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The Bright Sun Was Rising lyrics and meaning

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Šviesi Sauliutė tekėjo, Broliai žirgelį balnojo, Kelkis, sesela, žalia rūtela, Uždek šviesių ugnełį. /2×2 Aš nusiprausiu burnełį, Susišukuosiu galvełį, Atsisveikysiu tėvą, močiutį --- Jau daugiau nesmatysim. /2×2 Aš, per dvarelį jodamas, Žirgelį muštravodamas, Voi, ir pamatiau jaunų mergełį Svirnelyj pas skrynelas. /2×2 Voi, kam tu dangstai skrynelas, Voi, kam tu rėžai drobelas? Aš nenešiosiu ta marškinėlių --- Žaunierėliu pastosiu. /2×2 Duos man karalius žirgelį Ir prieg žirgelio balnelį, Rėdys mus visus vienais parėdais Kai vienos motinėłės. /2×2 Sugrius kalneliai klonėsna, Paplūks berneliai kraujuosna, O mes stovėsim, nesudrebėsim, Ir visus pergalėsim. /2×2

Second version

O kai Saulutė tekėjo Broliai žirgelį balnojo Kelkis, sesele, žalia rūtele, Užkurk šviesių ugnel. Aš atsikėliau rytelį Ir nusiprausiau veidelį Atsisveikinau tėvų motulį Gal daugiau nebsmatys. Aš vieškelėliu jodamas Žirgelį muštravodamas O ir pamačiau jaunų mergelį Svirnely pas skrynel O kam tu varstai skrynialas, O kam tu pjaustai drobelas Aš nenešiosiu tav marškinėlių Kareivėliu būdams Duos mums karalius žirgelius O ant žirgelių balnelius Rėdys mus visus vienais parėdais Kaip vienos motinėl Sugrius kalneliai kloniuosna Pasruvs upeliai kraujuosna O mes stovėsim ir nedrebėsim Kol priešų nugalėsim

Meaning

This song can be understood as a recruit's or soldier's song. At the beginning the bright little sun rises, the brothers saddle the horse, wake the sister, the green rue, and ask her to light a bright fire. These images can be interpreted as preparation on the morning of departure.

Then the young man washes, combs his hair, and says farewell to father and mother, saying that they may not see one another again. Riding through the manor yard, he sees a young woman in the storehouse by the chests. He says he will not wear the shirts made from her linen, because he will become a soldier. These images can be understood as farewell and a broken hope of marriage.

At the end it is said that the king will give a horse and saddle, dress them all in the same clothing as if they were of one mother, and though hills fall into valleys and young men flood with blood, they will stand without trembling and defeat all. These images can be interpreted as soldierly brotherhood and resolve to fight. That is one possible meaning, but the recruit's farewell and martial resolve are clear.

Symbols

Brothers saddling the horse
The brothers preparing for departure. They mark the recruit's riding away.
"We may not see each other again"
The farewell to the parents. It marks a possible final separation.
Girl cutting linen
The girl cutting cloth for shirts. She marks the broken hope of marriage after the young man becomes a soldier.
King's identical uniforms
All dressed alike, as sons of one mother. They mark soldierly brotherhood and readiness to fight.

History

"The Bright Sun Was Rising" belongs to military-historical recruit songs: in them the young man is woken early, the brothers saddle the horse, he says farewell to his parents with the words "we may not see each other again," and declares that he is becoming a žalnierius, a soldier. Such a departure-morning scene, farewell, and broken marriage hope with the young woman cutting linen in the storehouse are typical motifs of recruit songs.

The exact place and time of recording are not stated on this page, so the song is presented according to genre features. The final images - hills collapsing into valleys, young men flooding with blood, yet the soldiers standing without trembling - express soldierly brotherhood and battle resolve; the base page also gives a second variant with small differences in wording, showing the song's circulation.

Sources