoir de Rome,
Je connais tout, fors que moi-m�mes.

Prince, je connais tout en somme,
Je connais color�s et bl�mes,
Je connais Mort qui tout consomme,
Je connais tout, fors que moi-m�mes.

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English translation

Ballade

I know flies in milk
I know the man by his clothes
I know fair weather from foul
I know the apple by the tree
I know the tree when I see the sap
I know when all is one
I know who labors and who loafs
I know everything but myself.

I know the coat by the collar
I know the monk by the cowl
I know the master by the servant
I know the nun by the veil
I know when a hustler rattles on
I know fools raised on whipped cream
I know the wine by the barrel
I know everything but myself.

I know the horse and the mule
I know their loads and their limits
I know Beatrice and Belle
I know the beads that count and add
I know nightmare and sleep
I know the Bohemians' error
I know the power of Rome
I know everything but myself.

Prince I know all things
I know the rosy-cheeked and the pale
I know death who devours all
I know everything but myself.