L'hirondelle du faubourg [English translation]

At the hospital, it's the ward round time

The doctor in chief passes the beds

'Number thirteen, what's wrong with that little one?'

'It's the girl they brought in last night'

'Don't be scared, I just need to look at your injuries,

two stab-wounds, close to the heart, but there's no more blood!

No, you're not a lost case... at your age, you are strong,

nevertheless, we simply need to inform your parents.'

The dying girl finally replied:

'I'm all on my own, since my mom died.'

'They call me The swallow bird of suburbs

I'm just a poor child of love

born one day in spring

child of a female worker

and just like the others, I could have turned out well

if my father, instead of abandoning me,

had taken me under his wings.

The swallow bird.'

The doctor continues, 'you're wearing a medallion

it must be a gift from your lover, isn't it?'

'No, it's a souvenir of a man, worthless one,

of a heartless man who cheated on my mother!'

'Let me read it - Andre, Marie-Therese

... but I recognize this silver medallion

and this date - April 1993!

Let me be alone with this child, I want to heal her.

Oh, you all stare at me with those big eyes,

it's just my duty to heal the ill*!'

'They call her The swallow bird of suburbs

she's just a poor child of love

born on one day in spring

child of a female worker

and just like the others, she could have turned out well

if her father, instead of abandoning her,

had taken her under his wings.

The swallow bird.'

'Number 13, still with a 40-degrees-Celsius fever

yes... It's not going as I've hoped it would

I can see the life crawling out through her lips

And there's nothing I could do, nothing to stop it from happening!

I'm a scientist, I've healed so many women,

but it's this little one I would have really wanted to save.

And just there now, she's passing away... Listen, hold onto your soul

I am your father, my beloved daughter,

I'm not a madman, I'm just a sad man..

You, my students, listen up now!

They called her The swallow bird of suburbs

she was just a poor love-child

born on a day in spring

child of a female worker

and just like the others, she would have turned out well

if instead of cowardly abandoning her,

had I known to protect her under my wing.

The swallow bird.'

• Artist:Georgette Plana