Recordings from the Estonian Folklore Archives 3

Slaves Toiling at Night

Liisu Orik Tõstamaa (1964)

Oh me vaesed öösed orjad,
kas´ke,
öösed orjad, päesed pärjad,
kinnikiilutud sulased,
raudapandud palgalised,
peame teisi teenimä ja
endi vara vaevama ja!

Teeni saksa sada aastat –
saksal sel´gäs siidikuube,
vaesellapsel vanad riided,
orjukesel omad riided,
pajupuust oo pastlad jalgas,
kuusekoorest kuued selgas.

We are poor slaves in the night,
[chorus,]
slaves in the night, maidens in the day,
locked up farm hands,
workers in iron fetters,
we have to serve others and
toil for our own goods!

Serve the lord for a hundred years –
the lord wears silken robes,
the orphan [wears] old clothes,
the poor slave [wears] his own clothes,
willow bark slippers on his feet,
fir bark coats on his back.

RKM, Mgn. II 988 a < Pärnu raj., Tõstamaa kn., Alu k. (Tõstamaa khk.) – H. ja E. Tampere Kirjandusmuuseumi ekspeditsioonil 1964. a. < Liisu Orik, 91-a.
[LP V c 4; CD2-15].