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Touro-louro-louro ! Lou gau canto  
(Cock-a-doodle-do! The rooster crows)
Lyrics by Nicolas Saboly, known as Micoulau Sabòli. Traditional from Provence.
Tune De Bourgogne.
This Christmas carol has been published on 1674 in the 8th book. It appears with number 56 in the Fr. Seguin’s new edition.
| 1st verse |
— Touro-louro-louro! Lou gau canto
E n’es pa incaro jour;
Iéu m’en vau en Terro Santo
Pèr vèire Noste Segnour.
Vos-tu veni?
— Nani, nani.
— Vendras proun bèn!
— N’en farai rèn.
— Guihaume! Guihaume!
Au mens s’iéu noun torne plus, fai-me dire ùnei Sèt-Saume.
Helas! moun Diéu!
Que farai iéu?
Siéu pavourous coume un poulet,
Quand siéu soulet. (twice) | | — Cock-a-doodle-do! The rooster crows
And it’s not yet daylight;
I’m going to Holy Land
And see Our Lord.
Do you want to come?
— Nay, nay.
— You will come soon nevertheless!
— Nothing will make me do.
— William! William!
At least if I don’t come back, let make and recite the seven Psalms (1).
Alas! my God!
What will I do?
I strut about like a chicken,
When I’m alone. (twice) |
2nd verse |
— Touro-louro-louro! L’auro meno
E me fai boufa lei det;
Certos iéu siéu bèn en peno,
Ai pòu de mouri de fre;
Hòu de l’oustau!
— Qui pico avau?
— Voudriéu louja.
— Sian tous couija!
— Granjiero! granjiero!
Durbès-me, siéu tout jala; boutas-me dins la feniero!
Helas! moun Diéu!
Que farai iéu?
Lou paure! vounte tirarai?
Belèu mourrai. (twice) | | — Cock-a-doodle-do! The wind blows (2)
And make me blow [on] my fingers (3);
Certainly I’m grief-stricken,
I’m afraid of dying of exposure;
Hello the household!
— Who is rapping down below?
— I would like and accommodate.
— We all are in bed!
— Tenant (4)! tenant!
Open to me, I’m frozed; put me in the hayloft (5)!
Alas! my God!
What will I do?
Poor me! where will I go?
I’ll soon die. (twice) |
3rd verse |
— Touro-louro-louro! Lei ribiero
An deja tout inounda;
Vese plus rèn lei broutiero,
Belèu me faudra neda.
Quauque barquet?...
— N’i’a pas dequé!
— Vount passarai?
— Certo, noun sai!
— Sauvaire! Sauvaire!
Tu n’as gis de carita, n’es pas ansin que fau faire.
Helas! moun Diéu!
Que farai iéu?
Lou paure! vounte passarai?
Me negarai! (twice) | | — Cock-a-doodle-do! The rivers
Have already all flooded;
I no more see the osier plantations,
Soon I’ll have to swim.
Some small boat?...
— There is nothing about!
— Where will I pass?
— Certainly, I don’t know!
— Saviour! Saviour!
You don’t have scarcely charity, it’s not like so to have to do.
Alas! my God!
What will I do?
Poor me! where will I pass?
I’ll drown. (twice) |
4th verse |
— Touro-louro-louro! Pèr fourtuno
Siéu sourti d’un michant pas;
La pode coumta pèr uno!
Enfin ai trouba lou jas.
— Bonjour à tous!
— Amai à vous.
— E que fasès?
— Vous lou vesès.
— Marìo! Marìo!
Vous estrugue d’un bèu fiéu, lou veritable Messìo.
Bon Sant Jóusè,
Se me cresè,
Me farés vèire aquel enfant
Qu’iéu ame tan. (twice) | | — Cock-a-doodle-do! Fortunately
I get out of a tight spot;
I can count it for one!
Finally I’ve found the sheepfold.
— Hello to everybody!
— Also to you.
— And what are you doing?
— You can see.
— Mary! Mary!
I praise for such a beautiful child, the true Messiah.
Good Saint Joseph,
If you believe me,
Let me see this child
I love so much. (twice) |
1. Sèt-Saume: the seven Psalms of penance, recited on All Souls’ Day (November 2nd).
2. Mena: to lead, to drive. Here, the wind “leads”, so it blows.
3. Boufa: to blows. Here, the narrator blows on his fingers to warm them up.
4. Granjiero or grangièro: tenant farmer, sharecropper or occupant of a barn.
5. Fenièro: hayloft, place where hay go.
| Bibliography | | • | P. C. (priest), 2e recueil de 20 noëls provençaux, publisher M. Carbonel, Marseille, 1863, p. 15-17. | | • | Saboly (Nicolas), Recueil des noëls composés en langue provençale (Collection of Christmas carols composed in Provençal language), reprint Fr. Seguin, printer and bookseller, Avignon, 1856, p. 70-71. |
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