Support the Lietuva.love project

The Forest Bear Boasted lyrics and meaning

On this page
Kvolijosi šilo meška, Ū ta ta ta, ū ta ta ta. Aš įkopsiu aukštan drevėn, Ū ta ta ta, ū ta ta ta. Be lėselių, be šakelių, Ū ta ta ta, ū ta ta ta. Be tų trecių kopinėlių. Ū ta ta ta, ū ta ta ta. Nesikvolyk, šilo meška, Ū ta ta ta, ū ta ta ta. Neįkopsi aukštan dreven, Ū ta ta ta, ū ta ta ta. Be lėselių, be šakelių, Ū ta ta ta, ū ta ta ta. Be tų trecuų kopinėlių. Ū ta ta ta, ū ta ta ta. Kvolijosi mergužėla, Ū ta ta ta, ū ta ta ta. Aš išausiu plonas drobes, Ū ta ta ta, ū ta ta ta. Be nytelių, be skytelių, Ū ta ta ta, ū ta ta ta. Be šios tracios šaudyklėlės. Ū ta ta ta, ū ta ta ta. Nesikvolyk, mergužėla, Ū ta ta ta, ū ta ta ta. Neišausi plonas drobes, Ū ta ta ta, ū ta ta ta. Be nytelių, be skytelių, Ū ta ta ta, ū ta ta ta. Be šios tracios šaudyklėlės. Ū ta ta ta, ū ta ta ta.

Second version

Kvolinosi šilo meška, ū ta ta ta, ū ta ta ta. Aš inkopsiu aukšton drevėn Be liesvelių, be šakelių Be šių tracių kopynėlių Nesikvolyk, šilo meška Neinkopsi aukšton drevėn Be liesvelių, be šakelių Be šių tracių kopynėlių Kvolinosi mergužėlė Aš išausiu tankias drobes Be nytelių, be skietelių Be šios tracios šaudyklėlės Nesikvolyk, mergužėle Neišausi tankių drobių Be nytelių, be skietelių Be šios tracios šaudyklėlės

Meaning

This song with the refrain "U ta ta ta" can be understood as a parallel teaching song about empty boasting. At first, the forest bear boasts that it will climb into a high tree hollow without footholds, branches, or climbing equipment. This boasting can be interpreted as pride without real means.

The bear is answered that it will not climb into the high hollow without those same tools. Then, in parallel, the young woman boasts that she will weave fine linen without heddles, a reed, or a shuttle, and she too is told that without them she will not weave.

The two parts are built in parallel, so the bear's boasting and the girl's boasting mirror each other. The comparison can be read as the idea that nothing can be achieved without proper means, and that empty boasting is fruitless. That is one possible meaning, but the didactic, mockery-of-boasting character is clear.

Symbols

Boasting forest bear
The bear boasting that it will climb into the hollow signifies empty bragging.
Tree hollow and climbing gear
The high hollow and the tools needed to climb it point to beekeeping equipment without which the task cannot be done.
Boasting young weaver
The girl claiming she will weave fine linen is the parallel counterpart to the bear's boasting.
Heddles, reed, shuttle
The weaving tools without which linen cannot be woven. They signify the necessary means for work.

History

"The Forest Bear Boasted" belongs to humorous didactic songs built on parallel structure: first the forest bear boasts that it will climb into a high tree hollow without climbing tools; then, in a matching part, a young woman boasts that she will weave linen without weaving tools. The repeated refrain "U ta ta ta" and the mirroring of the two parts are typical features of this playful, mocking genre.

The exact recording place and time are not given on the page, so the song is presented through genre features. The added second version, with variant words for the footholds and the woven linen, shows that this parallel formula of boasting circulated in several dialectal forms.

Sources