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When I Went down to the Butchers

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Lyrics
When I went down, mistress mine,
to the butcher’s to buy meat,
he gave me, mistress mine,
a bone and a donkey head to eat.
Five full days I boiled them
till on the seventh they were done,
when a friend appeared then–
my doggy neighbour at a run.
And he jumped up high and grabbed it
that huge bone from the pot,
and I snatched up a big stick
and chased him round a lot.
Translated by Michael Eleftheriou
Original Lyrics
Όταν πήγα κυρά μου στο χασάπη
Όταν πήγα, κυρά μου, στο χασάπη,
όταν πήγα, κυρά μου, στο χασάπη,
όταν πήγα στο χασάπη ν’ αγοράσω κρεατάκι.
Και μου δίνει μια κοκκάλα
μια γαϊδουρινή κεφάλα.
Πέντε μέρες τηνε βράζω
στις εφτά την κατεβάζω.
Και μου ήρθε ένας φίλος
της γειτόνισσας ο σκύλος.
Και αρπάζει την κοκκάλα
από μέσ’ απ’ την τσουκάλα.
Και αρπάζω ένα ξύλο
και τον φέρνω γύρω γύρω.
Information
- Region: Thrace
- Area: Evros, Kyani
- Categories: Lampoon
- Rhythm: 2 beats
- Dance style: Hasapikos (fast)
- Duration: 02:06
Collaborators
- Singer: Dimitra Stenou
- Choir: Group of children from the 9th Primary School of Nea Smyrni
- Flute: Thodoris Georgopoulos
- Lute: Kostas Philippidis
- Goblet drum: Vangelis Karipis
- Informant (source of the song): Theodoros Kekes
Albums
Recording information
Studio recording, 2005.
Domna Samiou taped the song in Athens sung by Theodoros and Peristera Keke who originate from Kyani, Didymoteicho, Evros, in 1990.