The Little Peahen in the Manor Yard lyrics and meaning

Bėginėjo povelė po dvarą,
Jos kojelės šilkeliais pančiotos.

Jos kojelės šilkeliais pančiotos,
Jos galvelė aukseliu aplieta.

Jos galvelė aukseliu aplieta,
Jos peteliai perlaliais barstyti.

Oi, kad aš tų povelį pagautau,
Nuo kojelių šilkelius nurištau.

Nuo kojelių šilkelius nurištau,
Ir mergelei kaselį supintau.

Oi kad aš tų povelį pagautau,
Nuo galvelės aukselį nuluptau.

Nuo galvelės aukselį nuluptau,
Ir mergelei žiedelį nukaltau.

Oi kad aš tų povelį pagautau,
Nuog petelių perlalius nurinktau.

Nuo petelių perlalius nurinktau,
Ir mergelei galvelį barstytau.

The Little Peahen in the Manor Yard: song interpretation

This song can be understood as a love song in which a wondrous little peahen becomes a source of ornaments for the beloved. At the beginning the peahen runs about the manor yard, her little feet bound with silks, her head covered in gold, her shoulders strewn with pearls. Such a richly adorned, almost fairy-tale bird immediately creates an impression of beauty and abundance.

The narrator dreams of catching that peahen. From her feet he would untie the silks and braid the young woman's hair; from her head he would remove the gold and forge a little ring; from her shoulders he would gather the pearls and scatter them on the young woman's head. These actions can be interpreted as a desire to adorn and gift the beloved.

The whole song is built as a repeated dream, where every ornament of the peahen turns into a gift for the girl. It can be understood as an expression of the young man's love and generosity, while the peahen becomes an image of unattainable wealth and beauty. That is one possible meaning, but the motif of love and adornment is clear.

The Little Peahen in the Manor Yard: symbols and phrases

Povelė
A bird adorned with silk, gold, and pearls, resembling a peahen or peacock. She is an image of fairy-tale wealth and beauty.
Silk, gold, pearls
The precious ornaments of the peahen, which the narrator longs to take. They become gifts for the beloved.
Braid and little ring
The girl's braid is made from the peahen's silk and the ring is forged from gold. They are signs of love and gifting.

The Little Peahen in the Manor Yard: song history

"The Little Peahen in the Manor Yard" belongs to love songs in which adorning the beloved and giving gifts express a young man's feelings. The song itself is shaped as a repeated dream: its axis is the recurring stanza "Oh, if I could catch that peahen," after which each time the singer names what he would take from the wondrous peahen and how he would adorn the young woman. This chain-like structure, gradually adding image after image, is characteristic of lyrical love and courtship songs.

The exact place and time of recording are not stated on this page, so the song is presented according to its genre features. The central image of the peahen - little feet bound with silk, head covered with gold, shoulders strewn with pearls - creates a fairy-tale impression of abundance and beauty, while the three ornaments (silk, gold, pearls) become three gifts (a braid, a ring, and an adorned head); this symmetrical correspondence is the foundation of the song's structure.

sources

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

The Little Peahen in the Manor Yard: sources