Have you ever heard an old word as if for the first time? Your ears ring and you are seized by meaning–when a humble old mot causes a lump in your throat.
1. trough, manger (animals) ; feeding dish (birds)
2. crèche (Christ child's crib)
Audio File Hear today's French word and proverb: Download mp3 or Wav
Cheval affamé nettoie sa mangeoire.
A starving horse cleans its trough.
A Day in a French Life… by Kristin Espinasse
Reading to my Francophone children in their native tongue is a humbling, sometimes humiliating experience—not only for the "pronunciation pause" (kid-issued breaks in which I must stop reading in order to repeat a French word that I have tripped up on), but also for the words that I still do not know, both French and in English!
Thankfully, not all readings are cause for reprimand. De temps en temps, there are eye-opening moments when suddenly, more than a word making sense, the world seems to take on new meaning as well.
It was while reading a chapter called "The birth…" or "La naissance de Jésus" to my daughter that I suddenly felt a lump in my throat and a sting in my eyes. An English word with which I've had but a yearly encounter—usually during the holiday season—suddenly defined itself as its French counterpart moved up my vocal chords and exited in a French chorus of sound and meaning. The text preceding the word (indicated in bold, below) only served to set the dramatic stage:
Là, dans la saleté et entre les animaux, elle mit son bébé au monde. Puis elle l'enveloppa chaudement et, comme il n'y avait pas de berceau, elle le déposa dans une mangeoire pour qu'il puisse dormir…"There, in the filth and between the animals, she brought her baby into the world. Then she wrapped him warmly and, as there was no cradle, she put him down in a feeding trough so that he could sleep."
Replacing the word "manger" with "feeding trough", its equivalent, gives the account an even more heartrending effect: "manger" is poetic… while "feeding trough" effectively evokes the brutal bed that was the only resting place for the delicate newborn.
* * *
As for those instances of humiliation—whether in fumbling through French text before a ten-year-old… or in the stories I have lived that will never be told—my mind now calls up a peaceful bergerie, wherein an unspoiled baby would come to suffer all humility—this, instead of me.
French Vocabulary
de temps en temps = from time to time
La Naissance de Jésus = The Birth of Jesus (from the book "Grande Bible Pour Les Enfants," Chantecler edition)
la bergerie (f) = shelter (sheepfold)
une étoile = star
Listen to A French Christmas and "Mon Beau Sapin", "Saint Nuit", "La Marche des Rois", "Petite Ville Bethléem", "Il est né Le Divin Enfant".
Peace on Earth–sometimes it seems like an impossible dream. If you are reading this note, join in now to strengthen this universal wish for peace.
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Nice story of “une mangeoire” for this Christmas morn….had to share with my family! Joyeux Noël à vous et votre famille!!
Nice story of “une mangeoire” for this Christmas morn….had to share with my family! Joyeux Noël à vous et votre famille!!
Thanks Kristin, that was a lovely story with which to begin Christmas morning. Wishing you and your family Joyeux Noel and much happiness in the new year.
Thanks Kristin, that was a lovely story with which to begin Christmas morning. Wishing you and your family Joyeux Noel and much happiness in the new year.
Joyeux Noël!
Joyeux Noël!
Paix dans le monde. . .
Joyeux Noel pour vous tous. . .
Paix dans le monde. . .
Joyeux Noel pour vous tous. . .
A Christmas message with meaning. You have a way with words. Happy Christmas from Ireland.
A Christmas message with meaning. You have a way with words. Happy Christmas from Ireland.
Wishing you, your beautiful French and American families, and all your loyal readers a warm and contemplative Christmas. It is a gorgeous day in Paris, where my daughter and I are fortunate enough to be today: shining sun, cool breezes, and the new great bells of Notre Dame ringing and ringing down the small side streets. Joyeux Noel a tous!
Wishing you, your beautiful French and American families, and all your loyal readers a warm and contemplative Christmas. It is a gorgeous day in Paris, where my daughter and I are fortunate enough to be today: shining sun, cool breezes, and the new great bells of Notre Dame ringing and ringing down the small side streets. Joyeux Noel a tous!
joyeux Noel!
joyeux Noel!
Lovely, Kristin. A beautiful day to you and your family.
Lovely, Kristin. A beautiful day to you and your family.
Thank you, I am finally being filled with the true meaning of Christmas. Blessing to all of you. Mary
Thank you, I am finally being filled with the true meaning of Christmas. Blessing to all of you. Mary
Joyeux Noel!
Thanks so much for this blog. I hope you have a blessed day celebrating the birth of Jesus!
Joyeux Noel!
Thanks so much for this blog. I hope you have a blessed day celebrating the birth of Jesus!
Thank you for this lovely story. Have a beautiful Christmas day with all your loved ones.
