David Solomons - The Centipede
Score and Parts:
https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/...
This version of David Solomons' song "The centipede and the frog" arranged for mezzo-soprano and bassoon has been recorded by PARMA Recordings, featuring Megan Ihnen and Darrel Hale.
It uses both the English anonymous original, a second verse by David Dunning and my translation of both verses into French:
The centipede was quite happy walking with its many legs until a frog asked it to think about which leg comes after which... it had to lie down distracted and consider how to run... (In other words, if you do something that comes naturally, it might go wrong if you concentrate on it instead of just simply doing it).
Verse 1 (anon.)
A Centipede was happy quite
Until a frog in fun
said "Pray tell which leg comes after which?"
(with a left right right left right)
This raised her mind to such a pitch
she lay distracted in a ditch
Considering how to run.
Verse 2 (by David Dunning)
She stopped and thought and, mystified,
Soloquized on this;
Put right foot first and found it left
Her left leg wrong right side
This raised her mind to such a pitch
she lay distracted in a ditch
Considering how to run.
Un mille-pattes était bien content
Mais la grenouille l'interroge
«Comment sais-tu quelle patte va a-vant
C'est la gauche ou droite ou quoi?»
ça lui fait penser, mais beaucoup trop
l'immobilise tout en chaos
il ne peut plus marcher droit.
Il commence un pas, s'arrête encore,
Des pattes gauches se lèvent
Il bouge ses droites en octuors
Et trébuche comme dans un rêve
oui ça fait penser, et beaucoup trop
l'immobilise tout en chaos
il ne peut plus marcher droit.