Liliane from Belgium is looking for the origins of a lullaby that her mom used to sing to her. She’s curious about the country, area it’s from and the possible author, if any. The name of the lullaby is Dans le chemin creux de la lande (In the Sunken Lane of the Moor). She told us that her Mom is Belgian but, since the song mentions a moor, that made her think it might be from Brittany, France.

Here’s Liliane’s request in French, followed by the lullaby in French and then in English:

Liliane recherche les origines de cette berceuse que lui chantait sa mère (pays, région et éventuels auteurs).

Dans le chemin creux de la lande

Dans le chemin creux de la lande,
Les noirs lutins, les loups-garous,
La nuit venue, en sarabande
se poursuivent comme des fous.

J’entends du bruit près de la porte
Ferme les yeux mon petit gars
Les méchants loups-garous emportent
Les enfants qui ne dorment pas.

Fais dodo, mon petit homme
Car ta maman près du berceau
Veille sur ton léger somme
Jusqu’à demain, jusqu’à demain.
Fais dodo

Here’s an English translation:

In the Sunken Lane of the Moor

In the sunken lane of the moor,
Blacks imps, werewolves,
When night has come, as in a mad noisy dance,
Pursue one another like lunatics.

I hear noise close to the door
Close your eyes my little boy
The malicious werewolves carry off
The children who do not sleep.

Go to sleep, my little man
Because your mom, close to the cradle
Watches over your light nap
Until tomorrow, until tomorrow.
Go to sleep.

If anyone knows anything about this lullaby, or if you’ve heard of it in a specific geographic region, please comment below or email me.

Thanks!

Lisa

UPDATE: We posted Par les chemins creux de la lande with an mp3 recording, midi, score and English and Spanish translations on Mama Lisa’s World.