Comptine Page De Garde

Okay, so picture this: I'm rummaging through my grandma's attic, right? Dust bunnies the size of small cats are everywhere. And then, BAM! I find it. A box overflowing with old school notebooks. You know, the kind with the slightly-musty smell and the thin, lined paper. I start flipping through them, giggling at the terrible handwriting (was that even me?). And what do I see on the very first page of almost every single one? A little drawing, a little doodle, and usually, a Comptine Page de Garde. It hit me: how ubiquitous these little rhymes were back in the day!

Comptine Page de Garde... that's the topic today! Because let's be honest, who hasn't doodled all over the inside cover of their school books?

What Exactly is a Comptine Page de Garde?

Essentially, it's a short rhyme, often traditional and passed down through generations, written on the first page (the page de garde) of a school notebook. Think of it as a tiny, personalized spell (hopefully a good one!) cast upon your academic year. Some are sweet, some are funny, some are just plain weird. But they were *always* there.

Why? Good question! It's a mix of things, I think:

Superstition: A bit of good luck charm to help with your studies. Let's be real, facing down a year of grammar and history needed all the help you could get!
Tradition: Everyone did it! It was practically mandatory. Like wearing the right jeans or listening to the coolest band. Peer pressure, French style.
Personalization: A way to make that brand-new, intimidating notebook *yours*. Slap on a rhyme, maybe a quick drawing of a flower or a football, and suddenly it's not just another school supply.
Plain Boredom: Let's not forget that those first few minutes of class could be *excruciatingly* slow. What better way to pass the time than scribbling a classic rhyme on the inside cover?

And the best part? They were often *anonymous*. You'd learn them from older siblings, friends, or even just overhear them in the schoolyard. The origin was a mystery, adding to their charm.

Examples (Because We Need Some!)

Okay, let's dive into some classic examples. Keep in mind, these are often regional, so what was popular in Brittany might have been totally unknown in Provence. But here are a few that I remember fondly:

The Humble Classics

"Cahier, cahier, dis-moi, / Si je serai bon écolier?" (Notebook, notebook, tell me, / Will I be a good student?) - Simple, pleading, a little bit desperate.
"Ce cahier est à moi, / Si tu le touches, gare à toi!" (This notebook is mine, / If you touch it, beware!) - A little territorial, a little threatening. Gotta protect your precious notes!

The Slightly More… Creative Ones

These are the ones that started to get a little more elaborate, a little more… questionable.

"Si tu ouvres ce cahier, / Tu vas voir le fond du panier!" (If you open this notebook, / You'll see the bottom of the basket!) - This one is a bit harder to translate perfectly, but it implies you'll see something worthless or uninteresting. Harsh!
(And this is where my memory gets a little hazy, because some were definitely… risque for a child's notebook. Let's just say they involved love, adventure, and occasionally, cheese. Don't ask.)

Comptine Page de Garde: A Lost Art?

So, are these little rhymes still around? Honestly, I'm not sure. With everything being digital now (tablets, laptops, the cloud!), the humble school notebook is slowly fading away. And with it, perhaps, the tradition of the Comptine Page de Garde.

That makes me a little sad. There was something so… personal and charming about those handwritten rhymes. A tiny glimpse into the hopes, fears, and silly thoughts of a young student.

Maybe we should bring them back? Think of it: custom rhymes for your iPad cover! Short, quirky bios for your social media profiles! The possibilities are endless! Okay, maybe not, but it's a nice thought, right?

What about you? Do you remember any Comptine Page de Garde from your childhood? Share them in the comments below! Let's keep the tradition alive... or at least remember it fondly.