traditional ritual carol · Bela Krajina · St George carolling · recorded by Ivan Šašelj
Green George — Traditional St George Carol: complete text
A complete public-domain Bela Krajina St George carol from an early record by Ivan Šašelj, with a complete THY-REALITY English translation.
This is one of several documented variants of the Green George carol from Bela Krajina. The Slovene text follows an early record by Ivan Šašelj in Bisernice iz belokranjskega narodnega zaklada I; dialect and historical forms are retained. The translation prioritizes meaning over rhyme.
Rights: the traditional song and Šašelj’s record are in the public domain. Source: Slovene Wikisource — Bisernice iz belokranjskega narodnega zaklada I. English translation prepared by THY-REALITY.
Slovene original
English translation
Prošel je prošel, pisani vuzem,
Passed has, passed has colourful Easter,
Došel je došel, zeleni Juraj
Arrived has, arrived has Green George,
Na zelenem konju,
On a green horse,
Po zelenem polju.
Across a green field.
Dónesel je, dónesel
He has brought, he has brought
Pedenj dugo travico,
Grass a span long,
Lakat dugo mladico.
A young shoot a cubit long.
Dajte mu, dajte!
Give to him, give!
Jurja darovajte!
Give gifts to George!
Dajte mu pogače,
Give him pogača,
Da mu noge poskače!
So his legs may leap!
Dajte mu vina,
Give him wine,
Da mu ne bo zima!
So he will not be cold!
Dajte mu pleče,
Give him a shoulder of meat,
Da vam kaj ne reče!
So he will say nothing against you!
Dajte mu rži,
Give him rye,
Da se doma sprži!
So it may be roasted at home!
Dajte mu jajec,
Give him eggs,
Da ga ne bo zajec!
So the hare will not get him!
Dajte mu hajde,
Give him buckwheat,
Kaj se doma najde!
Whatever may be found at home!
Dajte mu žita,
Give him grain,
Da se doma pita!
So he may be fed at home!
Dajte mu groš,
Give him a groschen,
Da vam dojde još!
So he may come to you again!
Dreta mi je u Ljubljani,
My shoemaker’s thread is in Ljubljana,
Šilo mi je u Metliki.
My awl is in Metlika.
Dotle mi to zberemo,
By the time we gather all of this,
Cokle si razderemo.
We will wear through our clogs.