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The Great North Wind blew throughout the land
and all those, kalé, all those ships that heard him
made it safely into shore.

But one, kalé, one fine ship
didn’t make it into harbor.
– I fear you not, Great North Wind,
you can blow and blow and blow.
I’ve bronze masts and steel spars
and a cabin boy who can spot the weather.
Hey boy, get aloft and see what wind’s a-blowing.

Translated by Michael Eleftheriou

Ο κυρ Βοριάς εφύσηξε

Ο κυρ- ο κυρ Βοριάς εφύσηξε σ’ όλα τα βιλαέτια
κι όσα, καλέ, κι όσα καρά- καράβια τ’ ά- καράβια τ’ άκουσαν

κι όσα καράβια τ’ άκουσαν, όλα λιμάνι πιάσαν.
Κι ένα καράβι από σκαρί1 δε φτάνει σε λιμάνι.
− Δε σε φοβάμαι κυρ Βοριά όσο κι αν θέλεις φύσα.
Έχω κατάρτια μπρούτζινα κι αντένες ατσαλένιες,
έχω κι ένα μουτζόπουλο2 που τους καιρούς γνωρίζει.
Γι’ ανέβα βρε μουτζόπουλο να δεις τι αέρα βγάζει.

1από σκαρί: καινούριο
2μουτζόπουλο: ναυτόπουλο, μούτσος

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Notes

Being more agile, young cabin boys were given the most physically demanding tasks. Though this was partly so they could learn the skills they needed, it was also because their life wasn’t worth that much. Miranda Terzopoulou (2007)

Local dance, danced during the Carnival period called “apokriatikos”..

Recording information

Studio recording, 2005.

Domna Samiou taped the song in Skiathos sung by Eleni Mergia and Argyro Fragaki, in 1975, and in Athens sung by Yannis Parisis, in 1997.

The Great North Wind Blew (1975)
Eleni Mergia, Argyro Fragaki. Recorded in Skiathos © Domna Samiou Archive

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