Four songs from the western Rodops, Bulgaria
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Sung by two women. Recorded by Martha Forsyth on her CD ...??(cite here) Song text in prose: Fatminka, fair lady, get up tomorrow early, sweep the even courtyards, make a fine banitsa. We have a barren cow, 9 years without offspring. Halil the Butcher will come to slaughter the barren cow. Set out red wine, and strong white brandy. Fatma got up the earliest, swept the even courtyards, prepared the fine pie (banitsa) and set out red wine and strong brandy. Halil arrived, with sharp knife in his hand, and then he entered the house, drank red wine and strong brandy. ? said to Fatma, Fatminko fair lady, come down to the room (izba) and serve red wine and strong brandy. Just when Fatma came down, Halil the Butcher came to her, with his left hand embraced her, and with the right cut off her head. The head lay on the ground, Fatma quietly said, what have you done to me, you have slaughtered a young bride with a male child on her heart. That, love is the barren cow, and that, love, is my Fatminka. Sung by a man accompnaying himself with tambura. Recorded probably in the 1970's and sold on cassette tape in local markets. Asan said to Vaida, dear Vaida, get up early tomorrow, make a tasty breakfast, sweep the even courtyards, Alil the Butcher will come to slaughter the barren cow, 9 years without offspring. Vaida got up early, swept the even courtyards, made a tasty breakfast. Asan said to Vaida, Vaida love, Vaida, get the ? and then go down to the animal pen, pour out red wine and strong white brandy. Vaida went down to the animal pen to pour red wine and strong white brandy. There came Alil the Butcher, with his left hand he embraced her, with his right he cut off her head. The head jumped up and spoke, Alil, Alil the Butcher, that is the barren cow, that is Vaida the bride, with a male child in her arms. Sung by two sisters, recorded by Miriam Milgram in 2008. Asan said to Vaida, Vaide, dear Vaide, I come every evening, and this evening I will come. Do not, Vaida, lie down, sleep gently. Vaida waited, waited, from the first cock-crow to the second, Asan hadn't come home from the damnned pub. Asan knocked on the doors, come down, Vaida, and open up. I will cut off your head, your head to the little necklace, your waist to your little belt. Recorded in a weaving workshop, Kochan village, 1981 by Martha Forsyth. Dilyana, Dilyana, damned Dilyana, I will go the workparties, while I haven't returned, you are not to lie down. Dilyana sat, how she sat, she spun 7 spindles of yarn, 7 songs she sang. Her old mother in law called at the door, damned daughter in law, lie down already. Iliya Deliya still isn't here, and won't be coming. As soon as she lay down, Dilyana slept, then Iliya Deliya came. He found Dilyana asleep, he took out his knife from his sash, and cut off Dilyana's head. Dilyana's head spoke up, your old mother did this to me. |