The Washington times., 1914-11-27
MODERN TROUBADOUR
sings At THE FRONT
Theodore BotreI, Breton Bard.
Inspires Gallo Spirit of
French Armies.

PARIS, Nov. E.-The role that the
minstrel Taillefer played at Hastings.
that Roland took at Roncevaux, and
Blondel filled when he found the i'm
prisoned Richard Occur de Lion in an
Austrian castle is being played in the
present war by Theodore Botrel, the
Breton poet. who has been sent TO the
fighting line by NJ Milerand, the min
lister OF war. to sing and -ecite patriot
ic and warlike chansons to the French
soldiers. to inspire them TO mighty
deeds.
For the last month or more the pic
turesQue Breton singer. With his sleek
hair. his wide-brim hat. b. living rib
hon. and voluIninous velvet breeches,
looking for all the world Ike the paint
ed figure on a piece Of Breton pottery.
has been travelling, staff in hand, from
camp to camp. entertaining the fght-
ing men of France with stirring bal
lads. Botrers work snacks Of ancient
warfare and its customs more even than
the breastplates, hand grenades, and
spears which have proved their value
on several occasions. No one knows
who conceived the plan. but at any rate
NJ. Millerand put it into effect and
Botrel has made a great impression
upon the French armies.
The soldiers are gathered together in
a big hall, ar impromptu and generally
insecure platform is rugged up and
Botrel stands forth TO recite his songs,
some in the Breton dialect, others IN
French. but all touched with the lyric
1lsme that carries simple words and
simple thoughts straight to the hearts
Of the hearers.
Botrers inspiration is not Of the kind
that scars high and far. but here. face
ing themselves so gallantly in the east,
he has found again the fire of his
earlier days and the fame Of patriotism
burns bright and strong in these
metrical chants which he utters with a
touching simplicity and childlike earn
esIness.
The war hard is filling a useful role;
he helps to promote cheerfulness and
optimism, and does much to relieve the
inonotony Of life in fort. He cannot
complain of monotony. Since August
30, when he set forth on this novel mis-
Sion TO defensive army Botrel has
seIdor. slept in a bed and perhaps never
twice in the same place
There have been occasions when he
has been dropped out OF a train in 4
town that was completely closed; no
hotel. no inn, no restaurant even in
which he could pass the night. If he
did not actually sleep on the deserted
platform he found only q horsehair
chair in some primitive waiting room,
and his meals were as uncertain as his
lodgings.
But as he himself remarks, he fares
no worse than the soldiers TO whom he
is sent and he travels and tramps as
best he can, arriving always in good
spirits, and eEuding cheSrfuiness at
every pore, however weary ne may be-
Sometimes he sings his song to an old
air. like that of ''Malbrouck," with the
Kaiser in the place OF the English Duke
'Mariboroughl. and the parody creates
universal shout of laughter Some
times he sings a folksong or The
Soldiers Letter to His Grandmother"
full of naive simplicity that pleases
enormously in a martial gathering.
He Is adored wherever he passes nat
urally. and indefatigably he travels on.
Good night here; good morning there.
There are no posters to announce his
coming, they are not needed; no fear of
his audience being out or otherwise en-
gaged when he drops into their midst.
IN half. an hour the hall is ready and the
men, too.
1t sounds strange the presence Of this
middle-aged bard with the fighting
forces Of the land. in the fortresses and
Earrisons Of modern fighting machine.
Yet singer Of patriotic songs could no
where get better inspiration than with
the Coiors. and one almost wonders that
poet laureate is not always to be
found in camp, as near az possible TO
IN" place where the battle may be rag
ing
There. at all events, the French forces
have theirs. Botrel has set the example
There are many poets serving with the
rvlors Of course: poetry does not exon
e"ate a Frenchman from his military
service. and some of them find time oc-
"ssionallv to send a sonnet or a
s,rcphe home from the trenches
Only Botrel has gone out with the
hRTd's mission. and he is earning his
Tn"dal in his way. When the war fs
or. and the country has time to think
r"Compenses. and prizes and medals,
20 French Academy will perhaps award
IN" TO the Breton Bard