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I had a ribbon at the weaver’s and felt at the tailor’s,
and a loved one in a foreign land,
and him I’m waiting for,
oh, and him I’m waiting for.

Oh, ribbon spun and wound
around the spinning wheel.

The water is from Rhodes and the well, too,
and so’s the maid who goes to fill her pot with water.

Oh, ribbon spun and wound
around the spinning wheel.

The cloth is from Rhodes and the shuttle, too,
and so’s the maid sitting there a-weaving.

Ribbons and silk
from Symi they did send me,
for the maidens to sew
their menfolk shirts.

Translated by Michael Eleftheriou

Γαϊτανάκι μου πλεγμένο

Γαϊτάνι ν-είχα στο πλεχτρί και τσόχαν εις το ράφτη,
ωχ, και τσόχαν εις το ράφτη,
και ξένον εις την ξενιτιά και καρτερώ τον να ’ρθει,
ωχ, και καρτερώ τον να ’ρθει.

Γαϊτανάκι μου πλεγμένο,
στην ανέμη τυλιγμένο.

Ροδίτικο ’ναι το νερό, ροδίτικια κι η βρύση,
Ροδίτισσα κι η κοπελιά που πάει για να γεμίσει.

Γαϊτανάκι μου πλεγμένο,
στην ανέμη τυλιγμένο.

Ροδίτικο ’ναι το πανί, ροδίτικο το χτένι,
Ροδίτισσα κι η κοπελιά που κάθεται και υφαίνει.

Γαϊτανάκι και μπιρσίμι1
μου ’στειλαν από τη Σύμη
για να ράψουν οι κοπέλες
των αντρών τους τις φανέλες.

1μπιρσίμι: μεταξωτό νήμα

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Studio recording, 2005.

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