Here's another song from Malicorne album "Le bestiaire": La chasse-gallery,

From the CD leaflet (translated from the French): "It is the legend of the cursed hunts that can be found everywhere in Europe. It has remained very much alive in Normandy and Vendée, where the text of the song and the glossary come from [note by Benjamin Fillion from Saint-Cyr in Talmandais] The music of the verses is a medieval tune and that of the refrains was composed by Gabriel."

From Wikipedia: "The story can be traced back to a French legend about a rich nobleman named Gallery who loved to hunt. He loved it so much that he refused to attend Sunday mass. As punishment for this sin he was condemned to fly forever through the night skies, chased by galloping horses and howling wolves, in a fashion reminiscent of the Wild Hunt stories."

For those who know French: you can find a longer definition of the local words (marked with *) in "Glossaire du Poitou, de la Saintonge et de l'Aunis" by Léopold Favre, 1867. I also recommend reading the French entry about what a "cheval mallet" is, it's the "chevaau" of the 1st verse.

LA CHASSE-GALLERY Gallery s’en va-t-en tête Monté sur un chevaau* Qui a le cou d’une bête Et les deux pieds d’un crapaud (Chorus) Entendez-vous la sarabande ? O l’est la chasse-gallery Qui va bientôt passer par bande Et la garache* et l’alouby* Derrière lui la sorcière Le lutin, le garou Galopant la houlère* Le pitois pis le loup Puis le bège fantôme Tout habillé de blanc Frère fadet et gnôme Chéroge* et revenant Le nain d’humeur plaisante Suivi du feu-follet Trélaude* saute et chante Comme un amirollet* Gremeilloux* de ragage* Le maître dau soula* Démène plein de rage Son sabre de verglas Gallery tourne tourne Emporté par son sort Aqueni* triste et morne Il demande la mort

GALLERY'S HUNT Gallery goes ahead Mounted on an evil horse That has the neck of a beast And the two feet of a toad. (Chorus) Do you hear the saraband? It is Gallery's hunt Which will soon pass in bands And the banshee and the vampire. Behind him the sorceress, The goblin, the werewolf, Riding the sow, The pew and the wolf. Then the greyish ghost All dressed in white, Brother imp and gnome, Red hound and revenant. The dwarf in a joking mood Followed by the wisp Humps, jumps and sings Like a singing spirit. Craving for mayhem, The master of the troop Thrashes, full of rage, His ice saber. Gallery turns, turns, Carried away by his fate. Exhausted, sad and dreary He asks for death.