MusicSmiles.com
The Worlds of Gilbert and Sullivan

André Messager's opera Véronique was immensly popular in France and in the English speaking world. The duet Trot Here and There (Dear Little Donkey), bowled audiences over at every performance. In the opera it was sung by Hèléne de Solanges, a noble lady disguised as a peasant girl (Véronique) (a mezzo-soprano role) - who eventually gets her man, and Florestan de Valiancourt - her man! (a baritone part). It then became a concert hall hit in its own right.

It is still popular today as a concert duet and also as an orchestral piece. We hope you will agree that this happy, carefree song is worthy of its place in the concert repertoire.

Trot Here and There
(Short Introduction)

(Both) Trot here and there, Take care, take care,
Never slipping, Never tripping,
Dear little donkey, Trotting here and there,
Take care, take care,
A bunch of carrots soon shall be your fare.
Trot here and there, Take care, take care,
Never slipping, Never tripping,
Dear little donkey, Trotting here and there,
Take care, take care,
A bunch of carrots soon shall be your fare.
(Short Interlude)

(Hél) I feel so happy all the while
That I could laugh without knowing why!
(Flor) Somehow when I see her smile,
Very sad and mournful am I.
(Hél) And the donkey is such a dear,
But capricious, I'm afraid.
(Flor) It's less capricious though, I fear,
Than one coquettish little maid.

(Both) Trot here and there, Take care, take care,
Never slipping, Never tripping,
Dear little donkey, Trotting here and there,
Take care, take care,
A bunch of carrots soon shall be your fare.
Trot here and there, Take care, take care,
Never slipping, Never tripping,
Dear little donkey, Trotting here and there,
Take care, take care,
A bunch of carrots soon shall be your fare.
(Short Interlude)

(Hél) I've robbed the fields of many a treasure,
Blossoms fair and sweet to smell!
(Flor) And, with a greed beyond all measure,
She has plucked my heart as well.
(Hél) Buttercups they fade for thirst,
And poppies drooping with the heat.
(Flor) I'd like to question first the petals of the marguerite!

(Both) Trot here and there, Take care, take care,
Never slipping, Never tripping,
Dear little donkey, Trotting here and there,
Take care, take care,
A bunch of carrots soon shall be your fare.
Trot here and there, Take care, take care,
Never slipping, Never tripping,
Dear little donkey, Trotting here and there,
Take care, take care,
A bunch of carrots soon shall be your fare.

 Don't you feel just a wee bit smitten by it?  This should provoke a few images in the artists and performers among us . . .

But what about a twirl now with The Swing Song  . . .?

Footnote: We would like to dedicate this page to two 'dear ladies' from 'Stackton Tressel' (if that's how they spelt it!), who made this song one of their very own. One of this duo, in our salad days, we knew as a brilliant young actor, Patrick Fyffe (who lived near to 'Stackton Tressel'!).   JEA.

( Click number to view statistics > > >). Scribe thanks all our  223,547 MusicSmiles visitors up to beginning of September, 2010. 

You may find our special effects work best with Microsoft Internet Explorer