WINTER SONG TO A YOUNG MAN

Our Mykola** is fine and proud.
All in gold. Master’s all in gold
and so are all his people all in gold.*
So you should ask your father.
Your father and your mother.
Then gather fine young friends
And go up the mountain and find a girl.
Up the mountain to find a girl, a princess.
Build bridges but only those made of berry trees.
Saddle up horses but only raven black ones.
Outfit them with saddles of the softest leather
Bridles of strongest leather
And stirrups made of gold.
His horse has a golden mane.
A golden mane that covers the ground.
A golden mane and silver hooves.
He prances about Kryvorivnia on his horse.
As he rides the bridges thunder
Bridges thunder, the forests murmur.
He is offered a goblet of gold.
He doesn’t even look, he isn’t pleased.
He prances about Kryvorivnia on his horse.
He is offered a bowl of silver
A bowl of silver coins in a silver bowl.
He doesn’t even look, he isn’t pleased.
He doesn’t even get off the horse, he doesn’t bow.
He prances about Kryvorivnia on his horse.
He is offered a fine young lady
Fine young lady, a beautiful girl.
He looks at her, and he bows to her.
He gets down from his horse and bows.
Oh, he bows to Our Lord
To Our Lord, and to his father
To his father, and to his mother.
And when he marries the girl, he becomes master of the house.
May God grant you fine herbs in the garden
Fine herbs in the garden, and a fine wedding in your home.

12/20/05