from Eesti rahwalaulud, compiled by M.J. Eisen (1919)

Matthias Johann Eisen (1857–1934) was the foremost Estonian folklorist of his era — the Estonian counterpart of Elias Lönnrot in Finland. His 1919 anthology Eesti rahwalaulud (Estonian Folk Songs) gathers the essential corpus of Estonian oral poetry into a single volume: cosmogonic songs, celestial myths, songs of the dead, lyric poetry, work songs, wedding songs, laments, and seasonal celebrations — all in the ancient regilaul (alliterative song) meter that Estonians share with the Finnish and Karelian traditions.

The thirty-eight songs translated here are drawn from the second half of Eisen's collection: Section VI (Ilmad ja ajad — Weather and Seasons), Section VII (Töö ja orjus — Work and Servitude), Section VIII (Puhkamine ja pidu — Rest and Celebration), and Section IX (Nali ja pilge — Jest and Mockery). Together they compose the full calendar year of Estonian folk life as lived in the pre-industrial countryside: the foggy sky caused by human sinfulness; the rain-charms and harvest incantations; the great communal swings (kiik) on which maidens sang from dawn to dark, seeing visions of forests, lakes, and fields from the apex; the Shrove Tuesday sledge-races that brought long flax; the Martinmas mummers who came down golden ladders from heaven demanding ham and cake and blessing each member of the household in turn; the Kadri (St. Catherine's Day) mummers in their birch-wood sledges; the Midsummer sleigh that took a hundred years to build; the bear who left its tracks across Estonia and whose cubs became the lords of the islands; the mouse's wedding where the wolf played five fiddles and the bear two kanteles; and the singer's closing boast that the forests will run out of trees before she runs out of songs.

These songs document in living verse the annual cycle of an agricultural folk religion: the swing rituals (kiigelaulud) that are unique to Estonian tradition, the mummers' processions (mardisandid and kadrisandid) that descend from pre-Christian midwinter rites, the Midsummer (Jaanipäev) celebrations, and the intricate social world of the manor-farm where serfs (orjad), farmhands (sulased), and masters (peremehed) negotiated labour, devotion, and survival through song. The regilaul meter — trochaic octosyllabic lines with initial alliteration and parallelism — is the oldest continuously performed song tradition in Europe, with roots reaching back three thousand years to the proto-Finnic period.

Eisen's collection was published in two editions (Kuressaare, 1919; Tallinn, 1919) and has never been translated into English. The source text is drawn from the archive.org digitization (identifier: eestirahwalaulud00eiseuoft). This translation is independently derived from the Estonian source text. No prior English translation is known.

I. Weather and Seasons (Ilmad ja ajad)

Udune ilm — Foggy Weather

Why is the world so foggy,
Why is the sky so grimy,
The long clouds rusted through?
The world is foggy for this reason,
The sky is grimy for this reason,
The long clouds rusted through:
There are many sinners,
Many doers of sin —
Fathers and sons fight one another,
They quarrel over the trees,
They wrestle over the land,
They grumble over the knife;
Sisters scold one another
At the door of mother's storehouse,
Brothers shed blood
At the edge of father's field,
Sisters-in-law make their quarrel
At the edge of father-in-law's storehouse,
Godparents curse one another
Over one christened child,
Over one gentle spirit,
Over one christened child's swaddling.

That is why the world is foggy,
That is why the sky is grimy,
The long clouds rusted through!

Saja, saja, vihmakene — Fall, Fall, Little Rain

Fall, fall, little rain,
Fall, rain, that we may sleep —
Who lets one sleep in dry weather?
In dry weather the haystack is stacked,
The meadow grass is mowed,
In the dew the oats are reaped.

Fall, rain, so it hisses,
Let the rain fall, so it patters.
Fall, rain, wet the others —
Leave me unwatered,
Spare, rain, the serf child,
Shield, rain, the herder child —
The serf has no protector,
The herder child no shelter,
The serf has no new coat,
The herder child no second shirt,
No one to wash the fine shirt,
No one to care for the white shirt,
No one to scrub the new coat.

Drive the rain toward Vigala,
Chase the rain toward Harju,
Push the rain toward Tartu —
Drive it for Vigala's cattle to drink,
For Harju's geese to swim in,
For Tartu's women to wash their caps.

Who, who, my dears,
Who will wash my fine shirt?
The rain washes my white shirts,
God rinses my dry shirts.

Kevadel — In Spring

Oh that beautiful time,
Oh that lovely springtime!
The leaf is on the tree, the grass upon the ground,
Bright voices ring from the maidens.
The pine bends upon the heath,
The birch sways in the marsh,
The horse whinnies in the grove,
The cuckoo calls in the spruce wood,
The maiden sings upon the swing.

Think, think, you young men,
Consider, you wiser women:
Who takes the hay from the meadow?
The scythe — the fierce iron.
The knife takes the pine from the heath,
The axe takes the bark from the birch,
The wolf takes the horse from the grove,
The bear takes the stallion from the birch wood.
The village bridegroom, the dear brother —
He takes the maiden from the swing.

Suvel — In Summer

Now the serf may stand proud,
The serf proud, the lord proud,
The farmhand lordly:
Already the heads of rye are seen,
The barley shoots are greening,
The oat shoots cover the ground,
The wheat emerges from its sheath,
The pea leafs out from its pod,
The lentil stretches out its stalks,
The bean wears new pods,
The flax ripens into cloth,
The hop vine into golden clouds.

Dear one, little brother,
Take up the golden shears,
The silver trimming-irons,
Come to cut the flax,
To trim the golden hops —
I will put the flax into my lap,
The golden hops into my apron,
Then carry them home to mother's hand:
Mother puts them into the bushel to settle,
Under the lid to grow!

Sügisel — In Autumn

Fight now, little fingers,
Stir now, little toes!
Summer ends, autumn arrives,
Winter wants woollen garments,
Cold wants to dress in fleece,
Frost asks for mittens,
Wants sheepskin coats.
Sleep gives no new coat,
Slumber gives no shirt to the ground —
Sleep sends you wandering,
Slumber sends you begging,
Hunger pinches the heart!

Millal — When

When shall I sail to my father,
When shall I sail to my mother,
When shall I glide to my sister,
When shall I roll to my brothers?

My father is master of Hiiumaa,
My mother is mistress of Hiiumaa,
My brother is a great lord on Saaremaa,
My sister lives as a cook in Sweden.

When shall I sail to my father?
In autumn it does not suit to go,
In spring one cannot travel —
In autumn the rivers are deep,
In springtime the waves are broad,
The horse would drown in the stream,
The flaxen mane in the waves,
The golden hooves in the dew,
The mare among the hummocks,
The gelding in the wheel-ruts.

Homikul — In the Morning

Rise up, young people!
The mother-in-law has long since heated the oven,
The smoke has gone out through the great door,
The fumes have rolled from the vent-hole,
The steam has stepped out through the window.

Young maiden, little young one,
If you wish to be a housewife,
Then you must rest but little,
Slumber but a short while in sleep.
Lay your head upon the threshold.
When you hear the rooster calling
And the hen crying along,
Then leap up without being called,
Spring up without being shouted at,
Go quickly to the yard,
Run skipping to the cattle-pen.
See what you find there:
You find seven little piglets —
Put those piglets in your apron,
Carry them for your father-in-law to see,
For father-in-law to see, for mother-in-law to see,
For your own young husband to see.
Then you will be in father-in-law's favour,
In mother-in-law's favour,
In your own young husband's favour.

Õhtu tuleb — Evening Comes

Evening comes, late it arrives,
The sun rolls low.
Evening comes by way of fortune,
Twilight by way of harvest,
Evening comes to our land,
Dusk to other lands.
Evening comes upon the yard
As the keeper of cares, the burier of sorrows —
It sets the cares upon the door,
The dark sorrow upon the beam,
The bright toil upon the rafter.

You rise in the morning,
You take up the cares to tend,
Coax the dark sorrow,
Soothe the bright toil.
The sunshine sets you to work,
Commands the hands to move quickly,
The fingertips to bustle,
The tips of the fingers to scurry,
The feet to stand firm with courage,
The body to swing lightly,
The head to turn just right —
To do the work strongly,
Strongly, mightily.

II. Work and Servitude (Töö ja orjus)

Oleks minu põldu põrmandalla — If My Field Were on the Floor

If my field were on the floor,
My meadow on the broad plain,
The threshing-ground before the house,
The harvest at the hearth —
If the barley were before the house,
The oats behind upon the roof,
I would cut a sheaf in the chill,
Two sheaves in the dew,
Three sheaves at dawn,
A stack in the oven's warmth.

But foolish were our menfolk
Who made our barley in the valley,
And put the oats far away,
The flax halfway to the town road.
Here my kind will perish,
Here my neck will break,
Here upon the great field,
Upon the boundless farmland.

But let me say it over again,
Let me sing it back once more:
My back will not die —
My back is healthy,
Healthy and raw
As a young horse's back,
As a wild colt's back.
Let the big man die here,
Let the fine man perish,
Let the white-bearded one sink down
Before I do — I, a little goose,
Mother's own raised chick,
Father's own found bird!

Töö ja tänu — Work and Gratitude

I worked — was not thanked,
I suffered — was cursed for it.
I worked despite the others' spite,
For my own honour's sake.
I thought the storehouse would be given,
The herd placed into my hands.

The time came, the sun rolled on.
Who gave the goose the storehouse?
Who carried the hen the herd?
The daughter-in-law was given the storehouse,
The sister-in-law was turned the herd,
The brother's wife took the cattle.
I was given an empty storehouse,
An empty storehouse, a bare barn —
The storehouse empty of cloth,
The barn empty of sheep,
The chamber bare of chests.

When I began to leave,
From the yard I got a bundle of straw,
From the gate some twisted switches —
And even those I got in secret,
Without mother knowing,
Without father willing it.

Lõikusel — At Harvest

End, end, little field —
If you will not end, I leave you here,
Leave you here for the dormouse to eat,
The dormouse to eat, the cricket to walk,
The crane to call here,
The lark to finish here,
The swallow to come upon you,
The grouse to make its nest.
Here the crane has left its coat,
Here the grouse its second blanket,
The swallow its head-cloth,
The magpie its underlinen,
The crow its grey wadding.

What I reap, that I bind,
That I gather together,
That I stack into a sheaf,
Throw into a haycock,
Fashion into a rick.
I made the sheaf like a woman,
The haycock like a king,
The rick like an elder,
The stack like a maiden from Harju,
The rick like a young lord from Rõuge.
I laid aspen branches underneath,
Linden bark upon the top,
Old silver in between,
Twisted gold at the centre.
From Harju I bring a great ox
To gather the haycocks together,
To set them head upon head —
Then from below they will not mould,
Nor from above be sun-scorched,
Nor in between grow copper-rust,
Nor at the centre grow gold-mould.
The haycock gleams to Courland,
The stack to the road of Harju,
The rick to the manor of Rõuge!

