Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer in French

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer in French Posted by Hichem on Dec 23, 2010 in Culture, Music, Vocabulary

Connais-tu les prénoms de tous les rennes du Père Noël ?
(Do you know the names of all of Santa’s reindeer?)

At their first performance ever, borrowing their noms de scènes (stage names) from an early 19th century American poem, there were only eight rennes du Père Noël (Santa Claus’s reindeer.)

Those original eight are: Furie (Prancer), le plus puissant (the most powerful); Tornade (Dasher), le plus rapide (the fastest); Fringant (Vixen), belle et puissante (beautiful and powerful); Danseur (Dancer), la plus gracieuse d’eux tous (the most gracious of them all); Comète (Comet), who brings bonheur (happiness) to children; Tonnerre (Donner), le plus fort (the strongest); Éclair (Blitzen), who brings la lumière (light); and finally, Cupidon (Cupid), the reindeer who brings love to the little kids!

Only un siècle plus tard(a century later), in 1939,did un neuvième renne(a ninth reindeer) “jump into the bandwagon”, so to speak. And before you could say “Joyeux Noël” (“Happy Christmas”), he was able to win the hearts of all the little kids around the world. Wonder why? You can for sure bet your guirlandes de Noël(Christmas tinsels) that his petit nez rougehad something to do with it!

* RODOLPHE, LE RENNE AU NEZ ROUGE !

On l’appelait nez rouge

He was called Red Nose

Ah ! Comme il était mignon
Ah, how cute he was!
Le petit renne au nez rouge

The little reindeer with a red nose
Rouge comme un lumignon

As red as a lamp

Son petit nez faisait rire

His little nose was funny

Chacun s’en moquait beaucoup

Everyone was making so much fun of it
On allait jusqu’à dire

They were even saying
Qu’il aimait boire un petit coup

That he liked to drink a little

Une fée qui l’entendit

A ferry who heard him

Pleurer dans le noir

Crying in the dark
Pour le consoler lui dit:

To console him, told him:
Viens au paradis ce soir

Come to Paradise tonight
Comme un ange, nez rouge

Like an Angel, Red Nose
Tu conduiras dans le ciel

You’ll drive in the sky
Avec ton petit nez rouge

With your little red nose
Le chariot du Père Noël

Santa’s cart

* * *

Quand la neige recouvre la verte Finlande

When the snow covers the green Finland
Et que les rennes traversent la lande

And the reindeer cross the moors

Le vent dans la nuit

The wind at night
Au troupeau, parle encore de lui

Within the herd, still speaks of him

On l’appelait nez rouge

He was called Red Nose

Ah ! Comme il était mignon
Ah, how cute he was!
Le petit renne au nez rouge

The little reindeer with a red nose
Rouge comme un lumignon

As red as a lamp

Maintenant qu’il entraîne

Now that he’s pulling
Son char à travers les cieux

His cart throughout the skies
C’est lui, le roi des rennes
It’s him, the king of the reindeer
Et son nez fait des envieux
And his nose is making some people jealous

Vous fillettes et garçons

You little girls and boys
Pour la grande nuit
For the Big Night
Si vous savez vos leçons
If you know your lessons
Dès que sonnera minuit

At the midnight bell

Ce petit point qui bouge

This little point that moves
Ainsi qu’une étoile au ciel

As well as a star in the Sky
C’est le nez de nez rouge

That’s the nose of Red Nose
Annonçant le Père Noël
Announcing Santa Claus

Tags: blitzen, comet, comete, cupid, cupide, dancer, danseur, dasher, eclair, fringant, furie, guirlande, pere noel, prancer, rodolphoe le renne au nez rouge, rudolph the red-nosed reindeer, santa claus, tinsel, tonnerre, tornade, vixen

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