A Lustukru is an ogre or bogeyman.

Ogre

Chorus:
Lon lon la,
Lon lon la, lon lon la, lire la, lon la!
La, lon la!

1. Do you hear in the plains
The noise coming up to us?
We would say it’s like the noise of a chain
Dragging itself on pebbles.
It’s a big Ogre who passes by,
Who passes by again and will go back
Carrying in his shoulder bag
All the little youngsters
Who don’t sleep!

(Chorus)

2. What is this crazy voice
Which passes by our shutters?
No, it isn’t the storm
Which plays with pebbles:
It is the big Ogre who roars
Who roars and will soon laugh…
Gathering up
All the little youngsters
Who don’t sleep!

(Chorus)

3. Who moaned so,
In the enclosure, near here?
Must I thus have to go out
To see who sighs so?
It’s the big Ogre crying:
He’s hungry and eating
Raw and alive, without bread or butter,
All the little youngsters
Who don’t sleep!

(Chorus)

4. Who do you want me to put
In the bad old man’s bag?
My Doric and my Jeannette
Have just closed their eyes:
Go away, bad man,
Fetch your meal elsewhere!
Since they take their nap,
No, you will not have
My two little youngsters!

(Chorus)

*****

Note: Lustukru can also be spelled Lustrucru. It originally meant “simpleton” coming from “l’eusses-tu cru ?”.

Monique said, “Nowadays if you ask French people about “lustucru” (whatever the spelling, when you talk there’s no difference), they’ll tell you it’s a brand of all types of pasta.”

You can also hear it sung while reading the above lyrics on this site.

There’s a Canadian site that tells how some lullabies served as warnings, like those found in Lustukru. The version of the song below was recorded by Theodore Botrel. His work was very popular in Quebec.

Lustukru

Refrain:
Lon lon la,
Lon lon la, lon lon la, lire la, lon la!
La, lon la!

1. Entendez-vous dans la plaine
Ce bruit venant jusqu’à nous?
On dirait un bruit de chaîne
Se traînant sur les cailloux.
C’est le grand Lustukru qui passe,
Qui repasse et s’en ira
Emportant dans sa besace
Tous les petits gâs
Qui ne dorment pas!

Refrain
2. Quelle est cette voix démente
Qui traverse nos volets?
Non, ce n’est pas la tourmente
Qui joue avec les galets:
C’est le grand Lustukru qui gronde
Qui gronde … et bientôt rira
En ramassant à la ronde
Tous les petits gâs
Qui ne dorment pas!

Refrain
3. Qui donc gémit de la sorte,
Dans l’enclos, tout près d’ici?
Faudra-t-il donc que je sorte
Pour voir qui soupire ainsi?
C’est le grand Lustukru qui pleure:
Il a faim et mangera
Crus-tout-vifs, sans pain ni beurre,
Tous les petits gâs
Qui ne dorment pas!

Refrain
4. Qui voulez-vous que je mette
Dans le sac au vilain Vieux?
Mon Doric et ma Jeannette
Viennent de fermer les yeux:
Allez vous-en, méchant homme,
Quérir ailleurs vos repas!
Puisqu’ils font leur petit somme,
Non, vous n’aurez pas
Mes deux petits gâs!

Refrain

You can see 2 more local Canadian versions of Lustukru at the same site.

La mère Michel – with an English translation and an mp3, midi and score.

Perhaps you have a variation on this song?