This version of the song is from Languedoc. The song has several versions.

You'll find a longer version in the Song Notes and a Gascon version at this Mama Lisa's Page.

Some people repeat the first two lines.

Notes

*Baby Jesus. In Occitan and French Christmas carols, Baby Jesus is often called "Christmas".

Here is a longer version of this song. It was published in 1910 in Toulouse.

Anuèit qu'es nascut Nadal (Last night the Child was born)
Dins un tan polit ostal, (In such a pretty house)
Dins una cramba de parada (In an extravagant bedroom)
De palha pasimentada. (Lined with straw.)

(Repic) (Chorus)
Chut, chut, chut, chut! (Shush, shush, shush, shush!)
L'enfant dòrm, pas tant de bruch. (The child's sleeping, Don't make so much noise)
Chut, chut, chut, chut! (Shush, shush, shush, shush!)
L'enfant dòrm, pas tant de bruch. (The child's sleeping, Don't make so much noise)

Los anjolets l'an anonçat (The little angels announced it)
E dins los aires l'an cantat, (And in the air they sang it)
L'un que sonava una trompeta (One played a trumpet)
E l'autre qu'aviá una pifreta. (And the other had a little fife.)

(Repic) (Chorus)

Tots pastors son arribats (All the shepherds arrived)
Damb los esclòps totis ferrats (With hobnailed clogs)
L'un que portava una coqueta (One brought a little cake )
E l'autre qu'aviá una cogeta. (And the other one had a zucchini.)

(Repic) (Chorus)

Dins aquel petit ostalet (In that little small house)
An trobat lo Nadalet, (They found the little Child )
cochat per dessús Maria (Lying upon Mary )
dambe palha darnièr l'esquina. (With straw under her back.)

(Repic) (Chorus)

Un capucin escarabillat (An alert Capuchin* monk)
Vòl cantar lo Magnificat (Wants to sing the Magnificat)
Pendent que compòsa la nòta (While he's composing the note)
Josèp lo pren per la calòta. (Joseph takes him by his cap.)

(Repic) (Chorus)

Un cordelièr tot adromit (A slumbering Cordelier* friar)
Ven per fretar lo petit (Comes to rub the little one)
Pendent que se grata la nuca (While he's scratching his nape)
Josèp lo pren per la perruca. (Joseph takes him by his hair.)

(Repic) (Chorus)

Aquí tanben qu'i a un buòu (There is also an ox)
Que non minja ni non beu. (That neither eats nor drinks)
N'es pas que non n'auja enveja (It's not that he wouldn't want to)
Mas digús non le'n carreja. (But nobody brings him anything.)

(Repic) (Chorus)

Aquí i a un ase estacat (There's a tied up donkey)
D'el digús non a pietat, (Nobody pities him)
Josèp lo tira per la coeta (Joseph pulls him by the tail)
Alavètz l'ase que peta.** (Then the donkey farts.)

(Repic) (Chorus)

Tots pastors de Betleèm (All the Bethlehem shepherds)
Son tornats dambe lo Guilhèm. (Have come back with William.)
Josèp qu'es darnièr la pòrta (Joseph who's behind the door)
Los te flanca un còp d'endòrta. (Hits them with a wicker sprig.)

(Repic) (Chorus)

Qué portaràs tu Janòt, (What will you bring, Johnny)
De castanhas un sacòt, (A bagful of chestnuts)
Dambe un desquetat d'esteretas (With a basketful of wood shavings)
Per li far calfar las manetas. (To warm his little hands.)

(Repic) (Chorus)

Qué portaràs tu, Catin? (What will you bring, Cathy)
Un grand bocin de bodin (A big piece of black pudding)
Dambe un talhuc de fromatge (With a chunk of cheese)
Ende far minjar lo mainatge. (To make the child eat.)

(Repic) (Chorus)

*Cordelier Friars and Capuchin Monks are in the order of Franciscan Monks.
**In some versions, the line is "Alavètz l'ase que… canta" (Then the donkey… sings) but everybody understands what the actual verb should be because of the rhyme.

*******

Additional verses:

Lo pastre a quitat son prat, (The shepherd has left his meadow)
En cantant es arribat. (He arrived singing)
Sant Josèp se met sus la pòrta (Saint Joseph goes on the threshold)
E l'arrèsta d'una votz fòrta. (And stops him with a strong voice.)

Lo fifraire del païs (The local fife player)
Pòrta tanben son otís. (Also brings his instrument)
Per complaire al Filh, a la Maire, (To please the Son and the Mother)
Li vòl jogar son plus bel aire. (He wants to play them his finest tune.)

Comments

You can hear this sung here and there a 7:29.

Download MIDI Tune

Thanks and Acknowledgements

Contributed and translated by Monique Palomares.

Mercé plan!