Recordings from the Estonian Folklore Archives 3
The Timid Suitor
Liisa Kümmel Tori (1961)
Uidaruu, raidaraa,
uidaruu,
pandi mind paju raiumaie,
raidaraa,
saare juuri juksimaie,
tamme tüve tampimaie.
Leidsine ma siis kogemata,
kus aga salk oli sarapuida,
teine salk oli türnapuida,
kolmas salk oli kohlapuida,
neljas noori neidusida,
punapõs´ki piigakesi.
Ööd neil ööles virvekirja,
sukad jalas saarekirja.
Ei olnd julgust juure minna,
südant sülle rabadaie.
Uidaruu, raidaraa,
uidaruu,
I was sent to chop wood,
raidaraa,
to hack the roots of an ash,
to crush the stump of an oak.
By chance I found,
but a copse of hazel trees,
a second copse of buckthorn trees,
a third copse of honeysuckle trees,
a fourth was a copse of young maidens,
red-cheeked young girls.
They were wearing coloured sashes on their waists,
their stockings were patterned like an ash tree.
I did not have the courage to approach them,
I did not have the heart to catch one in my lap.
RKM, Mgn. II 518 a < Pärnu raj., Tori kn., Ore k. (Tori khk.) – H. Tampere Kirjandusmuuseumi ekspeditsioonil 1961. a. < Liisa Kümmel, 73-a.
[LP V b 6; CD2-11].