Vihule — To the Sheaves

Into sheaves, into sheaves, the songs!
Into stooks, into stooks, my dears!
Willow-ducks under the rack!
Let us cut the mighty sheaves,
Set the better racks,
Make the handfuls quicker —
That I may gather the golden field,
The broad meadow into swaths,
This field into bundles.
The meagre fields are raked,
The poor fields are gleaned,
The lazy meadows are levelled —
But the swift fields are not yet gleaned,
The swift meadows not yet levelled.

Now the sickle may stand still,
That grim iron go home,
The bright copper to the peg,
The blacksmith's axe upon the wall.
The old mother may step into the room,
The daughter nap in the house,
Settle upon the oven-top!

Kalapüügil — At Fishing

There was a spruce, a spruce, dear brothers,
A spruce, a spruce in Courland,
A pine in Pärnu county,
An alder in broad Läänemaa,
An oak on the Tartu road.
Together their branches float,
Together their crowns descend —
The river runs between the roots,
The river runs over the roots.

In that river there are many fish:
The whitefish large, their backs dark,
The salmon broad, their fins outspread,
The pike long, their heads thick —
They stand at the edge of the sea,
Splash-splashing in the waves,
Clip-clapping at the bank,
Lying still in the cold water.

There the young men had their seines,
The brothers of Võru their nets.
They caught fish on holy days,
Perch on weekdays.
Let us go to the seine, young men,
To the net, elders of Võru!
Let us go to pull the ruffe,
To take out the crayfish —
On Monday: herring,
On Tuesday: tench,
On Wednesday: fine fish,
On Thursday: pike,
On Friday: Riga vendace,
On Saturday: broad bream.

On Sunday — hallow the fish!

What was seen there in the water?
A trough was in the water, a hole was in it,
A salmon flashed its gills.
I cast, I cast, dear brothers —
There is no man here,
In all this company,
Who can go to split the salmon,
To cut the fish in two.

My little brother,
The small little boy —
He went to split the salmon,
To cut the fish in two.
He builds boats for the salmon,
Boats here under the bridge,
Fish-boats at the bank,
Swallow-boats upon the water.
The fish laments in the water:
"Oh, I the poor little minnow,
Little minnow, little sparrow,
Whitefish with the long fins,
Salmon with the broad gills,
Pike with the sharp teeth,
Ruffe — the bony little fish:
In the morning I swim in the sea,
At noon I splash in the water,
In the evening I twirl in the kettle,
On the old lord's plate!"

Kirikusse — To Church

Master, dear master,
Mistress, dear wife,
Give the serf a horse,
The farmhand a sleigh,
So the serf may go to church,
The farmhand to his kinfolk,
The servant to her aunt!

The mistress, dear wife,
She hears at once and answers back:
"When does the serf go to church?
At Christmas the serf goes to church,
The farmhand to his kinfolk,
The servant to her aunt."

The mistress, dear wife,
She hears at once and answers back:
"The devil knows your going!
You promised to go at Pentecost,
You wanted to go on Midsummer's Day,
Now you promise to go at Christmas!"

The mistress, dear wife,
She hears at once and answers back:
"The pagan has a boat,
The ghost has a dark punt —
Let the serf ride to church on that,
The farmhand to his kinfolk,
The servant to her aunt!"

Orava kütt — Squirrel Hunt

Wait, wait, little squirrel,
Stand still, edge-bird —
Let me clean my little gun,
Polish my little frosty iron.
Then I shall go to shoot the bird,
To catch game from the forest,
To seek the capercaillie from the woods.

I aim at the squirrel,
I sniff out the marten,
I chance upon the grouse-cock,
Through the willow at the duck,
Across the meadow at the geese,
Into the marsh at the great bird,
At the crane in the paddock.

Then I shall go, I shall go, dear brother,
I shall go with the bird to market,
With the squirrel down to town.
A grouse in my other hand —
Then comes toward me the lord of Harju,
The lord of Harju in his grey coat,
Blue-stockinged, silk-footed,
Asking me at once:
"Oh, my dear merchant,
Dear merchant's servant,
Dear little trading lad,
What does that grouse cost you,
What does the squirrel cost to buy?"
That grouse costs a half-penny,
The squirrel a bushel of old thalers,
A peck of shillings.
Then from the grouse I get a half-penny,
From the squirrel — thalers,
A peck of shillings.

Sõnaksin ma sõjas surra — I Would Die in War

I would choose to die in war,
To die in war without being scolded,
To sink into battle's breast
Without long torment,
Without wasting away in illness,
Without being killed by plague!
Better to fall asleep in battle,
To fall near the banner,
To sell one's life in the sword's tumult,
To be pinned by the arrow.
There is no enslaving by sickness,
No quarrelling with disease,
No watching from a bed of pain.
A war-death has greater beauty,
Greater beauty in its price —
The praise of victory from the victorious men.
Birds sing in the language of birds,
Clouds sing in the language of feasting,
Horns cry in the German tongue,
Iron crosses speak the language of peace!

III. Rest and Celebration (Puhkamine ja pidu)

Tule, tule, unekene — Come, Come, Little Sleep

Come, come, little sleep,
Come, sleep, in through the door,
Step, sleep, in through the window,
Fall upon the child's brow,
Settle upon the child's eyelids,
Drift upon the child's eyes,
Lay yourself upon the bedding,
Sink upon the child's bed!

I sing to the little child,
I hush the little one to sleep,
Like the duck her duckling,
Like the goose her only one.
Sleep long, grow tall —
Grow tall, a herder to be,
A herder to be, a berry-bringer,
A horse-fetcher from the pen,
A cow-chaser from the marsh!

Õitsel — At the Outing

Let us go to the outing, sisters,
To the cattle-yard, little hens!
At the outing there is beer, at the outing there is spirits,
At the outing fine pillows,
At the outing white linen;
At the outing an ash-wood bed,
At the outing a pine-wood game.

In the spruce wood was a spruce-bed —
That was the spruce's golden bed;
In the pine wood a pine-bed —
That was the pine's play-bed;
In the birch wood a birch-bed —
That was the birch's wedding-bed;
In the alder wood an alder-bed —
That was the alder's mourning-bed;
In the aspen wood an aspen-bed —
That was the aspen's love-bed.

Let me say it over once more:
Alder leaves are our linen,
Willow leaves our pillows,
Aspen leaves our underlinen.

Kiigel — On the Swing

Oh my golden swingers,
My silver rockers,
Do not swing me wickedly,
Do not rock me cruelly:
I am one to fall easily,
To jump from the tender height.
If I fall, who will pay?
My cheek will cost a pair of oxen,
The other cheek another pair,
My eyes a blue-grey stallion,
My ears a roan gelding.

Swing-builders, dear brothers,
Let me down, I beg you!
If you will not let me down, I will not beg —
I shall rock until the evening,
Swing until mid-morning,
Sing until the broad daylight.
The spruce tree will milk the milk,
The alder will milk the cow,
The birch will send out the herd,
The maple will water the calf.
Other people's herds are far away,
Other people's heifers on the grass —
Our herd is in the cattle-yard,
Our heifers in the mud,
Our sheep still in the barn,
The geese still in the chaff-room!

Kiige laul — Swing Song

Swing-builders, dear brothers,
I have come to test the swing —
Does this swing bear me,
Does it bear two hens,
Two hens' worth of clothing,
Three dears' worth of curls,
Four and five tangles' worth?
If the swing does not bear us,
Does not bear two hens,
Two hens' worth of clothing,
Three dears' worth of curls,
Four and five tangles' worth —
Bring the axe, hew the swing down!
Bring the knife, whittle the swing!
Bring the blade, carve the swing!
Bring the hatchet, level the swing!

My brother will build a new swing,
A beauty-swing, a proud swing,
A brass swing at the gateway,
A speckled one in the lane.
He will bring the swing from Courland,
The swing-posts from Germany,
The swing-shafts from Harju,
The floor-boards from Põltsamaa,
The supports from the roads of Turkey,
The gallows-beam from the Russian border.
The swing costs ten rubles,
The swing-shafts a grey blanket,
The floor-boards a Polish gelding,
The gallows-beam a Russian horse.

Kiige laul — The Swing's Vision

This second Swing Song (Kiige laul) continues with a maiden swinging high enough to see over the treetops.

Then I shall swing up high,
Up high, far away,
So that I shine across much land,
Shine much, am worth much,
So that I shine for the days,
Gleam for the sea's waves,
My crown shines to the clouds,
The tails of my crown to the thickets,
My coat shines to Kungleland,
The embroidery to Pikker —
So that a suitor comes, a son of the day,
A bridegroom, a son of the moon,
A better bridegroom, a son of the stars,
A dearest bridegroom from a faraway land.

Neidude koor kiigel — Maidens' Choir on the Swing

Sisters, dear ones,
Let us go breast-forward toward Riga,
Then long toward Pärnu,
Quietly toward Tallinn.
The watchman calls from the rampart,
The shop-boy from the shop's ceiling,
The townsman from his hall:
"Bolt the city's hatches,
Bar the shop-gates,
Latch the borough doors —
The maidens of Viru are coming!
They have come to ruin Riga,
To slaughter Tallinn,
To burn down Põltsamaa,
To capture Võnnu!"

I heard this and answered back:
We do not ruin Riga town,
Nor slaughter Tallinn,
Nor burn down Põltsamaa.
Let Riga bring us salt,
Tallinn mint us coin,
Põltsamaa bring us aprons,
Let Võnnu bring us keys!
Riga's salts are the clearest,
Pärnu's pearls the reddest,
Tallinn's garments the finest,
Võnnu's keys the most beautiful,
Põltsamaa's fields the longest —
How long they are, how broad,
How colourful from end to end!

Üles, üles, meie kiike — Up, Up, Our Swing

Up, up, our swing,
Up, swing, to the heights,
To the heights, to the distances!
What did I see up high,
Up high, far away?
Three forests stood side by side:
One was a golden spruce forest,
The second a precious birch forest,
The third a beautiful apple orchard.

The golden spruce forest —
That was the young men's forest.
The precious birch forest —
That was the young women's forest.
The beautiful apple orchard —
That was the young maidens'.

Up, up, our swing,
Up, swing, to the heights,
To the heights, to the distances!
What did I see up high,
Up high, far away?
Three lakes stood side by side:
One was a furious wine-lake,
The second a precious ale-lake,
The third was of sweet mead.

The furious wine-lake —
That was the young men's lake.
The precious ale-lake —
That was the young women's lake.
The sweet mead —
That was the young maidens'.

Up, up, our swing,
Up, swing, to the heights,
To the heights, to the distances!
What did I see up high,
Up high, far away?
Three fields stood side by side:
One was a ruddy rye-field,
The second a precious oat-field,
The third was of beautiful wheat.

