French humor

Author: Ye Kejun
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-05-01
Features: In 1457, the fleeing poet Villon passed through Blois and, to befriend the noble Charles of Orléans, cheerfully composed a poem: "I laugh with tears, waiting hopelessly; I grow braver only out of extreme disappointment; I rejoice with delight yet feel utterly bored; I am strong in body yet powerless and without authority; I am welcomed everywhere yet disliked by all." The famous line "I laugh with tears" spread far and wide, and later generations took it as the poet's best self-portrait. In reality, such an open-minded attitude toward life is not unlike a true depiction of the French nation.
Born with knowledge, grown with wisdom, and moved with emotion, life's path is filled with sunshine, rain, laughter, yet also with unexpected setbacks, hardships, and sorrows. Facing this cocktail of life, with its thousand flavors, is not an easy task. One may have to wipe away tears and swallow it all, yet find relief with a smile amidst a flood of emotions. What kind of courage and optimism is that? How admirable is such a life attitude?
In France, there is a saying: "Without humor, life is unbearable" (Dans un pays sans humour, la vie est insupportable). Humor is the French nature and also a way of life. It stems from the Epicurean spirit of being carefree and optimistic, able to take things in stride and always carrying a sense of lightness and composure. As the saying goes, "When you're happy, enjoy it to the fullest; don't let the golden cup stand empty to the moon" (，), and "If you can pick flowers, pick them at once; don't wait for them to wither and pick bare branches" (，). Even in misfortune and hardship, the French often grin and bear it, even resorting to self-deprecation. As the saying goes, playing a jade qin under a root of yellow mustard—finding joy in sorrow is the essence of it. The core of French humor lies in this very spirit.
This book collects 90 French humorous stories, arranged in alphabetical order by the first letter of each sentence. Considering the similarities between English and French in word formation, the book uses English annotations to explain the vocabulary and idioms of each humorous story, helping readers better understand the meaning. Words related to allusions are also explained in footnotes. We hope this book will bring something valuable to lovers of French culture and the French language.