"Loup y es-tu?" (in ) is a popular French children's song, from at least the XIX century.Chansons nationales et populaires de France. (1846). France: de Gonet, p. 75. It sings about how a group enters a forest where no wolf is to be seen and "as long as he isn't there, he won't eat us". During the refrain the wolf is called, but each time he is busy putting on one of his clothes. Near the end he finally arrives, which is the sign for the children to run away.
There is an equivalent English version from the same period,Household Words (1853). United Kingdom: Bradley and Evans, Vol VII, p. 539. URL: https://books.google.com/books?id=NFzB6npLe2oC and similar games exist in Romania and Greece.Brewster, Paul G. “Some Traditional Games from Roumania.” The Journal of American Folklore, vol. 62, no. 244, 1949, pp. 114–24. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/536306. Accessed 1 May 2024.
Lyrics (Chorus:) Promenons-nous dans les bois, Pendant que le loup n'y est pas. Si le loup y était Il nous mangerait, Mais comme il y est pas, Il nous mangera pas. Loup, y es-tu ? Que fais-tu ? M'entends-tu ?
Le loup: "Je mets ma chemise " (repeat chorus) Le loup: "Je mets ma culotte " (repeat chorus) Le loup: "Je mets mes chaussettes " (repeat chorus) Le loup: "Je mets ma veste " (repeat chorus) Le loup: "Je mets mes bottes " (repeat chorus) Le loup: "Je mets mon chapeau " (repeat chorus) Ajouter les vêtements souhaités par l'enfant (repeat chorus) Le loup: "Je prends mon fusil ! J'arrive ! Me voilà ! "
Sauvons nous !
References
See also Deep in the Woods (), a French horror movie (2000) What's the time Mr Wolf, a children's game
External links (video)