The ruddy rye-field —
That was the young men's field.
The precious oat-field —
That was the young women's field.
The beautiful wheat —
That was the young maidens'.

Vastlapäeval — On Shrove Tuesday

Shrovetide, Shrovetide boy —
On Shrovetide one does not sit indoors!
On Shrovetide one sits on the meadow,
Crouches between the villages,
Waits for the sledge-sliders,
For those who sit upon the sled.
Whoever goes sledge-sliding —
May they grow long flax,
Long flax, yielding flax!
Slide and glide, slide and glide,
Slide-glide go the children's feet —
Pig's feet, Shrovetide feet!

Flax to the sledge-slider,
Buckwheat to the one who sits indoors,
Chaff to the one who leads the way,
Tow to the one who pokes the fire!

Whoever does not come to slide —
May their flax rot in the soaking-pond,
Mould beneath the fence,
Grow mushrooms by the wall!
Whoever does not come to slide —
May a birch tree grow upon their neck,
An apple tree upon their shoulders,
A linden upon their breast!

Mardid — Martinmas

The Mardid (Martinmas mummers' song) is sung by disguised visitors who go from farm to farm on Martinmas eve (November 10), demanding hospitality and blessing the household in return. The tradition descends from pre-Christian midwinter rites and survives in Estonian villages to this day.

Greetings, greetings to your house,
Mary to your dwelling,
The holy maiden to your floor!
Do you permit us to enter,
To drive the horse into the yard,
To tie the colt to the post,
To fasten the foal to the peg?
If you do not permit us in,
I shall turn my horse around.
If you permit us in —

Household daughter, slender one,
Rise up from your bed,
Blow fire from the rooster's mouth,
Spin it from the hen's beak,
Bellow it from the salmon's jawbone.

Household daughter, slender one —
If you have no kindling in your hand,
Pull birch-bark from the ceiling.
If there is no birch-bark on the ceiling,
Pull a splinter from the beam.
If there is no splinter on the beam,
Take a reed from the eaves.
If there is no reed in the eaves,
Bring one from the long woodpile.
If there is none in the long woodpile,
Then bring moss from the marsh,
Tussocks from the rotten pond.
But keep the fire in the house,
A spark at the bedpost,
So the Marts may see the light,
See the light and make acquaintance.
Seldom do the Marts walk the land,
Rarely find the time —
But once a year,
Twice if you count the Kadris!

Mart has not come over land —
The Marts have come from heaven,
Down a golden ladder,
Down a silver beam,
Down a copper rung.
One door to enter, one gate to pass,
One door out to the street,
A gate out to the meadow,
A lane to the next farmstead;
A gap in the fence to escape through.
Mart came home at cockcrow,
Left at twilight,
And has arrived here by dawn.

Here are long sitting-benches,
And broad eating-tables,
And tall silver tankards,
And polished wine-mugs.
You have your summer farmhands,
Your brave foster-children —
But they do not know how to make scabbards,
How to carve ox-horns.
Your farmhands are old before their time.
Take us as your farm-lads —
We know how to make scabbards,
How to carve ox-horns.

Open the door, honourable child!
Raise the latch, mother's daughter!
I knock upon the doorpost,
I hew the door from its hinge,
I wrench the door apart from its middle.
Among us there are door-smiths,
In our company hinge-smiths —
The boys are bolt-smiths.
If the honourable child does not open,
If mother's daughter does not raise the latch,
I shall open it myself.
I shall throw in the luck of grain,
Before the hearth the luck of flax,
In the back corner buckwheat,
In the middle of the room fine wheat.

Household mother, dear mother,
Rise up from your bed,
Look there upon the wall,
Look there upon the peg,
Take the keys from the hook,
Skip to the cellar,
Hop to the chamber,
Across the yard to the storehouse.
Bring the Mart his measure,
Carry the Mart his cake.
If you cannot fill the whole ham,
Take half a ham instead;
If you cannot give a whole cabbage-head,
Give just one single one.
Take butter from the butter-churn,
Find us an egg as well,
And spiral candles on top.

Let us dance, let us dance, little Marts!
Mart dances, the earth rumbles,
The field-ridges tremble,
The sword clanks and gleams,
The stars cast their dice,
The moon rolls its golden wheels.

Thank you to the household father,
Thank you to the household mother,
For giving the Mart his gift,
For carrying the wheat-bread,
For presenting the ham.

Household father, dear father,
What I wish for you:
Gentle oxen with broad horns —
They shall go early to the furrow,
They shall plough through the village,
Roll the furrow across the meadow.
They shall put barley in the valleys,
Oats at the river's bank,
Rye beside the spruce wood.
That is what I wish for you.

Household mother, dear mother,
What I wish for you?
The barns full of sheep,
The chaff-rooms full of geese,
The dung-heaps full of pigs,
The straw-lofts full of piglets,
The rooftops full of hens.
That is what I wish for you!

Household son, young lad,
What I wish for you?
A gentle stallion in the stable,
A smooth saddle upon his back.
He does not whinny for hay
Nor cry out for oats —
He whinnies for someone to mount him,
Cries out for the bridle on his head.
That is what I wish for you.

Household daughter, slender one,
What I wish for you?
The chest full of packed treasures,
The bushel full of rolled treasures,
The beam full of fine cloth.
That is what I wish for you!

Kadrid — St. Catherine's Day

The Kadrid (St. Catherine's Day mummers' song) mirrors the Martinmas tradition. On November 25, a second procession of disguised visitors goes from farm to farm — the Kadri mummers, traditionally associated with women and textile work.

Yesterday they waited for Kadri,
Today they watch for Kadri —
Now Kadri has come home.
Let Kadri come into the house,
Kadri's nails are freezing,
Her toes are aching.
She has no house she has come from,
She has no storehouse where she steps,
She has no chamber where she walks.
A blizzard stands before Kadri's house,
Rain before her warm sauna,
Frost before her new storehouse,
Dew before her fair chamber.
Water in the evening and the morning,
Water rolls in the basin,
Dances in the beer-mug!

Kadri has a birch-wood horse,
A green-wood switch,
A hazel-wood sleigh,
A briar-rose sled,
White shafts of maple,
A willow-wood bow.

Household mother, dear mother,
Household father, dear father,
Household son with his golden cap,
Household daughter with her golden shoes,
Housewife with her golden apron —
Rise up from the stool,
Step now from the bed,
Let Kadri come into the house.
Kadri has come from a distant land,
Over marshes, over bogs,
Over the long boundary-forest,
Over the broad table-forest,
The tall tree's crooked forest.

Kadri whimpers for wool,
Wants tow from the distaff.
Kadri will not eat pork —
The pig roots at mealtimes.
Kadri will not touch a hen's egg —
The rooster has touched the hen.
Kadri will not take cow's butter —
The bull has tainted the cow.
Kadri asks for rib-meat,
The gentle lamb's board-meat!

IV. Jest and Mockery (Nali ja pilge)

Nuku laul — Doll Song

Let us go to dress the doll,
To ready the poor child,
To gift the cuckoo gold!
Adorn the doll, ornament the doll,
Adorn her with those jewels
That your mother wore before,
That your grandmother prepared:
Put on duck feathers,
Layer on bird feathers,
Wild bee feathers from the forest!
Warm the eyes, warm the head,
Put a linen shift on her back,
Over it a fine bodice,
On her feet feather-stockings,
On her toes spiral shoes;
Wrap around her a great cloak
As wide as half a deerskin;
Put a great belt at her waist
As broad as a wide willow-withe;
Let down before her a broad apron
As wide as father's storehouse door;
Pin a great brooch on her breast
As big as the moon in the sky;
Cast strings of beads around her neck,
Put a broad crown upon her head,
Adorn her fingers with rings,
Set her shins to running,
Her soles to sliding,
Her spokes to rattling!

Jaanipäeval — On Midsummer's Day

Little Jaan, little sleigh —
When did Jaan get his sleigh?
Jaan built his sleigh in the grove,
Carved and coloured it in the birch wood.
Every day he split a shaving,
Every month he set a spoke,
Every week he riveted a nail,
Every year he drilled a hole —
In a hundred years he had his sleigh.

He called his father to see it.
Father said: "That is good."
He called his mother to see it.
Mother said: "That is good."
He called his brother to see it.
Brother said: "Something is still missing!"

What is wrong with the sleigh?
This is what the sleigh lacks:
A good horse before it,
A Kalev-lad at the back,
A maiden seated within,
Apple-wood shafts before,
A maple yoke at the neck,
And an elm bow on top.

They searched, they walked,
They searched through our forests,
Walked through the Kõnnu wilds,
Trod through the Torma woodlands,
Trampled the blue thicket,
Crushed the red grass.
They came to a single forest-tuft,
Reached a single forest-coppice
Where the sun had never shone,
Where the moon had never glimmered,
No bird had found a branch,
No snake had slept among the roots.
From there the shafts were hewn,
The bow was cut,
The yokes were shaped.

Where will one find a grey horse for the shafts?
In father's stable stands a grey stallion —
From there one gets the grey for the shafts.
Where will one find a driver at the back?
Jaan himself will be the driver,
At the back the Kalev-lad.
Where will one find a rider for the sleigh?
In the village there are curly-necked ones enough —
From them one gets riders for the sleigh.

Pulmasõit — Wedding Journey

When I was called to the wedding,
Asked to be the best man,
Father would not trust me his horse,
Mother would not give me a new coat,
Sister would not give her silver ring,
Brother would not give the copper harness.

I went down to the hayfield —
From hay I made a horse,
From dewy grass its hooves,
From iron-grass its shoes,
From leaf-nails the nails inside,
From willow-bark the bridle on its head!

Run, horse, speed, horse,
To where the mice are making hay,
The bow-ends gathering sheaves,
The sleigh-shafts hauling loads!
Run, horse, speed, horse,
Run, horse, to that land
Where the roosters eat gold,
Roosters gold, hens silver filigree,
Geese green silver,
Crows old copper,
Pigs bright tin —
Where the woodpecker builds the storehouse,
The little wagtail twists the switches,
The lark splits the timbers!

Pulmas — At the Wedding

Dress, dress, maiden,
Dress quickly, you must hurry,
Make ready, let us be going —
A crowd is waiting for us,
A hundred sleighs are standing,
The swimming horse is waiting,
Freezing in the shaft-harness,
Crackling the grey traces,
Tossing its head against the bridegroom's bridle,
Stamping in the bridegroom's stable-yard,
Dancing upon father's hobble-iron,
Yearning to ride the road,
To race across the broad field.

The night is long and dark,
The road narrow and stony,
The holes great and deep,
The banks high and treacherous.
Our road is unmeasured,
Our land is unmapped:
Five straits lie between,
Six dry forks,
Seven frozen lakes,
Eight fisherman's seas,
Nine silver streams,
Ten cold springs!

