Excerpt from ‘Le Chanson de Roland’ in Norman French

ByRichard Barker Updated:

Excerpt from ‘Le Chanson de Roland’ in Norman French in both Audio and text versions.

Middle English

Carle li reis, nostre emperere magnes,
Set anz tuz pleins ad estét en Espaigne:
Tresque'en la mer cunquist la tere altaigne.
N'i ad castel ki in front of him remembers;
Mur ne citet n'est remés a fear<br>
Fors Sarraguce, it's in a mountain.

Modern English

Charles the King, our Lord and Sovereign,
Full seven years hath sojourned in Spain,
Conquered the land, and won the western main,
Now no fortress against him doth remain,
No city walls are left for him to gain,
Save Sarraguce, that sits on high mountain.


Excerpt from “Le Chanson de Roland” in Norman French (c. 1160) (23 sec).

Richard is an English teacher with over 25 years of experience. He has dedicated his life and career to his passion for English, literature, and pedagogy, guiding multiple generations of students on their journey to discovery.