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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 man of the Moriá, old Thodorakis
telling his fine lads, telling them
‘Listen up, autumn’s done and bitter winter’s come.
The trees are bare, our lairs exposed,
’tis time to separate.
Split up we must, so grab your friends,
your best men.
I myself am Zákynthos bound,
to spend the winter there’.

Translated by Michael Eleftheriou

Photo: Chanteurs Grecs, Theodore Leblanc, coloured lithograph by Gihaut Frères, Athens, National Historical Museum, no. 10281.

Εψές προψές επέρναγα

Κολοκοτρωναίικο

Εψές προψές επέρναγα απ’ τα, μωρέ
ν-απ’ τα βουνά της Πιάνας
κι ακώ το γέ- μωρέ παιδιά, κι ακώ το γέρο του Μωριά.

Κι ακώ το γέρο του Μωριά, το γερο-Θοδωράκη
να λέει στα παλικάρια του, να λέει στα παιδιά του.
Παιδιά μ’ πήρ’ ο χινόπωρος, πήρ’ ο βαρύς χειμώνας,
πέσαν τα φύλλα απ’ τα κλαριά, γυμνώσαν τα λημέρια,
παιδιά μου να χωρίσουμε, μπουλούκια να γινούμε,
πιάστε τους φίλους τους παλιούς
και τους καλούς κουμπάρους
κι εγώ θα πα στη Ζάκυνθο, θα πα να ξεχειμάσω.

Φωτ. Chanteurs Grecs (Έλληνες τραγουδιστές) Σχ. Thedore Leblanc, λιθ. Gihaut. Επιχρωματισμένη λιθογραφία. Εθνικό Ιστορικό Μουσείο, αρ. κατ. 10281.

Information

Collaborators

  • Singer: Ilias Zarokostas
  • Informant (source of the song): Ilias Zarokostas

Albums

Recording information

Domna Samiou taped the song in Livadi district of Pera Melana, Kynouria, Arcadia, in 1972.

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