Thank you for this lovely story. Have a beautiful Christmas day with all your loved ones.
Merry Christmas from Boston where it is very cold, and we have leftover clumps of snow. Yes, thank you, Kristin, for the gift of your blog to the world; it brightens many lives.
Merry Christmas from Boston where it is very cold, and we have leftover clumps of snow. Yes, thank you, Kristin, for the gift of your blog to the world; it brightens many lives.
Beautiful, Kristin! “An unspoiled baby would come to suffer all humility—this, instead of me.” Thank you for these amazing words!
Beautiful, Kristin! “An unspoiled baby would come to suffer all humility—this, instead of me.” Thank you for these amazing words!
Merry Christmas/ Joyeux Noel chere Kristin. Thank you for sharing your life and all your wonderful stories which have enlightened and brightened my days throughout the years. Bonne Annee for 2014.
Merry Christmas/ Joyeux Noel chere Kristin. Thank you for sharing your life and all your wonderful stories which have enlightened and brightened my days throughout the years. Bonne Annee for 2014.
Joyeux Noël, chere Kristin et famille!
Joyeux Noël, chere Kristin et famille!
What an extraordinarily beautiful Christmas message.
Peace be with you and your family, Kristin.
What an extraordinarily beautiful Christmas message.
Peace be with you and your family, Kristin.
Thank you. As if taken from Isaiah 53.
Thank you. As if taken from Isaiah 53.
Bless you for your beautiful gift this morning! As we awake here on our sleeper sofa in front of our Christmas trees loaded down with pretty, thoughtful gifts (our daughter and her husband are still asleep in our room) my husband and I are given your lovely gift about what this day is all about. Peace on Earth is such a tall order but hopefully peace in each one of our hearts can help make a bit of an inroad!! Mercie beaucoup et Joyeaux Noel a vous et a les votres!
Judi
!
Bless you for your beautiful gift this morning! As we awake here on our sleeper sofa in front of our Christmas trees loaded down with pretty, thoughtful gifts (our daughter and her husband are still asleep in our room) my husband and I are given your lovely gift about what this day is all about. Peace on Earth is such a tall order but hopefully peace in each one of our hearts can help make a bit of an inroad!! Mercie beaucoup et Joyeaux Noel a vous et a les votres!
Judi
!
Thank you for sharing the reason we celebrate, dear Kristin! Joyeux Noel et Bonne Annee! xoxo
Thank you for sharing the reason we celebrate, dear Kristin! Joyeux Noel et Bonne Annee! xoxo
P.S. I meant to comment also about the beautiful picture of the cabanon – it looks like a watercolor. Makes me want to paint! Oh that I could!!
P.S. I meant to comment also about the beautiful picture of the cabanon – it looks like a watercolor. Makes me want to paint! Oh that I could!!
Joyeux Noël…your stories are always great …wonderful to share with my students…Bonne Année…
Joyeux Noël…your stories are always great …wonderful to share with my students…Bonne Année…
Joyeux Noel to you and your family as well as to all your readers. Another beautiful story, beautifully told and I am once again having to wipe away tears! 🙂 Thank you for all the lovely posts with which you provide us and all the things we are left to think about. !Y Feliz Navidad a Jules! 🙂
Joyeux Noel to you and your family as well as to all your readers. Another beautiful story, beautifully told and I am once again having to wipe away tears! 🙂 Thank you for all the lovely posts with which you provide us and all the things we are left to think about. !Y Feliz Navidad a Jules! 🙂
So glad you directed our attention back to why Jesus came. The book of Hebrews talks about his willingness to be incarnated and suffer the pain of separation from his father on the cross, bearing our punishment – for the JOY set before him. We’re that joy! He came to earth to gather un troupeau d’agneaux – smelly, foolish lambs who couldn’t find their way out of an open barn if they had to, he made a way for us to be with him and the rest of the happy trinity in the pure environment of a holy heaven.
So grateful this day!
So glad you directed our attention back to why Jesus came. The book of Hebrews talks about his willingness to be incarnated and suffer the pain of separation from his father on the cross, bearing our punishment – for the JOY set before him. We’re that joy! He came to earth to gather un troupeau d’agneaux – smelly, foolish lambs who couldn’t find their way out of an open barn if they had to, he made a way for us to be with him and the rest of the happy trinity in the pure environment of a holy heaven.
So grateful this day!
Merry Christmas and thank you for the heartfelt stories and wonderful photos!
Happy New Year!
Be well,
Merry Christmas and thank you for the heartfelt stories and wonderful photos!
Happy New Year!
Be well,
what a very lovely, and surprise, Christmas message..think I shall send it on to others today also..a very Merry Christmas to your family and to all your fans.
what a very lovely, and surprise, Christmas message..think I shall send it on to others today also..a very Merry Christmas to your family and to all your fans.