Recordings from the Estonian Folklore Archives 3

At Mother's Grave Side

Marie Sepp Kolga-Jaani (1937)

Oh me kaksi vaestalasta,
sa isata, ma emata,
lähme jaanipäe kiriku
murerät´ik mulle vööle,
teine pühib teise silmi,
teine teise piäd silitab.

Sa lääd isa aua piale,
ma lään ema aua piale:
“Tõuse üles, memmekene,
tõuse mo piad sugema!”

“Ei või tõusta, tütär noori,
muru kasvab mulla piale,
arueinä aua piale,
sinililled silma piale,
kullerkupud kulmu piale.”

“Oh mu ella memmekene,
ma teen sirbist vikatikse,
niidan muru mulla pialta,
arueina aua pialta,
sinililled silma pialta,
kullerkupud kulmu pialta.
Tõuse siis, mu memmekene,
tõuse tütärt õpetama!”

“Oh mu tütar til´lukene,
õhk sind õrnalt õpetagu,
taevas tarka meelta andku,
sest kes seda enne näinud,
et on koolijas kodosse,
külmajalga kelderisse.”

Oh, we two orphan children,
you fatherless, me motherless,
on St. John's day let's go to church,
a mourning kerchief at our waist,
we will wipe each other's eyes,
we will stroke each other's heads.

You will go to your father's grave,
I will go to my mother's grave:
“Wake up, dear mama,
get up and comb my hair!”

“I cannot wake up, daughter, my young one,
the grass grows over the soil,
the meadow hays on the grave,
violets over my eyes,
globeflowers over my brow.”

“Oh, my gentle mama,
I will make a scythe from a sickle,
I will mow the grass off the soil,
the meadow hay off your grave,
the violets from your eyes,
the marigolds from your brow.
Then get up, my dear mama,
get up and teach your daughter!”

“Daughter mine, oh so tiny,
may the breezes teach you gently,
may the heavens give you wisdom of mind,
for who has ever seen
a corpse dwell in the house,
a coldfoot in the cellar.”

ERA, Pl. 44 B1 < Kolga-Jaani khk., Soosaare v. – H. Tampere, A. Pulst Riigi Ringhäälingus 1937. a. < Marie Sepp, 74-a.
[LP VI 3; CD2-25]. Viidang 1997, 10.