Fly, Falcon, Over the Lagoons lyrics and meaning

Lėk sakale per marias
Gerk šaltų vandenėly /x2

Ir gerdamas klausykie
Kur gegiulė kukuoja /x2

Kur gegiulė kukuoja
Ty mergelė verkauja /x2

Po svirną vaikščiodama
Patalėly klodama /x2

Patalėly klodama
Bernely viliodama /x2

Gulk berne patalėlin
Kaip auksas sidabrėlina /x2

Aš jauna prie šalalai
Kaip rūta prie galvelai /x2

Paprašysim gaidelių
Kad anksti negiedotų /x2

Kad anksti negiedotų
Mus jaunus pamigdytų /x2

Mus jaunus pamigdytų
Naktely pailgytų /x2

Gaideliai negiedojo
Mus jaunus pamigdino
Naktely pailgino

Fly, Falcon, Over the Lagoons: song interpretation

This song can be understood as a love and night song. At the beginning, the falcon is urged to fly across the waters, drink cold water, and listen for where the cuckoo calls. This command can be interpreted as a path toward the weeping maiden, because where the cuckoo calls, the maiden weeps.

The maiden walks through the granary, makes the bed, and entices the young man. The young man is laid in the bed like gold on silver, while the maiden stays at his side like rue near the head. These images can be understood as the gentle coming together of the young pair.

At the end, the roosters are asked not to crow early, so they will lull the young ones to sleep and lengthen the night, and the roosters obey. This image can be read as lovers' wish for the night to last longer. That is one possible meaning, but the motif of love and the prolonged night is clear.

Fly, Falcon, Over the Lagoons: symbols and phrases

Falcon over the waters
The falcon urged to fly across the waters. It marks a messenger or young man being led toward the maiden.
Calling cuckoo
The cuckoo whose call shows where the maiden weeps. It works as a guide.
Making the bed
The maiden making the bed and enticing the young man. It marks the young pair's closeness.
Roosters not crowing
The roosters asked not to crow early, lengthening the night. They mark the lovers' wish for more time.

Fly, Falcon, Over the Lagoons: song history

"Fly, Falcon, Over the Lagoons" belongs to love songs in which meeting is expressed through bird and night imagery: the falcon is urged to fly over the waters, the calling cuckoo shows where the maiden weeps, and the making of the bed and enticing of the young man convey the young people's closeness. Falcon, cuckoo, rue, and the request that roosters not crow early are typical formulas of lyrical love songs.

The exact place and date of recording are not given on this page, so the song is presented through its genre features. The ending motif, where the roosters listen and make the night longer, intensifies the song's intimacy and the lovers' desire for the night to continue.

sources

  • Lietuvių liaudies dainynas, vols. 1-23, Vilnius 1980-2011 (LLTI)
  • Lietuvių liaudies dainų katalogas, 6 vols., Vilnius 1972-1986

Fly, Falcon, Over the Lagoons: sources