Recordings from the Estonian Folklore Archives 3

The Lost Geese

Kadri Kukk Karksi (1960)

Muile anti muuda tööda,
sulastele suurta tööda,
mulle anti alba tööda:
ani oida, kana kaitsa.

Ai ma nii ani vesile,
kana kullakoppelesse.

Tulli tuuli muialt maalta,
pikken põhjasta põrudi,
ai ta mu ani vesilta,
kana kullakoppelesta.

Mina kodu kurval meelel,
kurval meelel, leinakeelel:
“Oh mu elde ennekene,
mesimagus memmekene,
tii mul päine pätsikene,
katekuine kakukene,
ma lää ani otsimaie!”

Lätsi ma sis tüki teeda,
tüki teeda, marga maada,
lipu liivasta mägeda,
vassa liiva valge'eta.

Valadi mina, valadi:
kes mul vastu või tulesse
või mul vastu veerenesse?
Vastu tulli kümme kündäjeta,
sada saadurookijeta.

Mina neile terve'eida,
terve'eida, arme'eida:
“Ka te näite meie ani?”
“Ei ole nännu teie ani.
Miandes olliv teie ani?”
“Neil oli kulda kukkurenna,
õbet neil päälaena.”
“Ei ole kuulu ega nännu.”

Lätsi jälle tüki teeda,
tüki teeda, marga maada,
lipu liivasta mägeda,
vassa liiva valge'eta.

Valadi mina, valadi:
kes mul vastu või tulesse
või mul vastu veerenesse?
Vastu tulli meeste ulka,
meeste ulka, poiste polku.

Mina neile terve'eida,
terve'eida, arme'eida:
“Ka te näite meie ani?”
“Miandes olli teie ani?”
“Neil olli kulda kukkurenna,
õbet neil päälaena.”
“Ei ole kuulu ega nännu.”

Lätsi jälle tüki tiida,
tüki tiida, marga maada,
lipu liivasta mägeda,
vassa liiva valge'eta.

Valadi mina, valadi:
kes mul vastu või tulesse
või mul vastu veerenesse?
Vastu tuli neli neitsikesta,
kolm oli nuurta noorikuta.

Mina neile terve'eida,
terve'eida, arme'eida:
“Ka te näite meie ani?”
“Miandes olli teie ani?”
“Neil olli kulda kukkurenna,
õbet neil päälaena.”
“Nii olliv Mõõlu mõise'enna.
Minge sinna, saade kätte!”

Others were given other work,
the farmhands got important work,
I was given a poor job:
to watch the geese, to keep the hens.

I drove the geese to the waters,
the hens to the golden copse.

A wind came from some other land,
lightening flashed from the north,
it drove my geese from the waters,
the hens from the golden copse.

I went home sad in spirit,
sad in spirit, with words of mourning:
“Oh, my gentle mother,
honey sweet mama,
make me a day's bread,
a cake for two months,
I am going to seek the geese!”

Then I went quite a ways,
quite a ways, over a bit of land,
a patch of sandy hills,
a stretch of sand so white.

I looked and looked,
who was coming toward me,
or rolling along at me?
Ten ploughers were coming toward me,
one hundred grubbers.

I greeted them
with greetings and good words:
“Have you seen our geese?”
“We have not seen your geese.
What were your geese like?”
“They had gold on their napes,
silver on top of their heads.”
“We have not seen or heard them.”

Again I went quite a ways,
quite a ways, over a bit of land,
a patch of sandy hills,
a stretch of sand so white.

I looked and looked,
who was coming toward me,
or rolling along at me?
A group of men were coming toward me,
a group of men, a troupe of boys.

I greeted them
with greetings and good words:
“Have you seen our geese?”
“What were your geese like?”
“They had gold on their napes,
silver on top of their heads.”
“We have not seen or heard them.”

Again I went quite a ways,
quite a ways, over a bit of land,
a patch of sandy hills,
a stretch of sand so white.

I looked and looked,
who was coming toward me,
or rolling along at me?
Four maidens were coming toward me,
three of them were young brides,

I greeted them
with greetings and good words:
“Have you seen our geese?”
“What were your geese like?”
“They had gold on their napes,
silver on top of their heads.”
“They were at Mõõlu Manor.
Go there and you will get them back!”

RKM, Mgn. II 394 f < Abja raj., Lilli kn., Aniste k. (Karksi khk.) – R. Praakli Kirjandusmuuseumi ekspeditsioonil 1960. a. < Kadri Kukk, 66-a.
[LP VI 8; CD2-30].