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Πανηγυράκι γίνεται (Local Dance of Saint George)
A festival is being held, high up around Saint George’s.
– Salutations, Frankish lord!
A multitude was at the feast and there was little water,
– Coming ! Out of there! Show me!
A ribbon and a maypole, a ribbon loosely woven,
oh, he was fine, was fine, the sorry fellow.
There lissome girls together vowed to go and tell the dragon
– the boughs are laden with spring flowers.
O dragon, let the water flow, so revellers may quaff it
– Salutations, Frankish lord!
A ribbon and a maypole, a ribbon loosely woven,
oh, he was fine, was fine, the sorry fellow.
The mules are suffering from thirst, and spirits search for water
– the boughs are laden with spring flowers
A ribbon and a maypole, a ribbon loosely woven,
oh, he was fine, was fine, the sorry fellow.
Translated by John Leatham
Πανηγυράκι γίνεται ψηλά στον Α-ναιν- ϊ-Γιώργη
μαρ’ ρηγοφραγκόπουλο.
Το πανηγύρι ήταν πολύ και το νερό-νο ήταν λίγο
έρχομ’ έβγα δέξε με.
Γαϊτανό- γαϊτανό- κι αργιοπλεγμένο
μια χαρά, μια χαρά ήταν το καημένο.
Τρεις λυγερές συνάζουνται να πα να πουν-ουν του δράκου
τώρ’ ανθίζουν τα κλαριά.
Απ’ όλα δράκο μ’ το νερό να πιει το πα-να-νηγύρι
μαρ’ ρηγοφραγκόπουλο.
Γαϊτανό- γαϊτανό- κι αργιοπλεγμένο
μια χαρά, μια χαρά ήταν το καημένο.
Σκάσαν οι μούλες για νερό και τα στοιχειά ν-απ’ τη δίψα
τώρ’ ανθίζουν τα κλαριά.
Γαϊτανό- γαϊτανό- κι αργιοπλεγμένο
μια χαρά, μια χαρά ήταν το καημένο.
Arachova honours Saint George as its patron and defender. Popular tradition attributes the repeated deliverance of the village from Turkish assault to the terrifying appearance of the saint on horseback. Hence the spectacular celebration of the saint’s feast day. Dancing begins after vespers and the procession; it is opened by the village elders singing A festival is being held. For that occasion, it used to be the custom to dam the water in the reservoir, and when they reached the verse “O dragon, let the water flow, so revelers may quaff it” to let it flow again. Though the name of Saint George occurs here only as a place-name, the subject matter of the song –the withholding of spring water by a dragon– clearly links it with legends about the saint, in particular with the dragon-slaying incident that also had to do with securing the release of a city’s water supply (see also comment on the Song of Saint George).
Miranda Terzopoulou (1998)
Studio recording (1997). Based on Simon Karas’ recording which belongs to the Association for the Dissemination of Greek National Music.
