• Increase font size
  • Decrease font size
  • Ελληνικά
  • English

Καλλιτεχνικός Σύλλογος Δημοτικής Μουσικής Δόμνα Σαμίου

Menu
  • Domna Samiou
    • Domna Samiou
    • Contents
      • Domna Samiou
      • Biography
      • A Tale of a Life
      • Others on Domna
    • richmenu_01
      A tale of a life
      Homeless During the Civil War
      richmenu
      richmenu_02
      A tale of a life
      Next to Her Mentor Simon Karas
      richmenu_03
      Socrates Sinopoulos
      A Teacher-Student Relationship
  • Her Work
    • Her Work
    • Contents
      • Her Work
      • Discography
      • List of Songs
      • Concerts
      • "Musical Travelogue"
      • Press Clippings and Interviews
      • Collaborators
      • Domna Samiou Archives
      • Selections
    • richmenu_kalanta
      Musical Selections
      Christmas, New Year & Epiphany Carols
      richmenu
      richmenu_ton_akriton--3
      New release
      Epic Songs of Warriors and Heroes
      richmenu
      richmenu_nikos_papavramidis
      Collaborators
      Nikos Papavramidis
      pa623_main_nikos_stefanidis--2
      Collaborators
      Nikos Stefanidis (1890-1983)
      richmenu
  • The Association
    • The Association
    • Contents
      • The Association
      • About Us
      • Activities
      • The Association's Releases
      • Events
      • Sponsors and Donors
      • Web Links
    • association_richmenu_en_v3
      Activities
      Domna Samiou Archives
      richmenu
      association_richmenu_en_v3
      The Association
      The Board and the Members
      richmenu
  • The Choir
    • The Choir
    • The Lessons
    • The Teachers
    • Contact the Choir
  • Translator's Notes
    • Translator's Notes
    • Musical Instruments
    • Pronunciation Notes
  • Contact
Sign in Show/Hide Search Form

You are at: Home page Her Work List of Songs Four, Five, Nine Brothers

d27_cover--2
Listen to Spotify Listen to Google Play Listen toiTunes Listen toAmazon
Four, Five, Nine Brothers
d27_cover--2
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Google
  • Send with e-mail

Τα τέσσερα, τα πέντε, τα εννιάδερφα

Listen

Lyrics

Four brothers five brothers nine,
eighteen cousins, none destined to grow to man’s estate
were by royal command to go and fight
twelve long years in the wars.
When they whet their swords, the sea glistens,
when their staffs clash, the mountains tremble.
Travelling the road to the muster
they happened on a deep dry well,
forty fathoms wide and a hundred deep.
Lots were drawn, thrown back and drawn again.
but the short straw fell to Kostas, the youngest, every time.
– Lower away, brothers, and I shall find us water.
They lowered him half-way down and he was filled with fear.
– Brothers, pull me up, there’s no water to be found.
– We pull and pull some more, but there’s still no sign of you.
– Then have my horse pull, too, harnessed to this rope.
– Your horse pulls and pulls, but there’s still no sign of you.
– Then have my armour pull, too, harnessed to this rope.
– Your armour pulls and pulls, but there’s still no sign of you.

Translated by Michael Eleftheriou

Original Lyrics

Τα τέσσερα, τα πέντε, τα εννιάδερφα

Τα τέσσερα, τα πέντε, τα εννιάδερφα,
τα δεκαοχτώ ξαδέρφια τα ολιγόημερα,
ένα φερμάν’ τους ήρθε απ’ το βασιλιά
να παν να πολεμήσουν χρόνους δώδεκα.
Τροχούνε τα σπαθιά τους, λάμπ’ η θάλασσα,
βροντοχτυπούν κοντάρια, τρέμουν τα βουνά.
Στο δρόμο που πηγαίνουν κι όπου πήγαιναν
βρίσκουν ένα πηγάδι, ξεροπήγαδο,
σαράντα οργιές το πλάτος κι εκατό βαθύ.
Σκουρτίζουν, ξεσκουρτίζουν, ρίχνουν το λαχνό,
κι όλο του Κώστα πέφτει, του μικρότερου.
– Κρεμάστε με βρ’ αδέρφια, για να βρω νερό.
Και ως τη μέση πήγε και φοβήθηκε.
– Τραβάτε με βρ’ αδέρφια, δεν ηύρα νερό.
– Εμείς τραβούμε Κώστα, συ δε φαίνεσαι.
– Βάλτε και τ’ άλογό μου να τραβήξ’ κι αυτό.
– Κι αυτό τραβά, βρε Κώστα, συ δε φαίνεσαι.
– Βάλτε και τ’ άρματά μου, να τραβήξ’ν κι αυτά.
– Κι αυτά τραβούν, βρε Κώστα, συ δε φαίνεσαι.
– Αφήστε με βρ’ αδέρφια κι αντέτ’ στο καλό.