Humalas ja õlut — Hops and Beer

The hop groaned in the valley,
The cone cried out in the bush:
"Come, come, young man,
Take me out for the wort,
Carry me to the kitchen kettle —
From there I shall rise to the top of the vat,
Grow to the rim of the tankard,
Swell along the long trough.
I shall make all the barrels foam,
Turn all the tankards to churning."

The beer was mad, the small-beer was wise —
It took the wits from the men's heads,
Half the wits from the boys' heads,
The temples from the women's brows.
The men caroused without their caps,
The women danced without their coifs,
The boys knee-deep in it.

Kedra, Liisu — Spin, Liisu

"Spin, Liisu, grandmother's daughter!"
"How shall I spin, grandmother?
My hands ache, my feet ache,
All my bones and flesh ache!"

"Spin, Liisu, grandmother's daughter!
Tomorrow I go to Pärnu town,
I'll buy you a new apron!"
"How shall I spin, grandmother?
My hands ache, my feet ache,
All my bones and flesh ache!"

"Spin, Liisu, grandmother's daughter!
Tomorrow I go to Riga town,
I'll buy you new shoes!"
"How shall I spin, grandmother?
My hands ache, my feet ache,
All my bones and flesh ache!"

"Spin, Liisu, grandmother's daughter!
Tomorrow I go to Pskov town,
I'll buy you a great cloak!"
"How shall I spin, grandmother?
My hands ache, my feet ache,
All my bones and flesh ache."

"Spin, Liisu, grandmother's daughter!
Tomorrow I go to Võru town,
I'll buy you a young husband!"
"I'll spin, I'll spin, grandmother!
My hands are well, my feet are well,
All my bones and flesh are well!"

Suveks Soome — To Finland for the Summer

Sisters, dear ones,
Let us leave this land,
Let us go to Finland for the summer,
To Lapland for the winter.
We shall build a stone church there,
A chapel from birch leaves,
Drive in iron crosses,
Silver roosting-poles.

But let me say it over once more:
When we go away,
Who will do the work then?
The girls will do the work,
The bead-braided ones will mow the hay,
The curly-necked ones will stack the haycocks.
The haycocks will gleam to Courland,
The great ricks to Germany,
The winnowings to Alutaga.

When we leave this land,
A maiden-famine comes upon the land,
A maiden-famine, a girl-shortage.
Then they will search on horseback,
Ride on splint-boned shins,
Listen on golden hooves,
Look about on copper hooves.
Then fire will flash from the horses' withers,
Sparks from the splint-boned shins,
Flickering, flashing from the foal's feet —
Searching for the maiden-flock,
Hunting for the girl-band.

Kanade pidu — Hens' Feast

Little roosters, little hens,
Let us go to the granary to peck,
To scrabble and to scratch,
To scrape the barn floor clean —
One grain for you, another for me,
The third for the bag-carrier.
We will take the grain to the mill,
We will make a vat of beer,
Pour a barrel of spirits,
Call together the sad birds,
Gather together the grey birds.
We shall not invite the hawk,
Nor the hawk's wife —
The hawk is cruel at tearing,
The hawk's wife at pecking.
He drew the fiery sword from the sheath,
The grey iron from the storehouse's fold,
Hewed the crane a new coat,
Stripped the raven a new robe,
The crow an old fur,
The hedgehog silk stockings.

Karu saatjad — Bear Escorts

In olden times the bear went to other lands,
Left its tracks upon this land,
Other tracks upon the land of Poland.
On the road it bore three cubs:
One became the master of Hiiumaa,
The second the chief of Pärnumaa,
The third the court-judge of Kuressaare.

Who went to escort the bear?
The lord and his lady in a carriage,
A blind coachman with a whip,
An old man in a white fur coat,
A cow with her calf,
A sheep with her gentle lamb,
A pig with seven piglets,
And a horse with her foal!

Mul tuli Virust võõraid — Guests from Viru

Guests came to me from Viru,
Guests from Viru, friends from Finland.
How shall I receive the guests,
How shall I find village fare?
The cat is still unkilled,
The fly's neck still untwisted,
The mouse's breath still untaken,
The polecat's blood still undrawn,
The stallion still unslaughtered,
The squirrel still unsought from the forest.

The pig went to work, a sword at its belt,
The bedbug's head was snowy,
The goat went on a merchant's caravan,
The sheep went to sleep on the benches,
The frog went travelling three counties,
Went to Riga carrying spirits —
The mouse sat there, cap on its head!

Saare imed — Wonders of Saaremaa

Let us go, let us go to Läänemaa,
Let us reach the great Saaremaa —
On Saaremaa a hundred wonders,
Each wonder in its own way.
Let me say it over once more,
Back to the old track,
To better tales,
Once more to new words:
Let us go, let us go to Läänemaa,
Let us reach the great Saaremaa —
On Saaremaa a hundred wonders,
Each wonder in its own way.

The hayfield was below the yard —
The scythe mowed, I whistled;
The rake gathered, I carried.
The ploughland was above the yard —
The oxen ploughed, I slept;
The sickle reaped, I bound.
The birch wood was in the paddock —
Dogs were ploughing, oxen barking,
Dogs were ploughing, boots on their feet!
The sheep went to the benches to lay eggs,
The hen brought home two lambs,
The horse gave birth to an ox-calf,
The cow foaled a stallion's colt.
The horse threshed behind the house,
The pig rode in a saddle,
The wolf was in rags, a sword at his belt,
The bear wore spurs on his feet,
The fly carried a handbag.

Let me say it over once more,
Back to the old track:
There the birds were terribly busy,
The white birds in great distress —
The lark was out reaping with the bull,
The lapwing tying the sheaves,
The duck setting the rick,
The hawk gathering the haycock.
There the woodpecker was the threshing-master,
The eagle hauling it home,
The crow setting it on the beam —
The axe hewed, I stacked.

Let me say it over once more,
Back to the old track:
On Saaremaa a hundred wonders,
Each wonder in its own way.
There the lords stand before the harrow,
The old ladies before the carriage,
The old maidens before the sleigh;
The lord rides behind the harrow,
The lady rides behind the carriage,
The maiden rides behind the sleigh.
There the maidens thresh the grain,
The old lords beat the flail;
There the fire is being winnowed,
There the game-bird is doing the sweeping,
The foxes are salting the meat,
The crows hauling it home,
The cranes stacking the haycocks,
The goose tossing straw into the storehouse,
The magpie building the fence,
The grouse trading the wares,
The wagtail twisting the switches.

Hiire pulmad — Mouse Wedding

On the day of Mouse-Father's death,
On the day of Rat-Son's wedding,
Rat-Daughter was married
To the youngest son of the Weasel.
They had proud wedding-guests:

The wolf with five fiddles,
The bear with two kanteles,
The crow in copper boots,
The titmouse with a tin sleigh,
The rooster in golden spurs,
The hen with her whole brood,
The grouse in a tow coif,
The hazel-hen in ancient trousers,
The corncrake in a latticed kerchief,
The lapwing with a crooked cane.
The mouse came with her father,
The rat came with a broom-handle,
The moles in black coats,
The cat with her two kittens,
The dog on three legs.

The spruce was the golden guest of honour —
On the spruce a golden cap;
The pine was the dear master of games —
On the pine broad attic-rafters;
The rowan was the best man —
On the rowan a long sword;
The birch was the dear bride's-woman —
On the birch's godmother white sleeves;
The oak was the wise stable-boy —
The oak's daughters gentle;
The alder was the table-servant —
On the alder's head a broad kerchief.

The billy-goat was the cook,
The fox the dish-maker,
The hen the small-beer carrier,
The poor lark split the firewood.
The wolf there warmed the beer,
The bear roasted the fish,
The elk swept the floors,
The hare washed the farm's plates.
Gifts were given to the magpie,
The finest belts to the flea,
The pig received garters.

All were wedding guests —
Only the crane was left uninvited,
The crow unreceived.
Let the crane not be sad,
Let the crow not swear oaths:
Three courses stayed at home for them —
Bird-lips, hen-lungs,
A hundred beetle-hearts,
Ten flea-ribs,
A hundred mosquito-shinbones.

Lõpetuseks — In Closing

Now it is time to leave off,
To tie the thread of words.
Do not think my words are ending,
The words are done with singing,
The fine words from the tongue,
The kind songs from the lips.
Sooner will the forests run out of trees,
Sooner will the hay run out of ground,
Than songs run out of my mouth,
Song-words run out of singing:
I left bagfuls at home,
I left sackfuls behind,
Sheavesfuls on the beam,
Bushelfuls in the old storehouse!

Colophon

Thirty-eight Estonian folk songs from M.J. Eisen's Eesti rahwalaulud (Kuressaare and Tallinn, 1919), Sections VI–IX: Ilmad ja ajad (Weather and Seasons), Töö ja orjus (Work and Servitude), Puhkamine ja pidu (Rest and Celebration), and Nali ja pilge (Jest and Mockery). Eisen (1857–1934) was the foremost Estonian folklorist of his era. This collection, published in two editions in the last year of Estonian independence before the Soviet period, preserves the essential corpus of Estonian regilaul (alliterative folk song) — the oldest continuously performed song tradition in Europe. These songs document the full annual cycle of Estonian rural life: the seasonal round from spring to winter, the ritual festivals of Martinmas and St. Catherine's Day, the communal swing songs that are unique to Estonian tradition, the Shrove Tuesday sledge-races, the Midsummer celebrations, and the work songs, lullabies, jests, and tall tales that structured the social world of the Estonian countryside. No prior English translation of this collection is known.

Translated from the Estonian by the New Tianmu Anglican Church (Good Works Translation, NTAC + Claude), 2026. The translation is independently derived from the 1919 Estonian source text (archive.org digitization, identifier: eestirahwalaulud00eiseuoft). No prior English translation was consulted.

Compiled and formatted for the Good Work Library by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026.

🌲

Source Text: Eesti rahwalaulud — Sections VI–IX

Estonian source text from M.J. Eisen, Eesti rahwalaulud (Kuressaare / Tallinn, 1919). Digitized from archive.org (identifier: eestirahwalaulud00eiseuoft). Presented here for reference, study, and verification alongside the English translation above. Archaic Estonian orthography preserved: "w" for modern "v", dialectal verb forms, and 19th-century spelling conventions.

VI. jlmad ja ajad.
Udune ilm.

Miks on ilmiike udune,
Miks see taevas on tahmane,
Pilved pikad roostetanud?
Sest ep ilma on udune,
Sest ep taevas on taltmane,
Pilved pikad roostetanud, »
Et on palju patusida,
Palju patu tegijaida,
Isat. poega tappelevad,
Purelevad puude peale,
Maadelevati maade peale.
Nurisevad noa peale;
Sõsarikud söimelevad
Ema aida ukse pealla,
Vennaksed verda valavad
Isa põllu ääre pealla,
Kälitsed kära peavad
Äia aida ääre pealla,
Vaderikud vandelevad
Ühe ristilapse peale,
Ühe vaga vaimu peale,
Ristilapse vinde peale.

