Ancestral spirits/souls
Selles laulus läheb orb tütarlaps oma ema hauale ja palub tal üles tõusta, kuid vastuseks nimetatakse talle ületamatuid takistusi. Mõnikord lauldakse, et neiu läheb ema (või vanemate) hauale just pulmade eel ja palub abi pulmadeks valmistumisel. Laul võib osutada muistsetele pulmakommetele, mille osaks oli mõrsja itkemine vanematele, kusjuures on teateid, et vaeslapsest pruut itkes vanemate haual. Siinne lauluvariant algab varasema mälestusega ema matustest, kus koos emaga maeti ka tema arm. Vaeslapse elu külaühiskonnas oli raske.
In the following song a young girl who has lost her parents visits her mother's grave and implores her to rise up, but is met with insurmountable obstacles. In other variations of the song, the girl visits her mother's (or parents') grave shortly before her wedding and asks for her help in preparing for the ceremony. The song likely reflects ancient wedding customs that involved bridal laments performed to parents. In case of an orphaned bride, lamenting probably occurred at her parents' graves. This particular version of the song begins with a memory of the mother's funeral. The orphan's life was very hard in the village society.
My mother hastened to depart,
to the ground before the rest.
She left me behind, a poor girl,
miserable before my time.
My mother was carried out of the house,
her grace crossed over the threshold.
Mother was taken out of the gate,
her grace stepped over the fence.
Mother was taken along the road,
her grace went along the roadside.
Mother was taken to the funeral,
her grace stepped over the fence.
Mother's grave was being dug,
her grace ran over to her.
Mother was laid in the grave,
her grace fell down into the earth.
"Get up, dear mother,
jump up, my breeder,
come to show us the way,
help us build the path."
"I cannot get up, dear little girl,
nor jump up, dear little hen.
The cross is heavy on my chest,
the barrow is heavy on my hands.
Lilacs sting my eyes,
the chilly leaves pinch my feet."
"If I had known Tooni's house,
known the threshold of Tooni's door,
I'd have brought out my mother,
carried out my breeder.
I'd have made lye in the retting pond,
and black soap in the puddle,
I'd have washed away the stench of the earth,
the stench of death from your mouth,
the stench of the barrow from your hands,
and the stench of the cross from your chest.
I'd have set you to stand by the pole,
stand against the wall."
"Then I'd be called darling,
and named a silver one.
Now I'm called the Devil,
and nicknamed a ground beetle."
1 Tooni - God of Death
Ema ruttas vara ära surra,
enne muid mulda minna,
jättis mu vara vaeseks,
enneaegu armetuks.
Ema viidi tarest välja,
arm astus üle läve.
Ema viidi väravast välja,
arm astus üle aia.
Ema viidi teed mööda,
arm läks teeveert mööda.
Ema viidi matusele,
arm astus üle aia.
Emale hauda kaevati,
arm juurde jooksis.
Ema hauda pandi,
arm alla langes.
"Tõuse üles, emakene,
karga üles, kasvataja.
Tule teed näitama,
radasid rajama."
"Ei või tõusta, tütrekene,
karata, kanakene:
rist on raske rinde peal,
kääbas raske käte peal.
Sirelid pistavad silmi,
jahelehed pitsitavad jalgu."
"Oleks ma tundnud Tooni1 taret,
tundnud Tooni tare läve,
välja oleksin toonud oma ema,
välja kandnud kasvataja.
Oleks teinud libeda2 luuakusse,
lehelise2 lombiauku,
maha oleks pesnud maahaisu,
suu juurest surmahaisu,
käte juurest kääpahaisu,
rinde juurest ristihaisu.
Püsti oleks pannud posti toele,
seisma seina najale."
"Siis oleks mind kutsutud kullakeseks,
hüütud hõbedakeseks.
Nüüd mind kutsutakse kuradiks,
manatakse maa jooksikuks."
1Tooni, Kalmu - surmavalla haldjad
2 libe: libeda - ka leheline - pesemiseks kasutatav leeliseline vedelik, tuhavesi