Καλλιτεχνικός Σύλλογος Δημοτικής Μουσικής Δόμνα Σαμίου

What a mother, vai aman aman, what a fine mother,
what a mother, ela giareni mou ela, what a fine mother
is she with, vai aman aman, with the nine sons
and, ela giareni mou ela, the only daughter.

Matchmakers came from Babylon
to take Areti far away to foreign lands.
Her mother was against it, but Konstantis was for the match.
– Konstantis, how can I send our Areti away to foreign parts?
There’ll come a time, some accursed year,
when her mother weeps for Areti and Areti for her mother.
– Give up her hand, mother, and I myself will fetch her back.
So they married Areti off far away in a foreign land.
When all her brothers died, Konstantis last of all,
their mother’d walk from grave to grave, weeping and singing dirges
and when she got to Konstantis’ stone,
she’d weep and curse his name.
– Be damned, Konstantis, be thrice-damned
for making me marry Areti off in a foreign land.
[And with all the damning and the cursing
Konstantis rose up to go fetch Areti.
He turned his grave into a steed, his coffin into a saddle
and the cross at his head into a road to take him there.
All along the way, he beseeched the Lord,
– Dear God, let me find Areti dancing at the dance,
and he found her just as he had asked.
Spying her from afar, he shouting from up closer:
– Come, Areti, our mother needs you, girl.
– If it’s glad tidings you summon me for, I’ll don my finest,
if it’s for bad tidings, sackcloth and ashes shall be my garb.
– Come Areti, and travel as you are.
Along the way, riding the road home
a bird flew down and sat upon a branch.
Its song was not a bird’s or swallow’s song
for it sang in human voice, saying:
– Who has ever seen the like, the living and the dead together?
– Did you hear? Konstantis, did you hear the bird say
‘Who’s ever seen the like, the living and the dead together’?
– Don’t mind their talk; they are but birds and birds will sing.
Now get off home to mother who will let you in,
while I go tether my horse and join you there.
And Areti went to the door and shouted
– Open up, mother, open up, ’tis I, your Areti.
– If you are Areti, who brought you here?
– Konstantis brought me, now gone to tether his mount.
– Konstantis is dead these twelve long years.
– Open up, mother, open up. I am your Areti.
She opened the door, they embraced
and died in one another’s arms.]

Translated by Michael Eleftheriou