Καλλιτεχνικός Σύλλογος Δημοτικής Μουσικής Δόμνα Σαμίου

Mother with the nine sons
aides pouli mou haides, and but one daughter,
you washed her hair, ki aman aman, you washed her hair in the dark.
You washed her hair in the dark
aides pouli mou haides, you brushed it in the moonlight
and often, ki aman aman, and often spoke to her sweetly.

You’d often speak sweetly to her out in the moonlight
and plait her hair in the starlight through till morning.
Matchmakers came from Babylon
who would take virtuous Areti,
take her far away to foreign lands.
And none of her brothers would have it, yet Konstantinos would:
– Mother, let Areti be married abroad
so I will have a place to lay my head upon my travels.
– Konstantis, I thought you wise, though your words are not.
[And if I’m visited by sadness or for joy, who will fetch her then?
– If you’re visited by sadness or for joy, I will fetch her then.
The leap-year came round with its ireful months,
death came a-visiting and took all nine,
Konstantis with them, before he could fulfil his vow.
And their mother was left alone like a reed on the plain,
weeping and lamenting over all their graves,
but at Konstantis’ headstone she dwelt and mourned the most.
– Konstantis, why was all your talk of fetching Areti,
and ne’er one word of embracing death?
Be damned, Konstantis, be thrice-damned
for sending my Areti so far, so far away.
And with all her curses, with all her tears
the earth moved aside and up rose Konstantis.
– Charon, give me three days and three nights
to keep the vow I made my mother.
– And who will guarantee your going and your coming?
– The Holy Virgin, Christ and the Physician Saints.
He turned his grave into a mount, its stone into a halter,
leapt up on the black steed's back and set off for Areti.
He spied her at the dance and reined his stallion in.
– Areti, come here to me, our mother wants you near her.
– Tell me, little brother, what is it she wants from me?
If she's grieving, I'll join her in her grief,
if she's joyful, I'll don my festive clothes.
– No matter, Areti, for better or for worse, come as you are.
He bade his black horse kneel and sat her on its back.
As they rode along, the birds sang, saying:
– Behold a beautiful girl led along by a dead man.
– Do you hear, Konstantinos? What is that the birds are saying?
– Don't mind their talk; they are but birds, and birds will sing.
– Konstantinos, is that incense I can smell upon you?
– When I was blessed just yesterday at Saint John's church,
the priest overfilled his censer just a little.
Further on, more birds piped up and said:
– Almighty God, is it not shameful for a dead man
to lead fair Areti back home in Your sight?
Finally, they drew near the church of the Holy Martyrs.
– Get yourself home, sister, for I shall go and pray.
– Let us go together, Konstantis, your prayers can wait for after.
– You must go home alone, Areti, for I am a dead man.
Her heart broke and to their home she went.
She found the door locked,
the keys gone and the shutters cobwebbed.
– Mother, open up! Open up for your dear Areti.
– Get thee gone, Charon, for I have no Areti.
I had a daughter once called Areti, but who knows where she’s at.
– Here, Mother, look: the ring my husband gave me
when my nine brothers betrothed the two of us.
At the door they embraced,
surrendering their souls in each other’s arms.]

Translated by Michael Eleftheriou

Additional verses are from Μ. Γ. Βαγιανός, Μελί Καραπούρνων-Ερυθραίας Μικράς Ασίας, Meli Megara 1981, pp. 64-65.