Καλλιτεχνικός Σύλλογος Δημοτικής Μουσικής Δόμνα Σαμίου

A fair Trikeriotissa, a comely Trikeri girl,
is mistress of a silver loom that has an ivory heddle.
As she spooled threads on reels of reed and softly sang a ballad,
her goodman rode up to her door astride a coal-black stallion.
- A greeting to you, lissom one. - Be welcome, palikári¹.
- Good maid, if you are yet unwed, I’ll take you as my helpmeet.
- I have a husband overseas, t’is twelve years since he left here;
I’ll wait for him another two, another three I’ll tarry,
and when those three years have gone by I’ll go into a convent
I’ll be a nun in solitude, I’ll earn my soul a blessing.
- Good lady, but your husband’s died, he ’s dead and lives no longer.
I made a loan of wax to him and came so you’ld return it.
- Why, if you loaned some wax to him, I’ll give you back the double.
- I also loaned a kiss to him and came so you’ld return it.
- Why, if you loaned a kiss to him, be off, let him return it.
- Good wench, I am your husband, I, t’is I who am your goodman.
- If you’re my husband, as you say, how am I to believe you?
Name me some objects in the yard, perhaps I’ll then believe you.
- An apple-tree grows at your door, a grape-vine in your courtyard,
it grows the grape called rozaki whose wine is known as muscat.
- That both grow in the courtyard here is known to everybody.
Now name some objects in the house, perhaps I’ll then believe you.
- A golden lampion² hangs down within the room you sleep in,
to shed a light when you undress, and keep your sleep untroubled.
- Those objects that are in the house are known to all the neighbours.
Name some marks upon my flesh, perhaps I’ll then believe you.
- You have a wart upon your cheek, a wart within your armpit,
and lying in between your breasts the sun beside the crescent.
- Indeed, you are my husband then, you are indeed my goodman.

Translated by John Leatham

¹palikári: young gallant, manly fighter
²lampion: cup-like glass lamp with oil and wick