Sest ep see ilma udune,
Sest ep see taevas tahmane.
Pilved pikad roostetanud!

Saja, saja, vihmakene.

Saja, saja, vihmakene,
Saja vihma, saaks magada,
Kes laseb kuivalla magada,
Kuivalla kuhja loodanekse,

Aruheina niidetakse,
Kastel kaeru lõigatakse.

Saja vihma, et sahiseb,
Lase vihma, et ladiseb.
Saja vihma, kasta miiida,
Jäta minda kastemata,
Hoia, vihma, orjalasta,
Kaitse, vihma, karjalasta,
Ei ole orjal hoidijada,
Karjalapsel kaitsijada,
Ei ole orjal uuta kuube,
Karjalapsel kahte särki,
Peene särgi pesijada.
Valge särgi vaalijada.
Uue kuue uhtujada.

Vii vihma Vigala poole,
Aia vihma Harju poole,
Talu vihma Tartu poole.
Vii Vigala veiste juua.
Harjumaa hanede ujuda.
Tartu naistel tanu pe^ta.

Kes mul, kes mul, kullakesed,
Kes mul peseb peene särgi?
Vihm mul peseb valged särgid,
Jumal mul kolgib kuivad särgid.

Kevadel.

Oh seda ilusat aega
Oh seda kena kevadet.
Leht on puussa, rohi maassa,
Hele hääli neiudella.
Nõtkub uõmmella pädakas.
Kiigub soossa kasekene,

im

Hirnub hiiessa- hobune,
Kukkub kägu kuu siku ssa,
Laulab neidu kiige pealla.

Mõistke, mõistke, metied noored,
Mõtelge, naised targemad.
Kesse viib arulta heina?
Vikati vihane rauda.
Nuga nõmmelta pädaka,
Kirves koorta kase pealta,
Hunt viib hiiesta hobuse,
Karu täku kaasikusta.
Küla peigu, hella venda
See viib neiu kiige pealta.

Suvel.

Nüüd sünnib orjal olla uhke,
Orjal uhke, herral uhke,
Sulasella suureline :
Juba rukki pead nähakse,
Odra oras haljendeleb,.
Kaera oras katab maada,
Nisud tupesta tulevad,
Hernes lestada lehitab,
Läätsi säärida sirutab.
Uba uusi kaunadella,
Lina lehib riideessa.
Kupar kuldapilvedessa.

Hellakene, vennakene,
Võta kätte kuldsed käärid,
Hõbedased piirerauad,
Tule lina lõikamaie,
Kupart kulda piiramaie,
Ma panen lina rüppeje.

1S7

Kupart kulda põllesseje,
Siis viin koju eide kätte,
Eit paneb vakka vajumaie,
Alla kaane kasvamaie !

Sügisel.

Sõdige nüüd, sõrmekesed,
Vadige nüüd, varbakesed.
Sui lõppeb, sügise jõuab,
Tali tahab taliikida,
Vilu villasta riieta.
Külma küsib kindaaida.
Tahab tallenahkasida.
Uni ei anna uuta kuube,
Magamine maani särki,
Uni saadab hulkinnaie,
Magamine marsimaie,
Xälga näpsitab südanta !

Millal.

Millal laen mina isale,
Millal laen mina emale.
Millal õerutan õele,
Millal veeren vendadele?

Isa on Hiiumaa isanda.
Ema on Hiiumaa emanda,
Vend on Saares suuri saksa,
Õde Rootsis keedekaela.

iWillal laen mina isale?
Sügisel ei sünni minna,
Kevadel ci kõlba käia,
Sügisel jõed sügavad,
Kevadella lained laiad,
Hobu aga upuks ojasse.
Linalakka lainetesse,
Kuldakapja kasteesse,
Mära mätaste vahele,
Ruuna ratta roobastesse.

Homikul.

Tõuske üles, noored rahvas.
Ämm on ammu ahjud kütnud,
Suits on läinud suurest uksest,
Vingu veerend vindi august,
Auru astund aknast välja.

Neiukene, noorukene,
Kui tahad perenaine olla,
Siis pead pisut puhkamaie.
Unes vähe uinumaie.
Pane pea läve peale.
Kui kuuled knke huikamaie
Ja kana kaasa karjumaie.
Siis hüppa üles hüüdemata,
Karga üles karjumata,
Mine lipates õuele,
Karatessa karjaaeda.
Vaata, mis sa sealta leiad?
Leiad seitse sea põrsast,
Pane need põrsad põlle sisse.
Vii neid oma äial näha,
Äial näha, ämmal näha,

1»9

Omal noorel mehel näha.
Siis sa maksad äia meelest,
Äia meelest, ämma meelest,
Oma noore mehe meelest.

Õhtu tuleb.

Õhtu tuleb, hilja jõuab.
iVladalale veereb päeva,
Õhtu tuleb õnne kaudu.
Videvikku vilja kaudu,
Õhtu tuleb meie miaile,
Hämarikku muile maile.
Õhtu tuleb õue peale
Hoole hoidjaks, mure matjaks,
Paneb hooled ukse peale.
Mure musta parre peale.
Vaeva valge varva peale.
Tõused homikul ülesse.
Võtad hoolta hoolitseda,
Muret musta meelitada,
Vaeva valget vaigistada.
Päeva paiste paneb tööle.
Käsib käed kähku käia.
Näpu otsad nipeldada,
Sõrme otsad sipeldada,
Juurduda need jalad julgelt,
Kergelt keha kiikudagi,
Pea pöörda parajasti,
Teha tööda tugevasti,
Tugevasti, vägevasti.

VII. Töö ja orjus.

Oleks minu põidu põrmandalla,

Oleks minu põldu põrmaiiduUa,
Väli laia vainiulla,
Eeke toa eessa,
Lõikus lee lõukaalla,
Oleks odrad toa eessa,
Kaerad taga katusella,
Vihu lõikaksin vilulla,
Kaksi vihku kasteella,
Kolmi vihku koidikulla,
Haki ahju paisteella.

Sest olid hullud meie mehed,
Et teind orgu meie odrad,
Ja teind kaerad kaugeelle,
Linad poolde linnateele.
Siia mu sugune sureb.

Siia minu kaela katkeb,

Siia suure välja peale,

Määratuma põllu peale.
Eks las ütlen ümber jälle,

Las laulan tagasi jälle:

Ei sure minugi selga,

Minu selga trrveeksi,

Terveeksi, tooreeksi

Kui noore hobuse selga,

Vallatuma varsa selga.

Siia surgu suuri meesi.

Kadugu see kallis meesi.

Valge parraga vajugu

Enne kui mina haneke.

Eide kasvatud kanake.

Taadi leitud linnukene!

Töö ja tänu.

Tegin tööda, ci tänatud,
Nägin vaeva, vannutigi,
Tegin tööda teiste kiuste,
Enese au parasta,
Mõtlesin aita annotavat,
Karja kätte kannetavat.

Tuli aega veeres päeva.
Kes andis hanele aida,
Kes kandis kanale karja!
Minijale anti aita,
Kälisele käänti karja,
Vennanaine viis need veised.
Mulle anti tühi aita,
Tühi aita, lage lauta,
Ait oli tühi riietesta,
Laut oli tühi larnmastesta,
Kammer kehva kirstudesta.

Kui hakkasin mina minema,
Õuest sain õle sideme.
Väravasta väändud vitsad,
Sain ma sellegi salaja,
Jlma eide teademata,
Jlma taadi tahtemata.

Lõikusel.

Lõppe, lõppe pollukene,
Kui ei lõppe, siia Jätan,
Siia jätan suigu süüa.
Suigu süüa, kärba käia,
Siia kure kuigutada,
Lõokese lõpetada,
Siia pääsu peale tulla,

Tedrele teha pesada.

Siia kurgo jätnud kuue,

Siia teder teise teki,

Pääsukene pearäti,

Harakas aluspalaka,

Vares oma halli vati.

Mis ma lõikan, selle köidan,

Selle ma kokku kogusin,

Selle ma napra nabasin,

Kuhilasse kukutasin,

Vahelikku valmistasin.

Tegin nabra nagu naise,

Kuhila nagu kuninga.

Vaheliku kui vanema,

Aki Harju 'neitsikese,

Rõugu Rõuge nooreherra;
Panin alla haaba oksad
Panin peale pärna koored,
Vahele vana hõbeda,
Keskeele keeru kulla.
Harjust toon ma suure härja
Kokku kuhilaid koguda,
Nabra peade peale panna,
Saa ei alt siis hallitada
Ega peal ta päevatada.
Vahelt vaske roostetada,
Keskelt kulda kopitada,
Kuhil kumab Kuramaale,
Äkki Harju tee rajale,
Rõuku Rõuge mõisasse!

Vihule.

Vihule, vihule, virred,
Kubule, kubule, kullad.

Pajupardid parmaalla !
Lõikame vihud vägevad,
Paneme parmad paremad,
Käetäied kärmeemad.
Et saan kokku kullapõllu,
Lademesse laia välja,
Sidemesse selle põllu,
Risutud kiduri põllud.
Põimitud põduri põllud.
Laamitud on laisa väljad,
Virga põllud põimimata.
Virga väljad laamimata.

Nüüd saab sirpi seisamaie,
Koju see rauda koleda,
Varnagi vaske väleda,
Seina peale sepa tapper.
Eit saab tuppa astumaie,
Tütar tuppa tukkiimaie.
Ahju peale paigutama !

Kalapüügil;

Kuusk oli, kuusk oli, hellad vennad.
Kuusk oli, kuusk oli Kuramaalla,
Pedakas oli Pärnumaalla,
Lepp oli laia Läänemaalla,
Tamm oli Tartu tee rajalla;
Ühte need oksad ujuvad.
Ühte need ladvad langevad,
Jõgi jookseb aita juurte,
Jõgi jookseb juurte pealta.

Seal jõessa palju kahida.
Siiad suured, seljad mustad,
Lõhed laiad, laugud otsas,
Haugid pikad, pead jämedad,

Need seisid servi meressa,
Lipi lapi laenetessa,
Kipi kapi kaldaassa,
Külli külmassa veessa.

Seal olid noodad noortel meestel,
Võrgud Võrnu vennastella.
Need püüdsid pühal kalada,
Argipäivil ahvenaida.

Lähme noodal', noored mehed,
Võrgule Võrnu vanemad !
Läheme kiisku kiskumaie.
Vähki välja võttemaie,
Esmapäeval heeringida,
Teisipäeval tintisida.
Kesknädal kena kalada
Neljapäeval haugisida.
Reedel Riia rääbusida,
Laupäe' laiu latikaida.

