DANCE-SONGS OF THE PEOPLE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2685, 30 August 1905, Page 77

DANCE-SONGS OF THE PEOPLE.

(From the Danish of Ingernann.), AT THE MAREIAGE FEAST. I, —The Father's Danes with the Bride.— (The last three lines sung as chorus.) Prom church _the bridal party came in pleasure : In danoe the bride with father treads the measure. Sweat tones to thoughts are merging In her kind heart and meek, Joy to her glance is surging, And rose-glow to her cheek. Lovely bride! dance well your path of glory i Mother sees, vihile sisters sing their story, Lovely bride! A babe, on mother's arm you danced serenely; You dance with father, quiet now and queeniy. He on his daughter gazes, His little girl seems gone; Yet in her eyes' soft hazes His little girl lives on. — Father dear ! I'm still the sarn-e in yearning! .Bright her eyes are glancing and cheeks burning, Father dear! Full merrily the bridesmaids' song is ringing; See! mother's heart is melted by the singing: First father looks on daughter, He looks on mother then; — Time to the past has caught her And she's a bride again! Mother dear! my heart is still unaltered! Apple never far from its stem faltered — ■ Mother dear! His soul's pure light in father's eye is "beaming; It tells the tale that his warm heart is dreaming: The old years went with gladness, "With joy may new years come; He sacs her free from sadness In her heart's newer home. Daughter dear! — his heart ceased! singing novel', — lour bridegroom follow, but love us for ever, Daughter dear! In dance entrancing fiddles play unheeding; The father to the groom his bride is leading; Wit/i love he looks upon her, And in his eyes a. prayer: Dear daughter, do us honour! Son, 'reafc our child with care! Hand in hand are loved and loving greeting; — Truest trust shall bind in troth the meeting, Hand in hand! (Note. — "Apple never far from its stem faJt-ered'' : the English equivalent is "A chip of the old block."* 11. •—The Bridegroom's Dance with trie Bride. — (Stuig by Swaius and Maid-ens ; refrain and last verse as chorus.) Swains : A youth in greenwood wandered, a bird sat on a tree; The thought he bore in secret the bird sang openly. What the bird sang, What the bird sang, tliafnappened. Maidens : Tn shadows moved a maiden; the bird sang on the bough, "He comes for whom ycu tarry, I know, I know it now." What the bird sang, "What the bird sang, that happened. Swains : The youta beheld the songster: "What was the song you sang? For never yet the twittering of birds so sweetly rang." What the bird sang, What the bird sang, that happened. Maidens : The maiden saw the songster: "What was the twitsring clear? . I tarry here for no one — should someone c'en appear." What the bird sang, "Wh-at^the bird sang, that happened. Swains : A bird sang on the housetop. It sang full lustily, "A wedding feast most joyous in this house Soon shall be." What the bird sang, What the bird sang, that happened. „ Maidens : The maiden asked the songster, "How knew you this so well?" "I dreamed of it while sleeping in yonder shady dell." What the bird dreamt, What the bird dreamt, that happened. Swo ins : The youth too asked the songster, "How lmew you this should be-?" "I saw *it and I heard it, when dreaming passed from me." What the bird saw, What the bird saw, that happened. Maidens : What lias the Tjird been dreaming ?— No whisper will I tell; But never yet a sweeter was dreamt in grecawood dell. What the bird dreamt, What the bird dreamt, that happen*! Swains : What wa-s't- you saw and heard, then ? — The bird, joy-gladdened, flew; Had heaven's angels seen itj they had been gladdened too. What the bird saw, What the bird saw, that happened. Chorus : The Mrcl flew from the housetop to pleasant world and wide; In happiness here dances a. bridegroom with liis bride. What the bird sang, What the bird sang, that happened* iir. —The Maidens' Dance Trith. the Bride.— {Sung by the Maidens ; refrain by the Men and ihe Swains.) lfcere flutters a do\ r e from maidens small* Whom gladly our hands have tended ; Che hearkened to fairy tales ratliest of all, Ihe s.ongs we have taught her are ended Gaily gather the girls "n dance 1 JVSHiy flutters our dove like Autumn's stcrk? To foreign far lands i 3 she flying? She follows the drum and the fairy talk Of the Elfin King undying. Gaily gather the girls in dance! Our dove dared rove to the Elfin-lull, Heard wings in half fear, half rapture J" By a youth, disguised as a falcon ill, fehe was caught, — 'twas his dearest capture! Grfily gather ihe girls ia dancej,

