Here’s an Occitan Christmas carol sung by Monique Palomares of Mama Lisa’s World en français. (Occitan is a language spoken in parts of southern France, Spain and Italy. It was the language of the troubadours.)

Paure Satan is about the Devil having a hard time because of Jesus’ birth. Below you’ll find the lyrics in the original Occitan, followed by an English translation and then a French translation…

MP3 of Lo paure Satan

Lo paure Satan
(Occitan)

Lo paure Satan es blet
Se’n va cuèch coma un polet
Morrà de la macadura
Tura lura lura
I a un pichòt que lo tafura
Lan lan tura lura lura lo

L’enfant que ven d’arribar
L’a quasi coma crebat
L’a mes en paura postura
Tura lura lura
Pareirà plus qu’en pintura
Lan lan tura lura lura lo.

La Pruneta e lei Mions
Li an donat de baston
L’an colhut dins la fritura
Tura lura lura
Sembla paura pescadura
Lan lan tura lura lura lo.

Se disiá diable d’onor
E fasiá lo grand senhor
A mordut una poma dura
Tura lura lura
Una poma non madura
Lan lan tura lura lura lo.

Poor Satan
(English)

Poor Satan is drained
He’s as cooked* as a chicken
He’ll die from the bruises
Tura lura lura
There’s a little one worrying him
Lan lan tura lura lura loo.

The child who’s just arrived
Nearly like killed him,
He put him in a bad position
Tura lura lura
We won’t see him but in paintings**
Lan lan tura lura lura loo.

Prunette and the Mions***
Beat him with a stick
They fried him in fat
Tura lura lura
He looks like a mean catch
Lan lan tura lura lura loo.

He’d say he was a devil of honor
And he’d act as if a great lord
He bit a hard apple
Tura lura lura
An unripe apple
Lan lan tura lura loo.

*“cuèch” = “cooked, done, baked” also means exhausted and allows this play on words.
**idiom: to see someone (only) in paintings means not to see him at all.
***Pet name for “Mireille”, a typical Provencal girl’s name.

Le pauvre Satan est blet
(French)

Le pauvre Satan est blet
Il part cuit comme un poulet
Il mourra de la meurtrissure
Tura lura lura
Il y a un petit qui lui donne du souci
Lan lan tura lura lou.

L’enfant qui vient d’arriver
L’a pratiquement crevé
Il l’a mis en mauvaise posture
Tura lura lura
Il ne paraîtra plus qu’en peinture
Lan lan tura lura lura lou.

La Prunette et les Miouns*
Lui ont donné du bâton,
Elles l’ont cuit dans la friture
Tura lura lura
Il ressemble à une misérable pêche,
Lan lan tura lura lura lou.

Il se disait diable d’honneur
Et faisait le grand seigneur
Il a mordu une pomme dure
Tura lura lura
Une pomme pas mûre
Lan lan tura lura lura lou.

Many thanks to Monique Palomares for contributing and translating this song and for singing it for us!

-Lisa