Oak and Linden lyrics and meaning
Ųžuolas su liepeli /x2
Abudu žali gražūs
Abudu žali gražūs /x2
Šali kelalio stovi
Šali kelalio stovi /x2
Šakelėm susremi
Šakelėm susremi /x2
Lapeliais susklosti
Bernelis su mergeli /x2
Abudu jauni gražūs
Abudu jauni gražūs /x2
Vidur dvarelio stovi
Vidur dvarelio stovi /x2
Peteliais susirėmi
Peteliais susirėmi /x2
Rankelėm sisiėmi
Oak and Linden: song interpretation
This song can be understood as a parallel love song comparing trees and young people. At the beginning, the oak and the linden, both green and beautiful, stand by the road, leaning together with branches and overlapping with leaves. This image can be interpreted as the closeness of two trees.
The same structure is then transferred to the young people: the young man and the young woman, both young and beautiful, stand in the middle of the manor, lean together by the shoulders, and take each other's hands. These images can be understood as the closeness of lovers.
The oak and linden may be interpreted as parallel to the young man and young woman, since in folk songs the oak is often associated with the man and the linden with the woman. This is one possible meaning, but the parallel between trees and young people is clear in the song.
Oak and Linden: symbols and phrases
- Oak and linden
- Two trees standing close together. They are parallel to the young man and young woman.
- Branches leaning, leaves overlapping
- The joined crowns of the trees. They signify closeness and unity.
- Young man and young woman
- The young couple standing in the middle of the manor. They parallel the close-growing trees.
- Shoulders leaning, hands joined
- The lovers leaning together and taking hands. They signify love and unity.
Oak and Linden: song history
"Oak and Linden" belongs to love songs in which the relationship of the young couple is expressed through a nature parallel. The whole song is made of two parallel parts: first, the oak and linden standing beside the road, leaning together with branches and overlaying each other with leaves; then the same formula of closeness is transferred to the young man and young woman, who stand in the middle of the manor, lean shoulder to shoulder, and take each other's hands. This comparison of trees and people, psychological parallelism, is one of the most characteristic features of Lithuanian lyric love songs.
The exact place and time of recording are not given on this page, so the song is presented by genre traits. The oak is traditionally associated with masculinity, and the linden with femininity, so the tree pair becomes a transparent metaphor for the love of the young couple. Similar tree-pair songs are known in various Lithuanian regions.
sources
- Lietuvių liaudies dainynas, vols. 1-23, Vilnius 1980-2011 (LLTI)
- Catalogue of Lithuanian Folk Songs, 6 vols., Vilnius 1972-1986
Oak and Linden: sources
Oak and Linden: frequently asked questions
What kind of song is this?
It is a lyric love song in which the closeness of the young couple is expressed through a pair of trees, oak and linden.
Why does the song begin with oak and linden?
This is psychological parallelism: the nature image of two trees leaning together prepares and explains the human image of a close couple.
What do oak and linden symbolize?
In Lithuanian songs, the oak is often associated with the man and the linden with the woman, so the tree pair stands for the young man and young woman.
What does "branches leaning, leaves overlapping" mean?
It describes the tree crowns touching, a sign of closeness and unity parallel to the young couple leaning by the shoulders and joining hands.