Recordings from the Estonian Folklore Archives 3

Flight of the Recruit

Hindrek Tamm Jõelähtme (1937)

Ära tulin mina ärrade käästa,
Tuompea tohteri tuasta –
ärrade nied jäid ärisema,
tohterid jäid torisema.
Lukku panin mina linnaluugid,
pulka panin pueväravad.
Kõik see linn jäi liikumaie,
Viru värav vingumaie.

(Siis) sain mina vaenemies vaduma
küll Pikijalga, Põikijalga,
Lasnamäe all lasin jalga.
Tondil ostsin tuobi õlut,
Irus mina uosta ingatasin,
Luol mina luoka kinnitasin,
Kärmul lasin kähku käia,
Liivakan´dil liigutasin,
Pajul piitsa plaksutasin,
Kos´tivere kos´tis vastu.
Küla kõrtsus mul üteldi,
et sind Niidal nipeldakse.
Niidale ei läinud sisse.
Kuogil ostsin kuorekuoki,
Kahtlasel ma juotsin obust,
Riisil läks meil riiuks lahti.
Tua kõrts jäi seila taha,
Suodlase võt´sin sutsukese,
Rauaojal raasukese,
Pillapaluse piisukese.

Away I came from the clutches of the lords,
down from the doctors' rooms on Toompea –
the lords just stood there jabbering,
the doctors just stood there muttering.
I turned the locks on the city's hatches,
I blocked the gates of the stores.
The whole town was in an uproar,
Viru Gates just groaned.

Wretched me, then I proceeded to flee,
running down the Long Leg, across the Cross Leg,
at the foot of Lasnamäe hill I took to my heels.
At Tondi I bought a stoup of ale,
in Iru I gave my horse a breather,
at Loo I fastened the harness,
at Kärmu I fled lickety split,
I moved from Liivakandi,
at Paju I cracked my whip,
Kostivere resounded [from it].
I was told in the village inn
that I would be thrashed in Niida.
I did not go into Niida.
I bought a cream cake at Koogi,
at Kahtlase I watered my horse,
at Riisi we ended up in a fight,
I put the inn of Tua behind my back,
in Soodla I had a nip,
at Rauaoja I had a sip,
at Pillapalu I had a drop.

ERA, Pl. 66 B1 < Jõelähtme khk., Nehatu v. – H. Tampere, A. Pulst Riigi Ringhäälingus 1937. a. < Hindrek Tamm, 60-a.
[LP VI 10; CD2-32].