Pühapäev pühi kaluda !

Mis seal veessa nähtanessa?

Küna oli veessa, auk oli seessa,

Lõhe lõpusid läigitas,

Heidin, heidin, hellad vennad,

Ei siin ole seda meesta,

Kõige selle seltsi seessa,

Kes laeb lõhet lõhkumaie.

Kala katki raiumaie.

Mul oli väike vennakene,

Pisikene poisikene.

See läks lõhet lõhkumaie,

Kala katki raiumaie.

See teeneb lõhele laevad.

Siia laevad alla silla.

Kala laevad kaldaasse.

Pääsu laevad peale vetta.
Kala veessa kaebamaie :

„0h mina vaene virbelane,

Virbelane, värbelane,

Siiga sirusoomiisline,
Lõhe iaialõ])usline.
Haugi teravhambaline,
Kiiska kondine kalake :
Hommikul ujun meressa,
Lõunal ludistan veessa,
Õhtul keerlen kattelassa,
Vanaherra vaagenassa!"

Kirikusse!

Peremees, ])eremeheke,
Perenaine, naisukene.
Anna orjale hobune,
Sulasele saanikene,
Miska laeb ori kiriku,
Sulane suguvõsale,
Teenija oma tädile !

-Perenaine, naisukene,
Kohe kuuleb, kostab vasta :
Millal laeb ori kiriku?
Jõulus laeb ori kiriku.
Sulane suguvõsale,
Teenija oma tädile.

Perenaine, naisukene,
Kohe kuuleb, kostab vasta :
Tühi teab sinu minemist!
Lubasid nelipühi minna,
Tahtsid minna Jaanipäeval,
Nüüd sa lubad jõulus minna !

Perenaine, naisukene,
Kohe kuuleb, kostab vasta:
Paganal on paadi kene,
Tondil tume laugukene,

U6

Sõitku sel ori kiriku,
Sulane suguvõsale,
Teenija oma tädile !

Orava kütt.

Oota, oota, oravake,
Seisa servi linnukene,
Kuni pühin püssikesta,
Harin härmi rauakesta.
Siis laen lindu laskemale.
Püüda metsast püüdemaie,
Metsast mõtust otsimaie.

Oskan aga orava külge,
Nuhin ma nugise külge,
Trehvan tedre kuke külge,
Läbi paju pardi pihta.
Arusse hanede külge.
Sohu suure linnu külge,
Kure külge koppelisse.

Siis laen, siis liien, vennikene,
Siis laen linnuga turule,
Oravaga alla linna.
Teder teisessa käessa.
Tuleb siis vasta Harju saksa,
Harju saksa, halli kuube.
Sinisukka, siidijalga,
Kohe minulta küsima :
Oh minu kallis kaubameesi.
Kallis kaubame sulane,
Kallis kaupleja poisike,
Mis see teder teilla maksab,
Ostessa orava maksab ?
See teder tibuda maksab,

Orav vaka vanu taaldrid,
Külimitu kilingida.
Siis saan tedresta tibuda,
Oravasta taalderida,
Külimitu kilingida.

©

Sõuaksin ma sojas surra.

Sõuaksin ma sõjas surra,
Sõjas surra sõitlemata,
Vaenu rüppe variseda
Ilma piinata pikata,
Ilma koole kurnamata,
Ilma taudi tappemata !
Kenam suikuda sõjassa.
Langeda lipu ligidal,
Mõõga möllul elu müüa,
Ambu noolil hanguneda.
Ei ole ohu orjamista,
Ei ole tõbe tülitsemist,
Valusängil valvamista.
Sõjasurmal suurem ilu,
Suurem ilu hinna poolest.
Võimu kiitus võidumeestest.
Linnud laulvad linnakeeli,
Pilved laulvad pidukeeli.
Sarved hüüdvad Saksa keeli,
Raudsed ristid rahukeeli !

(Dl

VIII. Puhkamine ja pidu.
Tule, tule, unekene.

Tule, tule, unekene,
Tule, uni, uksest sisse.
Astu, uni, aknast sisse.
Kuku lapse kulmu peale.
Lange lapse lau peale.
Sihi lapse, silme peale,
Asuta aseme peale.
Vaju lapse voodi peale!

Mina laulan lapsukesta.
Susuteten sulekesta.
Kui see parti pojukesta.
Kui see hani ainukesta.
Maga kaua, kasva suureks.
Kasva suureks, karjas käija,
Karjas käija, marja tooja,
Orusta hobuste tooja,
Soosta lehma lennutaja!

Õitsel.

Lähme õitsele, õeksed,
Karjakorrale kanaksed!
Õitsel õlled, õitsel viinad,
Õitsel padjad peenikesed,
Õitsel valgeed palakad;
Õitsel sängi saarepuune,
Õitsel mängi männipuune.

Kuusikus oli kuuse sängi,
See oli kuuse kuldasängi,

Männikussa männisängi,
See oli männi mängusängi,
Kaasikus oli kasesängi,
See oli kase kaasasängi,
Lepikus oli lepasängi,
See oli lepa leinasängi,
Haavikus oli haabasängi,
See oli haaba armusängi,

Ütlen uuest" ümber jälle:
Lepa lehed meil linaksed,
l*aju lehed padjakesed,
Haaba lehed alusriided.

Kiigel.

Oh minu kuldsed kiigutajad,
Hõbedased õõtsutajad,
Ärge mind kurjast, kiigutage,
Hõelasti õõtsutage :
iyia olen kuri kukkumaie,
Õrna pealta hüppamaie,
Kui mina kukkun, kesse maksab?
Pale mul maksab paari härgi,
Teine pale teise paari,
Silmad sinihalli täku,
Kõrvad kõrvi ruunakese.
Kiigesepad, hellad vennad,
Laske maha, ma paluksin!
Kui ei lase, ei palugi,
Küll mina õõtsun õhtuuni,
Kiigun keskihommikuni,
Laulan laia valgecni.
Küllap kuuski kurnab piima,
Küllap leppa lüpsab lehma,

Küllap kaski saadab karja,
Vaherpuu joodab vasika.
Muude kari kaugeella,
Muude mullikad murulla,
Meie kari karjaaias,
Meie mullikad mudassa,
Meie lambaad laudassa,
Haned alles aganikus!

Kiige laul.

Kiigesepad, hellad vennad,
Ma tulin kiike katsumaie,
Kas see kiike kannab minda,
Kas kannab kahte kanada.
Kahe kana riideeida,
Kolme kulla kudrusida.
Nelja, viie vidrusida.
Kui ei kanna kiike meida,
Kui ei kanna kana kahte,
Kahe kao riideeida,
Kolme kulla kudrusida.
Nelja, viie vidrusida,
Too kirves, raiu kiike.
Too nuga, noole kiike,
Too väitsi, vesta kiike,
Too tapper, tasuta kiike!
Minu vend teeb uue kiige,
Ilukiige, uhke kiige.
Väravasse vaskse kiige,
Tänavasse täpilise,
Ta toob kiige Kuramaalta,
Kiigesambad Saksamaalta,
Kiige aisad Harjumaalta,

Põhilauad Põldsamaalta,
Tued Türgi teede pealta,
Võllapuu Vene rajalta,
Kiige maksab kümme rupla,
Kiige aisad halli teki,
Põhilauad Poola ruuna,
Võllapuu Vene hobuse.

Siis mina kiigun kõrgeella,
Kõrgeella, kaugeella,
Et mina paistan palju maada,
Paistan palju, maksan palju,
Et mina paistan päevadele.
Läigin mere laenetele,
Pärg mul paistab pilvedele,
Pärja sabad saludele,
Kuub mul paistab Kunglamaale,
Poogakirjad Pikkerile,
Et tuleb poissi päevapoega,
Kosilane kuudepoega.
Parem peigu tähtepoega,
Kallim peigu kaugelt maalta.

Neidude koor kiigel.

õekesed, hellakesed.
Lähme rinnu Riia poole,
Pärast piku P?rnu poole,
Tasa Tallilinna poole.
Vaht aga hüüab valli pealta,
Poepoissi poe laelta,
Kodanik koja laelta:
Lööge lukku linna luugid,
Pulgale poe väravad,

Haagile alevi uksed,
Viru neidused tulevad,
Tulid Riiga rikkumaie,
Tallilinna tappamaie,
Põldsamaad põletamaie,
Võnnut kinni võttemaie.

Mina kuulsin, vasta kostsin
Ei me riku Riia linna
Ega tapa Tallilinna,
Põldsamaad ei me põleta :
Olgu Riia soola tuua,
Tallinna raha taguda,
Põldsamaa põlleda tuua
Jäägu Võnnu võtit tuua !
Riias soolad selgeemad,
Pärnus need pärlid punased,
Tallinnas tabad toredad,
Võnnu võtmeed ilusad,
Põldsamaalla põllud pikad,
Küll on pikad, küll on laiad,
Küll on otsani kirevad.

Üles, üles, meie kiike!

üles, üles, meie kiike,
Üles, kiike, kõrgeelle,
Kõrgeelle, kaugeelle!

Mis mina nägin kõrgeella,
Kõrgeella, kaugeella?
Kolm oli metsa kõrvustikku,
Üks oli kulda kuusemetsa.
Teine kallis kasemetsa,
Kolmas õunapuu ilusa.

Mis oli kulda kuusemetsa,
See oli noorte meeste metsa,

Mis oli kallis kasemetsa,
Se? oli noorte naiste metsa,
Mis oli õunapuu ilusa,
See oli noorte neitsikeste.

Üles, üles, meie kiike.
Üles, kiike, kõrgeelle,
Kõrgeelle, kaugeile.
Mis mina nägin kõrgeella,
Kõrgeella, kaugeella?
Kolm oli järve krirvustikku,
Üks oli viha viinajärvi.
Teine kallis kaljajärvi,
Kolmas oli mõdu magusa.

Mis oli viha viinajärvi.
See oli noorte meeste järvi.
Mis oli kallis kaljajärvi.
See oli noorte naiste järvi.
Mis oli mõdu magusa,
See oli noorte neitsikeste.

Üles, üles, meie kiike,
Üles, kiike, kõrgeelle,
Kõrgeelle, kaugeelle.
Mis mina nägin kõrgeella,
Kõrgeella, kaugeella?
Kolm oli välja kõrvustikku,
Üks oli ruuge rukkivälja.
Teine kallis kaeravälja.
Kolmas oli nisu ilusa.

Mis oli ruuge rukkivälja,
See oli noorte meeste välja.
Mis oli kallis kaeravälja.
See oli noorte naiste välja.
Mis oli nisu ilusa,
See oli noorte neitsikeste.

Vastlapäeval.

