Fly, Little Falcon lyrics and meaning
Lėkįs lėkįs sakalėlis,
Da laduma ladum, sakalėlis.
Per tris laukus, keturis,
Da laduma ladum, keturis.
O ir užpuolė naktelė,
Da laduma ladum, naktełė.
Nėr kur nakvocie sakalėliu,
Da laduma ladum, sakalėliu.
Nakvok nakvok, sakalėli,
Da laduma ladum, sakalėli.
Kraštelin marių, pas antelį,
Da laduma ladum, antelį.
Oi nežnau nežnau, ar priimsia,
Da laduma ladum, priimsia.
Aš su juo jaunas neplūkavau,
Da laduma ladum, neplūkavau.
Aš jai plunksnelių nerankiojau.
Da laduma ladum, nerankiojau.
Jojis jojis bernelis,
Aleliuma rūtela, bernelis.
Per tris miestus, keturis,
Aleliuma rūtela, keturis.
O ir užpuolė naktelė,
Aleliuma rūtela, naktelė
Nėr kur nakvoti berneliui,
Aleliuma rūtela, berneliui.
Nakvok, nakvok, berneli,
Aleliuma rūtela, berneli.
Tėvo dvare pas mergelį,
Aleliuma rūtela, pas megelį.
Oi nežinau, nežinau, ar priimsia,
Aleliuma rūtela, ar priimsia.
Aš su juo jaunas neuliavau,
Aleliuma rūtela, neuliavau.
Aš jai suknelių nepirkau,
Aleliuma rūtela, nepirkau.
Aš jai žiedelių nemaustiau,
Aleliuma rūtela, nemaustiau.
Meaning
This song with two refrains can be understood as a parallel courtship song about a hesitant arrival at the beloved's place. At the beginning the little falcon flies over three or four fields, night overtakes it, and there is nowhere to spend the night. It is told to sleep by the sea with the duck. This image can be interpreted as a young man's path toward a young woman.
The falcon doubts whether the duck will receive it, because it has not swum with her or gathered little feathers for her. This doubt can be understood as shyness caused by a lack of previous closeness.
In the second part the young man rides through three or four towns, night overtakes him, and he is told to spend the night in the father's manor with the young woman. He too doubts whether she will receive him, because he has not spent festive time with her, bought dresses for her, or placed rings on her fingers. This hesitation can be interpreted as an honest admission that courtship has not yet taken place. This is one possible meaning, but the parallel motif of hesitant arrival is clear.
Symbols
- Little falcon and duck
- The falcon crossing fields and the duck by the sea stand for the young man and young woman in bird form.
- Night overtaking the traveler
- Night creates the need to seek lodging. It marks the need to be received.
- "Will she receive me"
- The repeated doubt marks shyness and uncertainty before the beloved.
- No visiting, dresses, or rings
- The lack of earlier companionship and gifts honestly admits that courtship has not yet been fulfilled.
History
"Fly, Little Falcon" belongs to love and courtship songs made on the principle of parallel structure: in the first part a little falcon flies across fields and wonders whether a duck will receive it; in the second, a young man rides through towns and wonders whether a maiden will receive him. The two shifting refrains, "Da laduma ladum" and "Aleliuma rūtela," together with the parallel planning of birds and humans, are typical of youth and courtship songs.
The exact place and time of recording are not given on this page, so the song is presented through genre features. The repeated doubt, "will she receive me," and the honest admission that there has been no earlier courting or gift-giving convey a shy arrival before the beloved.
Sources
- Lithuanian Folk Songbook, vols. 1-23, Vilnius 1980-2011 (LLTI)
- Catalogue of Lithuanian Folk Songs, 6 vols., Vilnius 1972-1986
- Universal Lithuanian Encyclopedia: Lithuanian folk songs
- LLTI: Lithuanian Folk Songbook
Common questions
Fly, Little Falcon: what kind of song is this?
It is a love and courtship song about a hesitant arrival at the beloved's place, built from two parallel parts.
Why does the song have two refrains?
The falcon part is accompanied by "Da laduma ladum," while the young man's part uses "Aleliuma rūtela," separating and pairing the two halves.
What do the falcon and duck symbolize?
They represent the young man and young woman in bird form; the falcon's journey to the duck mirrors the young man's ride to the maiden.
What does the repeated doubt mean?
It conveys shyness and uncertainty because there has been no previous courting or gift-giving.