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At the well of Tserítsiana,
in the heart of the land, hail fine fellows,
there were Bulubasiades watching.
There were Bulubasiades and there were Margaritiotes.
And they watched the Souliots waging war
[how children fought, and women like their menfolk],
how Tzavelas’ wife fought like the bravest levendis1
advancing all the while with bullets in her apron,
cartridges in her belt, and a child in her arms.

Translated by Michael Eleftheriou

1levéndis: a young man blessed with courage and physical presence

Στη βρύση στα Τσερίτσιανα

Της Τζαβέλαινας

Στη βρύση στα Τσερί -νι-τσιανα,
στη μέ- μωρέ στη μέσ’ από τη χώρα
Μπουλουμπασιά- άι γεια σας παιδιά,
Μπουλουμπασιάδες κάθουνταν.

Μπουλουμπασιάδες κάθουνταν κι όλο Μαργαριτιώτες.
Κι αγνάντιβαν τον πόλιμο που κάνουν οι Σουλιώτες
(πώς πολιμάν μικρά παιδιά, γυναίκες σαν τους άντρες),
πώς πολιμά η Τζαβέλαινα σαν άξιο παλικάρι,
σέρνει τα βόλια στην ποδιά, φυσέκια στο ζουνάρι,
και το παιδί στην αγκαλιά κι όλο μπροστά πηγαίνει.

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Notes

The song refers to Ali Pasha’s first campaign against the Souliots in June 1792, when women and children led by Moscho, Lambros Tzavelas’ wife, took part in the heroic defence of their land against numerically superior forces. They succeeded in repulsing the Albanians, albeit only temporarily. Miranda Terzopoulou (2007)

Recording information

Studio recording, 2004.

Based on Simon Karas' recording which belongs to the Association for the Dissemination of Greek National Music.

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