☝️ Key Points
- The protagonist was lonely in his youth and found companionship in an older woman and her children.
- His wife and children left him, which caused him great sorrow.
- Despite his losses, he remains optimistic and tries to make a living by selling hay, but no one succeeds.
- At the end of the song, he changes his profession and becomes a woodworm dealer, demonstrating his ability to adapt and his resilience.
Interpretation
The 'Hay Merchant Song' from 'Asterix the Gaul' tells the story of a man who was alone in his youth and only had a pig to play with. He felt lonely and sought companionship, which he found in an older woman and her children. The quotes 'Since I was very small I was alone' and 'I never wanted to be alone again' depict his longing for companionship and family.
But his family abandons him. His wife runs away with another man, his daughter disappears, and his son left many years ago. This is expressed in the lines 'But the woman quickly ran away with the good-for-nothing' and 'Even the daughter has fled and the son left years ago'.
Despite his losses, he remains positive and takes life as it comes. His animals remain loyal to him and he tries to make a living by selling hay. But no one buys his hay, which is described in the lines 'But no one buys my hay' and 'That's why the cash register is empty'.
At the end of the song, he changes his profession and becomes a woodworm merchant, which shows that he doesn't give up despite the difficulties and always adapts. This is illustrated in the line 'Now I don't need the hay anymore, now I'm a woodworm merchant'.