Little Sister, Ciutela lyrics and meaning

Sesula mažoji,
Ciutela,

Gražus tavo vainikas,
Ciutela,

Ar tu jį pati pynei,
Ciutela,

Ar panelį vadzinai,
Ciutela,

Nei aš pati pyniau,
Ciutela,

Nei panelas vadinau,
Ciutela,

Mane mama ugena,
Ciutela,

Vainikelį gabena,
Ciutela,

Mani jaunų už stala,
Ciutela,

Vainikelį in galvas,
Ciutela,

Dai, aš jauna ratuosun,
Ciutela,

Vainikelį keliuosun,
Ciutela,

Dai aš jauna bažnyčian,
Ciutela,

Vainikelį in galvas,
Ciutela.

Little Sister, Ciutela: song interpretation

This song with the refrain "ciutela" can be understood as a wedding song about the bride's wreath. At the beginning the pretty little sister is asked whether she wove the wreath herself or called the young women. The wreath can be interpreted as a sign of maidenhood and the bride.

The girl answers that she neither wove it herself nor called the young women; her mother raised her and provided the wreath. This answer can be understood as the mother's role in preparing the daughter for marriage.

At the end the song lists how, young, she sits at the table with the wreath on her head, rides in the carriage, and goes to church with the wreath. These images can be interpreted as the progress of the wedding rite, in which the wreath accompanies the bride. That is one possible meaning, but the wedding-wreath motif is clear.

Little Sister, Ciutela: symbols and phrases

Wreath
The beautiful bridal wreath. It marks maidenhood and the bride's status.
"Mother raised me and brought the wreath"
The mother raises the daughter and provides the wreath. It marks the mother's role in preparing for marriage.
Wreath on the head at the table
The bride sitting at the table with the wreath. It marks the wedding rite.
Ride in the carriage and going to church
The bride travels and goes to church with the wreath. It marks the course of the wedding.

Little Sister, Ciutela: song history

"Little Sister, Ciutela" belongs to wedding songs about the bride's wreath. The song is composed as a question-and-answer dialogue accompanied by the refrain "Ciutela": the sister is asked whether she wove the beautiful wreath herself or called other young women, and she answers that she neither wove nor called anyone - her mother raised her and provided the wreath.

The exact place and time of recording are not stated on this page, so the song is presented according to genre features, above all the motif of the wreath as a sign of maidenhood and the bride. The final sequence - the young woman at the table with the wreath, the wreath in the carriage, and the wreath on her head as she goes to church - repeats the course of the wedding rite, so the wreath becomes the bride's symbol throughout the action.

sources

  • Lietuvių liaudies dainynas, t. 1-23, Vilnius 1980-2011 (LLTI)
  • A. Juška. Lietuviškos svotbinės dainos, 2 t., Vilnius 1955
  • Lietuvių liaudies dainų katalogas, 6 t., Vilnius 1972-1986

Little Sister, Ciutela: sources