Vistel, vastel poisikene,
Ei vistel toassa istu,
Vistel istub vainiulla.
Kükitab küla vahella,
Ootab liu laskijada.
Kelgu peale istujada.

Kes läheb liugu laskemaie,
Sellel kas'ku pikad linad.
Pikad linad, lahked linad,
Liugu ja laugu, liugu ja laugu,
Liugu laugu laste jalad.
Sea jalad, vastla jalad!

Linad liu laskijale,
Tutrad toas istujale.
Ebemed eestavedajale.
Takud takkatõukajalel

Kes ei tule liugu laskma.
Selle linad likku jäägu.
Aia alla hallitagu.
Seina äärde seenetagu!

Kes ei tule liugu laskma,
Kas'ku kask sel kaela peale,
Õunapuu õlade peale,
Niinepuu nisade peale!

Mardid.

Tere, tere, teie tuppa,
Marija teie majasse.
Püha neitsi põrandule.
Kas lubate tubaje tulla,
Hoosta hoovie ajada,

Sälgu sambasse siduda,
Varsa varnaje niduda?
Kui ei luba tuppa tulla,
Pööran ümber ma hobuse.
Kui luba tubaje tulla,
Peretütar peenikene.
Tõuse üles voodiista,
Puhu tulda kuke suusta,
Keeruta kana ninasta.
Lõõtsu lõhe lõualuusta.

Peretütar peenikene,
Kui pole piirguda peossa,
Tõmma tohtu toa laesta.
Kui pole tohtu toa laessa,
Tõmma pinda parrestagi.
Kui pole pinda parressagi,
Võta roogu räästa seesta,
Kui pole roogu räästa seessa,
Too aga pikasta pinusta,
Kui pole pikassa pinussa,
Too aga soosta sambelaida,
Mädajärvest mättaaida.
Ikka pea tuli toassa,
Säde sängi sambaassa,
Et saaks Mardid tulda näha,
Tulda näha, tutvust teha.
Harva Mardid maalla käivad,
Harukorral aega saavad,
Ainu korra aastaassa.
Kaksi korda Kadrigagi !

Mart pole tulnud maada mööda,
Mardid tulnud taevaasta,
Kullasta kõrendat mööda,
HCibedasta õrta mööda,
Vaskista vahendit mööda.
Uks oli tulla, värav minna,
Uks oli minna uulitsale,
Värav minna vainiulle.

Tänav teiseje talusse.
Mulk oli põllule pugeda;
Mart tulnd kuke ajal kottu,
Hämariku ajal ära,
Saanud siia valgeeksi.

Siin on pikad istepengid,
Ja on laiad söömalauad,
Ja on kõrged hõbekannud,
Ja on viksid viinakruusid.
*reil on suvised sulased,
Kangelased kasvandikud,
Need ei tunne tuppe teha,

Härjasarvi kirjutada.

Aja eest vajiad sulased.

Võta meida perepoisteks.

Me tunneme tuppi teha.

Härjasarvi kirjutada.

Ava uksi, auusa lapsi,

Tõsta telki, eide tütar,

Ukse põõnusta põrutan,

Sagarista raiun ukse.

Keskelt ukse keeran lõhki.

Meil on hulgas- ukseseppa,

Seltsissa sagaraseppa.

Poisikesed pulgasepad.
Kui ei ava auusa lapsi.

Tõsta telki eide tütar,

Avan ise ometigi,

Sisse viskan vilja õnne,

Lee ette linade õnne,

Taha nurka tatterida,

Kesk tuba kena nisuda.
Pereeite, eidekene.

Tõuse üles voodiista,

Sihi sinna seina peale,

Vahi sinna varna peale.

Võta võtmeed võresta.

Kepsi minna kelderisse,

1Õ7

Kapsi minna kamberisse,
Üle õue hooneesse,
Too Mardi toobikeno,
Kanna Mardi Rakukene,
Kui ei täi täita kintsu,
Võta kintsu pooleeksi,
Ei täi kaiite kapsa peada,
Anna üksi ainukene.
Võta võida vitsikusta,
Muretse meile munegi,
Küünlaid peale keerulisi.

Tantskem, tantskem, Mardikesed,
Marti tantsib, maa müdiseb,
Põllu peenrad põrisevad,
Mõõka helkuda helistab,
Tähed löövad täringida.
Kuu kulla rattaaida.

Aitüma pereisale.
Aitüma pereemale
Mardil andi andemasta.
Saia kakku kandemasta,
Liha kintsu kinkimasta.

Pereisa, taadikene
Mis mina sinule soovin :
Laugud härjad, laiad sarved,
Need lähvad vara vaole,
Need lähvad kündes külasse,
Vagu veerdes vainiulle.
Need teevad odrad orgudesse.
Kaerad jõe kaldaalle,
Rukkid kõrva kuusikusse.
Seda ma sinule soovin.

Pereeite, eidekene,
Mis mina sinule soovin ?
Laudad täide lambaaida,
Aganik hanesid täide,
Sõnikud siguda täide.
Põhud täide põrsaaida,
Katused kanuda täide.
Seda ma sinule soovin !

Perepoega, poisikene.
Mis mina sinule soovin ?
Tallije täku tasase,
Peale latteri ladusa.
Ei see hirnu heinasida
Ega karju j<aerasida.
Hirnub selga istujada.
Karjub pähä päitseida.
Seda ma soovin sinule.

Peretütar, peenikene,
Mis mina sinule soovin?
Kirstu täide kiilutuda.
Vaka täide vaalituda,
Kõrenda kenu riideida.
Seda ma sinule soovin !

Kadrid.

Eile Kadrit oodatie,
Täna Kadrit vaadatie,
Nüüd on Kadri koju tulnud.
Laske Kadri tuppa tulla,
Kadri küüned külmetavad,
Jala varvad valutavad.
Tal pole tuba, kust ta tuleb,
Tal pole aita, kus ta astub,

1Õ9

Tal pole kammert, kus ta kõnnib.
Tuisku Kadril toa eesta,
Sadu soja sauna eesta,
Ale uue aida eesta.
Kaste kauni kambri eesta.
Vesi õhtul ja hommikul,
Vesi veereb vaagna seessa.
Tantsib taarikannu seessa !

Kadril kaskine hobune,
Viherpuune vitsukene,
Sarapuune saanikene,
Kibuvitsust kelgukene,
Vahtrapuusta valged aisad.
Lodjapuune loogakene.

Pereeite, eidekene,
Peretaati, taadikene,
l^erepoega kuldkübara,
Peretütar kuldakinga,
Pereite kuldapõlle.
Tõuse üles tooli pealta,
Astu nüüd aseme pealta.
Lase Kadri tuppa tulla,
Kadri tulnud kaugelt maalta.
Üle soo, üle rabade.
Üle pika piirumetsa,
Üle laia laua metsa.
Kõrge puu kõverametsa.

Kadri vingub villasida,
Tahab taku koonalida.
Kadri ei söö sealiha.
Siga songib söömaajal,
Kadri ei katsu kanamuna,
Kukk on kana puudutanud,
Kadri ei võta lehmavõida.
Härg on lehma haisutanud.
Kadri küsib küljeliha.
Laugu lamba laudeliha!

Nuku laul

Lähme nukku ehtimaie,
Vaesta lasta valmistama,
Kägu kulda kingitsema !
Ehi nukku, eeri nukku.
Ehi neilla ehteilla,
Mis su emal enne olnud,
Vanaema valmistanud:
Pane peale pardisulgi.
Liida peale linnu sulgi
Metsasta mehiku sulgi !
Pea silmad, soe pea,
Selga aja linahame.
Peale pihta peenikene,
Jalga pane sulesukad,
Otsa kingad keerulised,
Pane ümber suuri sõba
Nii kui pooli põdranahka.
Pane vööle suuri vööda
Nii kui laia torre vitsa,
Lase ette laia põlle
Xii kui isa aida uksi,
Rinda pane suuri sõlgi
Nii kui kuu taevaasse,
Heida kaela helme korrad,
Pane pähä laia pärga.
Ehi sõrmed sõrmusilla.
Säe sääred jooksemaie.
Labajalad laskemale.
Kodarad kõrisemaie!

Jaanipäeval.

Jaanikene, saanikene,
Millal Jaani saani saie !

Jaan tegi saani salussa,
Kirju korju kaasikussa,
Jgal päeval lõi ta laastu,
Igas kuus pani kodara,
Nädalas ta neetis naela,
Igal aastal laskis augu,
Sajal aastal sai ta saani.

Kutsus isa vaatamaie.
Isa ütles : see on hea.
Kutsus ema vaatamaie.
Ema ütles : see on hea.
Kutsus venna vaatamaie.
Venda ütles : veel on puudu !

Mis on saanilla veaksi ?
Seda on saanilla vigada :
Etteje hüva hobune.
Kannule Kalevi poissi.
Sisse südi neitsikene,
Aisad ette õunapuised,
Rangid kaela vahterasid,
Ja looka peale künnapuine.

Otsitie, kõnnitie,
Otsitie meie metsad,
Kõnnitie Kõnnu kõrved,
Tallatie Torma laaned,
Sõtkuti salu sinine,
Rudjuti rohi punane.
Tuli üksi metsa tukka.
Sai üksi metsa salka.
Kuhu peale päev ei paistnud,
Kuhu kuu ei kumendanud,
Lind ei oksale osanud.
Madu ei juurilla maganud.
Sealt need aisad hakatie,
Ja see looka lõigatie
Ja need ransid raiutie.

Kust saab halli aisadele?
Isa tallis halli täkku.
Sealt saab halli aisadele.

Kust saab kutsari kannule?
Jaani ise kutsariks!,
Kannul Kalevi poisike.

Kust saab saanis sõidetavat?
Külas küllalt kudruskaelu,
Neist saab saanil sõidetavaid.

Pulmasõit.

Kui mind pulma kutsutie,
Peiupoisiks palutie,
Isa ei uskund hoosta mulle,
Ema ei annud uuta kuube,
Õde ei annud hõbesõrmust,
Vend ei vaskivaljaaida.

Läksin alla heinamaale,
Heintest tegin ma hobuse,
Kasteheinast kabjad alla,
Rauda heinast rauad alla,
Nagle lehest naelad sisse,
Paju koorest päitsed pähä !

lookse hobu, jõua hobu,
Kus need hiired heina teevad.
Looga otsad loogu võtvad,
Saaniaisad saa^ veavad,
lookse hobu, jõua hobu,
lookse hobu sinna maale
Kus need kuked kulda söövad,
Kuked kulda, kanad karda,
Haned haljasta hõbedat,
Varesed vana vaskeda,

Sead selgeda tinada,
Kus see tikut teebki aida,
Västrik väike väänab vitsa,
Lõokene lõhub hirsi !

Pulmas.

