Chapter IV: A Brief Review of Ukrainian Folk Songs

A. Religious and Ritual Songs; the Kolyady and Shchedrivky

(a) Most of these songs are from the obscure pre-Christian era--expressing the adoration of natural forces, especially of the celestial bodies. Svaroh was the god of heaven and earth. Dazhboh was god of the sun; Perun was god of the thunder bolt; Stryboh was god of the winds; Zoria, the star goddess, and numerous other gods in whose honor hymns were sung at the appointed time. About the most important were the _Kolyady in honor of the birth of the sun in the spring_, as the life-giver to all. The deification of the sun as the most potent factor in the Universe was the fundamental religion. The word Kolyada[1] is derived from Kolo or Koleso, meaning a wheel, because the sun appears to be a round, shining wheel. These songs were recited about the end of December at the winter solstice when the god-sun begins to prevail over the darkness. They are generally sung now as the Christmas carols, both at home and church, by troups of boys and girls carrying a beautifully decorated star with a lighted candle inside, going to the windows of every home in the village, and expressing their wishes to all inmates, whereupon many gifts are handed in response therefor:

OY KOLYADA--KOLYADYCIA[2]

O! Kolyada, little Kolyada,
Give some poppy to the Kutia;[3]
If you refuse, do so promptly,
Do not waste my little feet.

* * * * *

VSELENNAYA VESELYSIA

Rejoice, O Universe!
God is born to-day of Virgin,
In the cave, among the beasts,
Whom to adore
The Magi came.

* * * * *

(b) _The Shchedrivky were also the sacred lyrics, hymns_ to honor and entreat the god of warmth. Shchedry means liberal, bounteous, as the god-sun was considered such. Nowadays these carols are sung at the New Year’s Eve, and during the coming week, when various customary celebrations are taking place, and a rich feast is served; it is as it were a repetition of the Christmas Eve. The forces of nature and heavenly objects are usually personified, and even often referred to as opulent husbandmen or landladies, who give bounteously to all that sing them a pæan:

SHCHEDRYK[4]

Shchedryk, Shchedryk,
Dear little Shchedryk,
A tiny swallow
Perched on the house-roof;
She began chirping,
Calling for the master.
Come out, my lord, come forth!
Look into your stable:
The ewes gave birth to lambs,
Behold thy beautiful kine;
Thou wilt become rich
But money is nought;
Thou hast a pretty wife
With black eyebrows.
Shchedryk, Shchedryk,
Shchedrivochka[5]--
A little swallow has arrived.

(c) _The Vesnyanky, or spring songs_ (Vesna-spring) are the celebration of the radiant god over the dark ones. They are sung at the Easter time and in Spring generally and imply a great amount of love, courtship (romance), common instincts in life of mankind and nature’s influence on man. In some parts of Ukraine an effigy representing the god of cold and winter, Kostruboh, is burned on top of a hill with spring songs (Easter songs), dances and general rejoicing accompanying the rite. Some ethnologists think that the Ukrainians worshipped the goddess of spring, Vesna (Spring) being analogical to the ancient Indian Vasana or Huli (changed into the Ukrainian Hala), hence another name for the spring songs Hahilky:

OY, CHY YE, CHY NEMA*[6]

1. Is the husbandman at home,
Or is he not?

(Refrain)

The New-Year’s Eve, the God’s Eve--
Is the landlord at home?

2. He is not at home,
He is in thick forests,
The New-Year’s Eve, the God’s Eve--
In the thick of forests.

3. For he is in the dark woods
Where he splits the stones,
The New-Year’s Eve, the God’s Eve--
And he splits the stones.

4. There he splits the stones,
And he builds a pretty church,
The New-Year’s Eve, the God’s Eve--
He builds a pretty church.

5. A cozy church he does build
And erects the altars,
The New-Year’s Eve, the God’s Eve--
He erects the altars.

VINKU MIY ROZHEVIY*

1. My rosy wreath,
Where wert thou?--at Lviv;[7]
What was offered for thee?
A pair of black horses
And a hundred ducats.

2. My rosy wreath,
Pick out a maiden
Whichever thou wishest--leap around,
Choose one--jump around!

OY TY IVANCHIKU--TARABANCHIKU*

Oh, thou Johnny
Thou little drummer,
Swim, come along
The pretty little Dunay,
Comb your hair--fresh with dew,
With hands on your hips
Look around for a mate.

