Listen

A maid decided to join the klephts
and set fire, vr’ amán och amán,
she set fire to her loom.
She set fire to her loom, to her ivory comb,
armed herself and joined the klephts.
Twelve years she led them
and no man ever guessed she was a girl.
And one Easter, one Sunday, one feast-day
the klephts joined the dance to toss the stone
and the lads threw it forty paces at most.
When the girl’s turn came, she hurled it forty five,
and with all the straining and the lunging
she lost a silver button and
something saw the light of day.
And some may call it gold and some call it silver
but it was neither gold nor silver,
’twas just the maiden’s breast.

Translated by Michael Eleftheriou

Μια κόρη τ’ απεφάσισε

Μια κόρη τ’ απεφάσισε να πάει με τους κλέφτες
βάνει φωτιά, βρ’ αμάν ωχ αμάν αμάν,
βάνει φωτιά στον αργαλειό.

Βάνει φωτιά στον αργαλειό, στο φιλντισένιο χτένι,
και τ’ άρματά της φόρεσε και πάει με τους κλέφτες.
Δώδεκα χρόνους έκανε στους κλέφτες καπετάνιος
κανείς δεν τήνε γνώρισε πως ήταν κορασίδα.
Και μια Λαμπρή, μια Κυριακή, μια ’πίσημην ημέρα
βγήκαν οι κλέφτες στο χορό να ρίξουν το λιθάρι.
Το ρίχνουν τα κλεφτόπουλα, το παν σαράντα χνάρια,1
το ρίχνει και η κορασιά, το πάει σαράντα πέντε.
Κι από το σείσμα το πολύ κι από το λύγισμά της
εκόπη τ’ αργυρό κουμπί και ’φάνη κάτι εφάνη.
Κι άλλοι το λένε μάλαμα κι άλλοι το λένε ασήμι·
κείνο δεν είναι μάλαμα, κείνο δεν είν’ ασήμι,
μόν’ είν’ της κόρης το βυζί.

1χνάρια: βήματα, πόδια (ίχνη ποδιού)

Information

Collaborators

Albums

Recording information

Studio recording, 2004.

Member Comments

0 Comments

Post a comment


up to 2000
Login to post a comment

See also

d25_badge
Song
All the castles I have seen
The castle of the beautiful maid All the castles I have seen, not one have I not visited vr' amán amán, not one have I not visited, oh maid Frankish, maiden...
d25_badge
Song
Rock of Monemvasiá
Rock, vai, rock of Monemvasiá Rock of Monemvasiá and Athens’ citadel. Hey Palamedi of Náfplion, open up and let me in. So ...
d25_badge
Song
I passed by a day or two ago
I was over by Piana, up high, a day or two ago and, lads, who did I hear but the old man of the Moriá. And I hear the old m...
d25_badge
Song
The captains of Trípoli
The captains of Trípoli, mana mou, the captains of Trípoli and the brave men of Moriá. In Albania they lie, in Iván they r...
d25_badge
Song
A great command
And the king did command and ’twas a great command: fleet and admiral were to quit the land. By the Lord’s command and the...
d27_badge
Song
A prince is to be wed
Evil in-laws A prince is to be wed to a dark-eyed bride whose folk sought refuge here. His bride-to-be’s from uprooted stock, little re...
d24_badge
Song
All the birds, two by two
All the birds, amàn amàn, the birds nest two by two, all the birds two by two, the swallow with his mate. The lonesome ni...
d25_badge
Song
Androútsos' mother
Androutsos’ mother is glad, Androutsos’ mother is glad and Diakos’ proud For they have warriors and captains for sons who ...
d14_badge
Song
Ballos from Alatsata
Start, sweet tongue of mine, and remember, my lips, And you poor heart, tell what you know. Of songs and commendations I ...
d24_badge
Song
Beam, dear moon
– Come on beam, dear moon, shine, moon dear, and light the way to my love. Beam high and low, for it’s muddy and wet; beam...
d27_badge
Song
Dawn glowed in the East
Spouses recognized on the emigrant's return 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...
d14_badge
Song
Dimitroula
You dance, my spoilt one, but I don't know who are you, from your stature you seem, scampish perivolaria, to be of noble bi...
d23_badge
Song
Down on the sandy beach
Down on the sandy beach, down by the water’s edge, a girl was laundering her silver-threaded dress. After rinsing it, she l...