Hurrah, My Scythe lyrics and meaning

Valio, mano dalgelis,
Valio, valio.
Nepapūtęs dalgelio,
Nepjausi šienelio.

Valio, mano dalgelis,
Valio, valio.
Dalgelį traukiau,
Pusrytėlio laukiau.

Valio, mano dalgelis,
Valio, valio.
Ateina mergelė
Per pradalgėlį.

Valio, mano dalgelis,
Valio, valio.
Nepadurk kojelių
Per tarppirštėlį.

Valio, mano dalgelis,
Valio, valio.
Varlinėjo gervelė
Po žalią lankelę.

Valio, mano dalgelis,
Valio, valio.
Taip mes, jauni berneliai,
Pjaunam žalią šienelį.

Hurrah, My Scythe: song interpretation

This song with the refrain "valio, valio" can be understood as a haymakers' work song. At the beginning it says that without beating or sharpening the scythe, one will not cut the hay. This image can be interpreted as work wisdom about preparation.

Then the scythe is drawn, breakfast is awaited, and a girl comes across the swath; she is told not to prick her little feet between the toes. These images can be understood as the everyday world of haymaking with a light love shading.

At the end it is said that this is how young men cut the green hay. This image can be interpreted as the rhythm and pleasure of men's field labor. That is one possible meaning, but the haymaking work mood is clear.

Hurrah, My Scythe: symbols and phrases

Scythe
The haymaker's scythe, which must be beaten and sharpened. It marks the mower's tool.
"Without beating it, you will not cut"
The uselessness of an unprepared scythe. It marks work wisdom about preparation.
Swath and hay
The cut swaths and hay. They mark haymaking labor.
Girl crossing the swath
The girl walking across the mowers' strip. She gives the work a light love shading.

Hurrah, My Scythe: song history

"Hurrah, My Scythe" belongs to work songs, specifically haymaking songs that accompanied men's field labor. The song is arranged in strophes separated by the repeated refrain "valio, valio," while the content follows the course of mowing: from the opening statement that an unbeaten scythe will not cut hay, to drawing the scythe, the swath, and waiting for breakfast.

The exact place and time of recording are not stated on this page, so the song is presented according to genre features. The repeated call "valio" sustains the work rhythm, while the girl crossing the swath and the crane in the meadow give haymaking everyday life a light, playful color. The ending sums up the work: "this is how we, young men, cut the green hay."

sources

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

Hurrah, My Scythe: sources