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 τηνε 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.

Video from the presentation of the album Songs of History and Heroes on public television (2007).

Member Comments

0 Comments

Post a comment


up to 2000
Login to post a comment

See also

d25_28_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_21_badge
Song
Great Joy Across the Land
Joy and celebrations across the land but Náfplion, my Náfplion, why are you not joyous? Why no scenes of joy, no celebratio...
d25_07_badge
Song
How Joyous Are the Mountains
Hey, how joyous are the mountains, how joyous the mountains and proud the plains. The Virgin is celebrating today, and the...
d25_badge
Song
On Tríkorfa Peak
On Tríkorfa1, up on its highest peak Kolokotronis yells his orders, on Tríkorfa, high up on the ridge, the blood flows in ...
d25_badge
Song
On Tríkorfa Peak
’Tis on Tríkorfa, up on the peak that Kolokotronis is fighting, and ’tis on Tríkorfa, high on the ridge that the blood flo...
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_35_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
Hey Mountains of Grevená
Hey mountains of Grevená, hey mountain pine of Métsovo, can’t you dip a little lower. Dip two rifle shots so we can see Gr...
d25_badge
Song
In the Heart of Kalávryta
In the heart of Kalávryta, beneath the great plane tree old Zaimis sat, three old men a-sitting. There were three old men t...
825_badge_rmp45_081_2
Song
Let My Eyes Go See
Let my eyes go see for themselves how my love spends her days, lest she’s found another and fallen in love and left me. W...
d25_badge
Song
What Ails You, Poor Parnassós
What ails you, poor Parnassós, what ails you that you stand there sadly. Are your snows not deep, are your streams not fre...