The Mosquito Flew Through the Forest lyrics and meaning
Skrido uodas per girią,
Atsimušė į eglę.
Aa apapa atsimušė į eglę.
Atsimušė į eglę,
Išsimušė tris dantis.
Aa apapa išsimušė tris dantis.
Oi uodeli, uodeli,
Ar sergi tu negali?
Aa apapa ar sergi tu negali?
Ar tau reikia daktaro,
Ar kunigo, klebono?
Aa apapa ar kunigo klebono?
Nei man reikia daktoro,
Nei kunigo, klebono.
Aa apapa nei kunigo, klebono.
Man tikreikia arielkos,
Nors ir puse butelkos.
Aa apapa, nors ir puse butelkos.
Kad arielkos nedavė,
Tai uodelis pamirė.
Aa apapa, tai uodelis pamirė
Kai uodelį graban dėj,
Visos vapsvos zyzt pradėj.
Aa apapa visos vapsvos zyzt pradėj.
Kai uodelį laidojo,
Visos musės raudojo.
Aa apapa visos musės raudojo.
The Mosquito Flew Through the Forest: song interpretation
This song with the refrain "aa apapa" can be understood as a humorous joke song about a mosquito. At the beginning the mosquito flies through the forest, strikes a spruce, and knocks out three teeth. The image can be interpreted as comic exaggeration, jokingly giving a mosquito teeth.
The mosquito is then asked whether it is ill and needs a doctor or a priest, but it answers that it needs neither doctor nor priest, only vodka, even half a bottle. This can be understood as a comic parody of a drunkard.
At the end, when no vodka is given, the mosquito dies, and at its burial all the wasps buzz and the flies weep. These images can be read as a parody of funeral custom, with insects playing the mourners. That is one possible reading, but the playful joke-song character is clear.
The Mosquito Flew Through the Forest: symbols and phrases
- Mosquito striking a spruce
- The mosquito that crashes into a spruce and knocks out teeth is comic exaggeration.
- Vodka as medicine
- The mosquito asks for vodka instead of a doctor, creating a parody of drunkenness.
- Mosquito funeral
- The mosquito being put in a coffin and buried parodies human funeral custom.
- Buzzing wasps and weeping flies
- Insects acting as mourners create a comic funeral scene.
The Mosquito Flew Through the Forest: song history
"The Mosquito Flew Through the Forest" belongs to humorous joke songs about insects, in which the tiny world of mosquito, wasps, and flies is portrayed like a human community. The comedy comes from exaggeration, as the mosquito strikes a spruce and knocks out "three teeth," and from parodying human customs: the mosquito is offered a doctor or parish priest, while it wants only vodka, "even half a bottle." The refrain "aa apapa" repeats the final line in each stanza and sustains a comic, dance-like rhythm.
The exact place and time of recording are not given on this page, so the song is presented by genre traits. Songs about insect weddings, illnesses, and funerals exist in many variants across Lithuania; they were sung both for amusement and as repertoire for entertaining children and young people.
sources
- Lietuvių liaudies dainynas, vols. 1-23, Vilnius 1980-2011 (LLTI)
- Catalogue of Lithuanian Folk Songs, 6 vols., Vilnius 1972-1986
The Mosquito Flew Through the Forest: sources
The Mosquito Flew Through the Forest: frequently asked questions
What kind of song is this?
It is a humorous joke song in which the insect world is imagined as a human community with doctors, priests, and funerals.
What does the refrain "aa apapa" mean?
It is a non-semantic refrain that repeats the last line of each stanza and keeps the song's comic, dance-like rhythm.
Why does the mosquito ask for vodka instead of a doctor?
It is a comic parody of a drunkard: instead of doctor or priest, the mosquito only wants vodka, even half a bottle.
What do the buzzing wasps and weeping flies mean?
After the mosquito dies for lack of vodka, the insects become mourners at its funeral, parodying funeral custom.