Καλλιτεχνικός Σύλλογος Δημοτικής Μουσικής Δόμνα Σαμίου

We have included another variation of this fable, this one from the Peloponnesian coast, opposite the island of Hydra. Its verses have evolved to better reveal the song’s mythic structure. The title may well be a corruption or mishearing of the Greek for ‘Saint John’s well’, which makes sense seeing as Saint John is closely related to both water and sacrificed men.

Have you heard what happened down at Saint John’s well?
A wild beast has appeared and is devouring all the brave men;
it’s eaten all the young men and all the men with courage.
Only the widow’s son remains, and him he’ll soon devour.
It’s donned women’s clothes and women’s slippers, too.
It goes to church in women’s clothes to pray there,
and as a woman takes the Sacrament from the priest’s hand
and as a woman came out and sat at Saint John’s well,
let down its long blond hair and sat there welling tears.
The young man was moved, stopped and asked:
– What ails you, maid, why do you weep and sigh?
– My engagement ring has fallen into Saint John’s well,
and whosoever dives in and fetches it shall have me for his wife.
– Maid, don’t be sad, don’t shed heavy tears,
I shall go find it and bring it back to you.
And going down to search for it the young man
found the snakes entwined and the adders knotted.
– Pull me up, maid, pull me up from Hades with that chain.
– I am no beauty, I am no maid, I am the spirit that devours brave men.
You have entered this well, but will not ever leave it.

(See also the comment of the song In Constantinopole I heard the news) Miranda Terzopoulou (2008)

Translated by Michael Eleftheriou

Studio recording, 2006.