By mpgic our dove is a bride become, While the fiddles arc nlaying sbe driees; The land wLers in dream she loved to roam She has found, with its love-woven glances. Gaily gather the girls in dance! Gladly our dove seeks the home of her =waiu, — Her mate to a prince she changes! Yet love for har sisters will also remain; True joy never sunders, estranges. Gaily gather the girls in dancel From father and mother the bride must go, As a bird to its nest new-build«d : With these we love best, least tic o we know ; — By the hearts of true friends she is shielded. Gai'y gather Ihe girls in dance! We are dancing you cut of your girlhood's pride, Who shared in our youthful up-bringing; Our dove is transferred to sl beautiful bride, — Her bridal song gaily we're singing! „ Gaily gather the girls m dance! IV. — The Wives' Danco with the Bride. — (Sung by the Women; first line and refrain as chorus.) In mean hut a- Lrid.j we saw; In rnpan hut a bride wo saw; Lowly stood the hut, and the roof was straw • To the hand of tho bride was a gold apple given. In the hut a faithful wife, In the hut a faithful wif© Was sewing tiny ciothes and she sang sweet life: In the hand of the babe was a gold apple given. Through the door the angeLs lcok; Through the door the angels look; Lovely as a palace grew the little nook: Hide the apple well, angel-given at the cradle I At the door an angel msek; At the door an angel meek; There lay a little babe with a, rosy cheek: In the hand of the babe was a gold apple gleaming. Mild the angel smiled and good, — Mild* the angel smiled and good,— See! I the angel was by the cot that stood. In the hand of every babe is a gold apple hidden. Little child, be gentle, true! Little child, be gentle, true! Tn the hand you hold your fortune due. Hide the apple, child, angel-given at the cradLe. Bride as housewife dances now! Bride as housewife dances now! We see it in youi glance and your mantling brow; A gold apple, bride, in your hand lies hidden. Mother 7->y your cradle knelt; Mother by your cradle knelt; What you enraptured hide, in your hand she felt. Hide the apple, child, angel-given at the cradle. Lovely bride most gentle, true, Lovely bride most gentle, trvie,. In the hand you hold your fortune's due. Hold the apple fast, angel-given at the cradle. V. — The Bachelors' Dance with the Groom.— (Sung by the Swains; the refrain aa ohorus by the Men and Maidens.) Ho! merrily dances the bachelor young While yet he's unfettered and free; But steadier men if he stumble among, Kb time for such pleasures has he. "Lightest lilts the bachelors' dance! Like birds we are flying now here, now there, Foregather with whom we will: Ourselves to all lasses we gallantly bear, And nobody bears us ill. Lightest lilts the bachelors' dance-1 Hero dances a bridegroom in foaelielordom, As such he will dance nevermore ; Snaihvise. on his back is his hoxvse and liis home, For he's quiet, as never before! Lightest lilts tho bachelors' dance! Spring lustily, swain, for the last jolly time; To-morrow 'twill surely be done: Of dancing and galop to j-outh's giddy chime In married man's life there is none. Lightest lilts the bachelors' dance! From bachelor's happiness, side by side We are dancing a bridegroom neat; But had he not found so resistless a brida^ He were not so light on his feet. Lightest lilts the bachelors' danced From bach-elordom begone, begone! You gaily take marriage instead ! But were not the bride so resistless a one, Even yet we had kept you unwed! Lightest lilts the bachelors' dance! VI. • — The Men's Dance with the Groom. — (Sung by the Men; the refrain as chorus by all.) Now rings the floor with wedding festal; Up, •each man of the meadow-lands 1 With hat in hand and heel on floor A bachelor with us stands. With Danish men in company -shall the bridegroom dance with honour! Be greeted, bachelor, by elders! Now wave jour hat with a spirit free! With pleasure we dance so brave a youtli Into the married men's company. With. Danish men in company shall the bridegroom dance with honour! A lionielees- bird in a leafless wood, The youth must rove the whole world wide ; On earth he is a stranger guest Till home ha brings his bride. With Danish men in company shall the bridegroom, dance with honour 1 The hearth-fire smokes from many a lutf, For poorest home is yet a rest; And never was there bird so lorn But sought his own sweet nest. Wiih Danish men in company shall tac bridegroom dance with honour! To liis home gees the bachelor, His own hearth all earth's gold is worth; But in his home were no content Without the dearest oue on earth. With Danish ni-en m company stall the bridegroom dance with honour! You cannot drive with better gear To hearth and home than a loving wife; With her, your dearest, about the stead, The least of flow&rs finds loveliest life. With Danish men in company shall the i bridegroom dance with, ixcnauil

Liead home your wife among the elders' And be a man amongst excellent men! To honoured life in your honoured ten', Dance baldly, swain, and dance again! With Danish men m company shall the bridegroom dance with honour! AT THE FEAST AFTER CHILDBIRTH. -The Godmother's Danco with the Child.— C'asp little Christian close to our heart : He has blent the names which never shall part. Forth godmother dances, her arms holding baby! God's angel is singing in baby's breast; T\ T e dance him to life;— may his life be blest. See! godmother moves through the dance with the baby! First dance we the baby that life to know Where children's Paradise-roses blow: Now godmother dances, her arms holding baby! Then dance we the baby to live and rejoice Where all that sleeps in tho soul finds voice. See! godmother dances, her arms holding bpby! With roses the dance cannot always be blest, And whilst we are children the dance is the best. Glad godmother dances, lier arm's holding baby! Through the dance in the world we are led by fate; Our Father provides for us, little or great. Clad godmother dances, her armis holding baby ! In the world, the loveliest roses shall blow When the child and its dearest to wedding feast go. Glad godmother dances, lier arms holding baby! With one far out and another far in, May the child dance, and sweet peaoe van! Now godmother swings, her arms holding baby ! Should the dance in. the world go up or go down, God grant that the child sees not its frown. See! godmother dances, her arms holding baby ! When its dance is done on the earth, of men, May it dance in the steps of the angels then. Now godmother moves through the danco with, the baby!