Ehi. ehi, neiukene,
Ehi ruttu, et sa jõuad,
Seädi valmis, saaks minema,
Meid ju hulk on ootamassa.
Sada saani seisamassa.
Ju ootab uju hobune.
Külmetab küdide kõrvi,
Naksutab nadude halli,
Peksab peada peiu päitsu,
Lehib peiu lehtelauku.
Tantsib taadi ummirauda,
Tikub teeda sõitemaie,
Laia välja laskemale.

Öö on pikka ja pimeda.
Tee on kitsas ja kivine,
Augud suured ja sügavad,
Kaldad kõrged ja kavalad,
Meie tee on teademata,
Meie maa on mõõtemata,
Viis on väinaa vahella,
Kuus on kuivaa haruda,
Seitse jäästa järvekesta.
Kaheksa kalamereda.
Üheksa hõbeojada.
Kümme külma allikada !

Humalas ja õlut.

Humalas orussa oigas,
Käbi kärkis põõsaassa :
„Tule, tule, noori meesi,
Vii mind välja virra tarvis,
Kanna kööki katelasst,
Sealt mina tõusen torre peale,
Kasvan kannu ääre peale,
Paisun pika renni peale.
Ajan kõik tõrred tõusemaie,
Käänan kannud käärimaie-

Õlut oli hullu, taar oli tarka,
Võttis meeled meeste peasta,
Pooled meele'd poiste peasta.
Oimud naiste otsa eesta.
Mehed mütsata mürasid.
Naised tanuta tantsisid,
Poisid pooli põlvelie.

1^. hali ja pilge.

Kedra, Liisu.

Kedra, Liisu, mcmmetütar!
Kudas kedran, memmekene,
Käed mul haiged, jalad haiged,
Kõik mu luud ja liha haiged!

Kedra, Liisu, memmetütar !
Ma laen homme Pärnu linna.
Ostan sulle uue põlle !

Kudas kedran, memmekene.
Käed mul haiged, jalad haiged,
Kõik mu luud ja liha haiged!

Kedraj Liisu, memmetütar !
Ma laen homme Riialinna,
Ostan sulle uued kingad.

Kudas kedran, memmekene,
Käed mul haiged, jalad haiged,
Kõik mu luud ja liha haiged!

Kedra, Liisu, memmetütar!
Ma laen homme Pihkvalinna,
Ostan sulle suure sõba !

Kudas kedran, memmekene,
Käed mul haiged, jalad haiged,
Kõik mu luud ja liha haiged.

Kedra, Liisu, memmetütar!
Ma laen homme Võrulinna,
Ostan sulle noore mehe !

Kedran, kedran, memmekene.
Käed mul terved, jalad terved.
Kõik mu luud ja liha terve!

Suveks Soome!

õekesed, hellakesed.
Lähme ära siita maalta.
Lähme suveks Soomemaale,
Talveks taha Turjamaale,
Teeme seal kivist kiriku,
Kase lehtedest kabeli,
Lööme sisse raudsed ristid,
Hõbedased õrrekesed.

Ütlen aga uuest' ümber jälle
Kui meie ära läheme.
Kes need siisap tööda teevad?
Tüdrukud need töö teevad,

Helmekadad niitvad heina.
Kudruskaelad teevad kuhjad.
Kuhjad paistvad Kuramaale,
Saod suured Saksamaale,
Hakkjalad Alutahaje.

Kui me lähme siita maalta,
Maale tuleb neiu nälga,
Neiu nälga, püga puudu.
Küll siis hobul otsitakse,
Sälu säärel sõidetakse,
Kuldakabjal kuulatakse,
Vaskikabjal vaadatakse.
Tuld siis löövad hooste turjad,
Sädemeida .sälu sääred.
Vilku, välku varsa kabjad,
Neiu hulka otsidessa,
Piiaparve püüdessagi.

Kanade pidu.

Kukekesed, kanakesed,
Lähme lattu siplemaie,
Sibistama, sabistama,
Lao kaela kaapimaie,
Tera sulle, teine mulle.
Kolmas koti kandajale.
'Viime vilja veskeelle.
Teeme teogi oluta.
Valame siis vaadi viina,
Kutsume kokku kurvad linnud,
Ajame kokku hallid linnud,
Ei me kutsu kullikesta,
Ega kulli naisukesta.
Kull on kuri kiskumaie,
Kulli naine nokkimaie,

Võttis tupest tulise mõõga,
Aita hõlma halli raua.
Raius kure uue kuue,
Kiskus ronga uue rüüe,
Varese vana kasuka.
Siili siidisukakesed.

Karu saatjad.

Karu läks muiste m.uile maile,
Jättis jäljed siiamaale.
Teised jäljed Poolamaak',
Teel tegi kolme pojukesta:
Üks sai Hiiumaa isandaks.
Teine Pärnumaa päälikuks,
Kuresaarde kolmas kohtusaksaks.
Kes läks seda karu saatma?
Isand emand tõllaga.
Pime kutsar piitsaga.
Vanamees ^'alge kasukaga,
Lehma leedi vasikaga,
Lammas laugu tallega.
Siga seitsme põrsaga
Ja hobu oma warsagal

Mul tull Virust võõraid.

Mul tuli Virust võõraaida.
Virust võõraid, Soomest sõpru.
Kudas võtan vasta võõraid,
Kudas küla kosti saada ?
Kass mul alles kaikumata,

Kärbse kaela kääiiamata,
Hiire hingi võttemata,
Tõhku puiia tõmmamata.
Täitäkku tappemata,
Orav metsast otsimata.

Siga läks tööle, mõõk oli vöölla,
Lutika pea lumine,
Kits läks killavoori peale,
Lammas laudile magama,
Konn läks kolme vallaga,
Läks aga Riiga viina viima.
Hiiri istus, müts oli peassa !

Saare imed.

Lähme, lähme Läänemaale,
Saame suure Saaremaale,
Saaremaal sada imeda,
Iga ime ise\iisi:

Ütlen uuest ümber jälle,
Varsti vana Järje peale,
Paremile lugudele.
Uuest uusile sõnule:
Lähme, lähme Läänemaale,
Saame suure Saaremaale
Saaremaal sada imeda.
Iga ime iseviisi
Heinam oli õue alla.
Vikat niitis, ma vilistin.
Reha aga riisus, mina kandsin.
Põldu oli peale õue,
Härjad kündsid, ma magasin,
Sirpi lõikas, ma sidusin.
Kaasik oli koppelissa,

Koerad kündsid, härjad haiiksid,
Koerad kündsid, kohvad jalas,
Lammas läks laudile munele,
Kana tõi kaksi tallekesta,
Hobu häriku vasika,
Lelima täkut varsakese.
Hobu tõstis toa taga,
Siga sõitis sadulaga,
Hunt oli luulu, mõõk oli vööUa,
Karul olid kannuksed jalassa,
Käsipuss oli kärbasela.

Ütlen uuest ümber jälle,
'arsti vana järje peale:
Seal olid linnud liiga töössa,
Valged linnud väga vaewas,
Lõo oli })ulliil lõikamassa,
Kii^■it kinni sidumassa.
Part oli parmasse panemas,
Kulli kuhila kogumas
Seal oli rähni rehemcesi,
Kotkas koju kandemassa,
'ares parsile panemas,
Kinves raius, ma ladusin. »

Ctlen tiuest ümber jälle.
Varsti vana järje peale:
Saaremaal sada imeda,
Iga ime iseviisi :
Seal on herrad äkke eessa,
Vanad prouad troska eessa,
'anad preilid ree eessa,
Herra sõidab, äkke taga
Proua sõidab, troska taga.
Preili sõidab, regi Wiga.
Seal need preilid rehte peksvad,
Vanad herrad varta lööwad.
Seal on tuid tuulamassa.
Seal on püüd pühkimassa.
Kehte rebased ahtemas,

17M.

'cU'esed koju vcMlamas,
Kiii'<'d kuhilast tegemas.
Hani aita Jieitemassa,
Harakas aeda tegemas,
Teder tojvaid wahendanuis,
'ii'tsik vitsu väänamassa.

Hiire pulmad.

Hiire isa surmapäeval,
Rotipoja pulmapäeval
Rotitütar -sai mehele,
Nirgi noorema pojale.
Neil olid uhked pulmalised:
Hunt oli viie viiuliga,
Karu kahe kanneliga.
Vares vaskisaabastega.
Tihane tinase reega,
Kukke kuldse kannustega,.
Kana kogu oma karjaga,
Teder takuse tanuga,
Püü põliste pükstega,
Rääku restis rätikuga.
Kiivit kõvera kepiga.
Hiir tuli oma isaga.
Rott tuli roobi varrega.
Mutid musta kuubedega.
Kassi kahe pojaga.
Koera kolme jalaga.

Kuusk oli kulla kutsevööras,
Kuusel kullane kübara,
Mänd oli kallis mängumeesi,
Männal laiad lakapealsed,
l^ihlakas oli peiupoissi,
Pihlakal on pikka mõõka,

Kask oli kallis kaasanaene,
Kasel kaimul valcred käiksed,
Tamm oli tarka tallipoissi,
Tammel tüttered tasased.
Lepp oli laua lapuline,
Lepal laia rätti peassa.

Sokk oli söögi valmistaja,
Rebane roa tegija,
Kana kalja kättekandja.
Lõo vaene lõhkus puida.
Susi seal soendas oluta,
Karu küpsetas kalada,
Põder pühkis põrmandaida,
Jänes talu taldrikuida,
Harakale anti annid.
Vööd kenamad kirbule,
Seale saivad sääre paelad.

Kõik olid pulma kutsevöörad,
Kurg jäi üksi kutsumata,
Vares vasta võttemata.

Ärgu olgu kurge kurba.
Vares vandeida pidagu,
Koju jäivad kolmed road.
Linnu lipsud, kana kopsud.
Sada sitika südanta,
Kümme kirbu küljeluuda,
Sada sääse sääreluuda.

Lõpetuseks.

Nüüd on järge jättamine,
Sõnajärje sõlmimine;
Ärge lootke, et mul lõpvad,
Lõpvad sõnad sõudemasta,
Kenad sõnad keele pealta,

Lahked laulud huulte pealta.
Enne lõpvad metsad puusta,
Enne lieitvad heinad maasta,
Enne kui mul laulud suusta,
Laulusõnad sõiidemasta :
Koju jätsin kotitäied,
Maha jätsin matitäied,
Parsile palakatäied,
Vana aita vakatäied !

Source Colophon

M.J. Eisen, Eesti rahwalaulud (Estonian Folk Songs). Published: Kuressaare and Tallinn, 1919. Digitized by the University of Toronto and hosted on archive.org (identifier: eestirahwalaulud00eiseuoft). Sections VI–IX reproduced here for reference, study, and verification. Archaic Estonian orthography preserved as printed.

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