VESNO, SOLODKA VESNO!

Spring, Oh! sweet Spring!
Where is thy daughter?--
She seweth a shirt in the garden,
Embroidereth it with silken threads,
And forwards it to her beloved,
Oh! Spring, sweet Spring!

(d) _The Kupalsky Pisny_--are songs sung in commemoration of Kupalo, a festivity dating from immemorial pre-Christian times. It is not certain whence the word comes, but etymology would show that it is derived from kupaty--to bathe or to swim. The feast of Kupalo is observed on the 24th of June, which falls on the Christian birth of St. John the Baptist, according to the Julian calendar. The bathing here has reference to the sun and its rays; the spring and summer rain, the thunderstorm, the lightnings, etc., during which time the earth, as it were, bathes and will surely produce abundant fruit in the autumn as the result of their action. Although primarily it is the adoration of the god-sun and all the good forces, yet secondarily, it is the worship of Marena, the goddess of the clouds, waters and death, for now she gradually prevails over the god-sun who decreases in his power after the twentieth of June. Christian piety has connected this pagan festival with St. John the Baptist, introduced names of some saints in the lore and in some instances even changed the name of goddess Marena into christianized name Maryna (Mary). At Kupalo’s ceremonies the effigies representing the god-sun and goddess Marena are usually thrown into the water and a great entertainment follows: the girls in wreath dance with the boys around a fire, all sing and foretell their fortune:

HEY, NA IVANA, HEY NA KUPALA

Hey, during the feast of St. John the Kupalo, Hey, Hey, Hey!
A beautiful maiden sought her good fortune.
She plucked the flowers and wreathed a garland,
Sending it down the stream;
“Swim, little wreath, along the swift stream,
Swim by the house, where my loved one lives.”
The little garland swam down the stream,
Taking the lass’s heart along with him.
Early next morning the garland withered away,
Kupalo bestowed not his favors on her.
Hey, on the feast of St. Ivan the Kupalo, Hey!
This pretty maiden dug herbs at midnight;
At midnight she dug and boiled them,
At sunrise she fell infected with poison.

OY, PIDU YA DO MLYNA, DO MLYNA

1. To the wind mill, wind mill shall I run,
At the wind mill shall I hear some tidings, tidings:

There is the miller, mother dear,
There is the kindly miller;
There is the handsome one, dear mother,
He grinds the buckwheat free of charge.

2. He grinds and grinds and heaps the corn in hopper
Each time he heaps it--he embraces me:

(Refrain).

3. He grinds and grinds and sieves the flour,
Each time he turns the stone--he kisses me:

(Refrain).

(e) _The Obzhinkovi pisni_--the harvest songs, from obzhinaty--to harvest around, to reap around, and finish the harvest--are the expression of thanksgiving to gods of bounty and harvest for the benefits received; they are sung both on thanksgiving days and on the way to and from the work of harvesting, while it lasts; these gods have been consequently changed into hospitable husbandmen and house-wives:

VECHIR[8]

1. The sun is hid beyond the mountains high,
All things slumber in silence: meadows, groves and hills.
The tolling bells are heard, the moon enlightens heavens,
Pretty little nightingale sings in the balmy wood.

2. The world is like God’s church forsooth,
Peace and quiet all around;
After daily toil and moil
People enjoy relaxation.

3. The moon is like a sentinel;
She eagerly views the world
And rejoices at her heart,
Seeing all in quietude.

FOOTNOTES:

[1] Some claim that “Kolyada” is composed of the word “ko”--to, and the name for the goddess Lada, which denotes the turning of one’s prayers towards goddess Lada.

[2] Diminutive. The translation of the following cycle of songs and folklore are my own and original, unless stated otherwise. Some of the quoted songs are those I remember from my childhood in Ukraine; others were suggested by friends, or translated from books of references or song books.

[3] Kutia is the boiled wheat with honey for Christmas Eve; one of the indispensable dishes.

[4] Shchedryk, one who sings Christmas or New Year’s carols.

[5] Diminutive, feminine for Shchedryk.

[6] * Songs marked thus were suggested to me in Ukrainian by a lady sixty-five years of age, a Pole by origin married to a Ukrainian; Madame Zazulak of 951 Washington Ave., Bronx, New York City.

[7] Lviv--Lemberg, Capital of Ukrainian Galicia, written in other Slavic languages--Lvov.

[8] The evening.