Information

  • Region: Epirus
  • Categories: Fable Song (Ballad)
  • Rhythm: 3 beats
  • Dance style: Sta tria
  • Duration: 04:00

Collaborators

  • Singer: Michalis Zambas
  • Clarinet: Thodoris Georgopoulos
  • Violin: Nikos Oikonomidis
  • Lute: Kostas Papaprokopiou
  • Tambourine: Vangelis Karipis

Albums

  • Folk Fables in Song

Notes

Nine brothers set off armed for war. Arriving parched at a well, they draw lots to see who will climb down to fetch up water. The task falls to the youngest, Kostas, who will die at the hands of the demon lurking in its depths (though his death is described in most variants, here it is assumed). Intensely mythical in tone, the song’s reception reflects a tendency among older generations of ethnographers to ‘historify’ heroic elements in folk poetry in order to project onto it the glories of Byzantium. Identified like so many others with the Akritic cycle, the song’s symbolic elements were considered vestiges of ancient Greek myth, though in truth, the song has no historic dimension. It is a fabulous narrative: hatred for the youngest brother, Kostas, a hero who is often sacrificed (calling to mind the story of Joseph, who was also thrown into a well by his older brothers); the descent into the well (a symbol of dark psychic/sexual ferment); the sacrifice of a youth to an infernal demon, etc. are all standard motifs and symbolisms which frequently feature in songs, fairy-tales and legends. Miranda Terzopoulou (2008)

Recording information

Studio recording, 2006.

The song is performed according to the interpretation by Eurykleia Sourou, from the Pitsani village (Epirus).

Member Comments

0 Comments

Post a comment


up to 2000
Login to post a comment

See also

d27_badge
Album
Folk Fables in Song
CD
d27_badge
Song
Giannos and Vangelio
Giannos and Vangelio went to the same school, Giannos to learn to read and write, Vangelio to sing. Giannos fell in love an...
d20_badge
Song
My Son, Why Dont You Go and Wash?
Necrolatric Dance of Easter – My son, why don’t you go and wash, why don’t you change your clothing? Today, my child, is Easter Day, you’ll go and take ...
d15_badge
Song
The Love of Yannos and Marigo
Yannos and Marigo went to the same school. Yannos could read and write, Marigo could sing. They loved each other, no one kn...
d27_badge
Song
A Maid from Vrontados
The Best-Woman Who Ended up a Bride A maid from Vrontados sat weaving, her loom in full song to the shuttle’s beat when a bird flew down and perched on it. It...
d36_badge
Song
Dance From Pogoni
d27_badge
Song
Dawn Glowed in the East
The sun rose in the East and day broke in the West, the young man led his black mount to water. All along the way, he calle...
d27_badge
Song
I Passed by and Bade Good Day
I passed by and bid four black eyes good day, four lips, dear Daphne, four red lips. Four red lips and two lithe, slender f...
d27_badge
Song
Mavrianos and the King
Mavrianos and the king were dining in a garden. Having nought of note to discuss, the talk turned to blonde girls and curly...
d06_badge
Song
Pogonisios Dance of Epirus
d11_badge
Song
Samarina
Hey, you young klephts, you sons of Samarina, if you go up to the mountains, the Samarina way [don’t fire off shots, don’t...
d27_badge
Song
The Song of Saint George
A monster plagues our land curled up in a deep well. We feed it poor townsfolk every morn and every night, but when a day g...
d15_badge
Song
They Are Lucky, the Mountains
d27_badge
Song
Three Lords A-Sitting
Three lords were enjoying a fine dinner one boasting of his money, another of his wardrobe and Mavrozis boasting of his wif...
dvd2_badge
Song
Wedding Parody (1)
  • Home page
  • Disclaimer
  • Contact
  • Sitemap
Follow us
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
Subscribe to Newsletter
To Top
© 2010-2014 Domna Samiou Greek Folk Music Association
Stavros Niarchos Foundation
Powered by TOOLIP Web Content Management Designed & developed by EWORX S.A.