Recordings from the Estonian Folklore Archives 3

Field for the Birds

Marie Helimets Karksi (1961)

Lõpe, lõpe, linakene,
üles,
kui sa-i lõpe, siia jätan,
siia jätan tsirgu süia,
pääsukesel pääle tulla.
Jätän su päivä palada,
jätän su vihma valada,
ligi maada ligunema.

Perenaine, linnukene,
tule talu tuastagi,
tuu sel orjal oodakuta!

Finish, finish, flax field,
rise up,
if you don't finish, I'll just leave you,
leave you for the birds to eat,
for the swallows to come onto.
I'll leave you to be scorched by the sun,
I'll leave you to be poured on by the rain,
for it to drench the land.

Mistress, darling dickeybird,
come out of the farm house,
and bring this slave a bite to eat!

RKM, Mgn. II 622 c < Abja raj., Karksi kn., Mäeküla (Karksi khk.) – O. Kõiva Kirjandusmuuseumi ekspeditsioonil 1961. a. < Marie Helimets, 69-a.
[LP I b 2; CD1-9].