St. George's Day

Babjak 3

1 (VZh) [Празнувахте ли Гергьовден?]

[Did you celebrate St. George’s Day?]

2 (b) gerg’òvden tuk f selòtu gu praznùvahme

We used to celebrate St. George's day here in the village.

3 (b) jà kətu mlədèš kəto ergèni nie nàš'te mòmi

[When] I [was] a young man, we bachelors [together with] the local unmarried girls

4 (b) gu prəznùvəhə prəznùvaà go òpštu mlədeštà zbìraà se

celebrated it. All the young people celebrated it. They gathered together.

5 (b) kvo pretstavl'àvəše tùkə gerg’òvden gerg’èvden kətu du ùtre

So what was St. George's day like here? On the day after St. George's day –

6 (b) gerg'èvden e nə šèsti nəlì a nə pèti večertà

St. George's day is on the 6th [of May], isn't it? So on the evening of the 5th,

7 (b) mumìte zbìra: cvet'à zdràvec eglìče è

the girls gather flowers – geraniums and primroses, [things that grow

8 (b) pu pu mesnostà udvɤnkə pu pulètu i gu pràva: nə č'itki̥

locally outdoors in the fields – and then they make bouquets of them

9 (b) pràvejà gu f č'ùp sìčkite̥ mòmi puudɛ̀lno f

they used to make these [and put them] into a large pot. All the girls in each

10 (b) məəlà nə sɛ̀kujə məəlà puudɛ̀lnu č'ùp si pràva:

neighborhood do this, each neighborhood makes its own flower pot.

11 (b) i s kətu nətòpa: tuvà cvɛ̀te f č’ùpu i večertà gu upɛ̀va:

And when they put the flowers in the pot, in the evening they sing [and]

12 (b) upɛ̀va: upɛ̀va: prez noštà gu iznàs’a: udvɤ̀nkə

sing [and] sing over [each pot] and then at night they carry them outdoors

13 (b) də gu pečè lunàtə̥ nìə pə ergènite prez təvà vrɛ̀me

to bathe them in the moonlight. We bachelors, meanwhile,

14 (b) prez nuštà òdim dèbimè gu dɛ̀ sə gu

go out during the night to spy it out, [to find out] where they have –

15 (b) dɛ̀ sə gu ustìli č’ùpu i òdim i gu ukrədèm

where they have left the flower pot, and we go and steal it.

16 (b) ukrədème gu ut tìjə səjà i kətu ukrədèm na tàa məəlà č'ùpə

We steal it from them; when we steal the flower pot from that neighborhood,

17 (b) u drùgətə məəlà mumìte se rədùva: če ì sə ukrəlì

the girls in the other (= our) neighborhood cheer [us] that their [pot] got stolen.

18 (b) ergènetò sə ukrəlì ot onàa məəlà nə mumìte

The bachelors have robbed the girls in the other neighborhood of their

19 (b) č’ùpu i sega nèmə nə šò də pɛ̀jɛ i t'è

flower pot, and now there's nothing left to sing over. So [then] they,

20 (b) pud nɛ̀kəkəf nàčin nìe se prinùdime

[that is] we (the bachelors), find some way to give in,

21 (b) dədème sì gu pà tìjə pɛ̀ejɛ ìgra:

and we give it (= the flowerpot) back [to them], and then they sing and dance,

22 (b) zàednu pɛ̀eme i nìe s nìh nə òru ìgrəme pɛ̀eme

and we sing together with them. We dance the horo together, and sing.

23 (b) slet təvà kugà gu rəzvàla: trì dènɤ sədì č'ùpə

After that, when they take [it] apart – the flowerpot sits there three days –

24 (b) təkà kugà gu rəzvàla: i slet trìte d'ènə večertà

when they take it apart – after the third day in the evening

25 (b) kəto rəzvàləjə č'ùpu i prɤ̀ska: tàm

when they take the flowerpot apart, [everyone] there gets sprinkled [with

26 (b) mlədeštà ženìte se zbìrə: dètu slùša: dètu pɛ̀e:

water] – young people and women who listen and sing – they gather around

27 (b) prɤ̀ska: sus vudàtə i mladeštà i mumìte

and everyone gets sprinkled with water – young people, unmarried girls,

28 (b) i ženìte i i xòrətə kuìtu gi slùša: glèda:

and married women, people who are watching and listening.

29 (b) i təkà se rəzvàlijə təka prəznùvaja gerg'èvden

And that's how they took it apart, how they celebrated St. George's Day in

30 (b) nə vrɛ̀metu trì čètiri pèt dènə ìgra: pɛ̀aja vesèleja sе̥

the old days. They'd dance, sing, and make merry for three, four, five days.

Baskalci 1

177 (a) ufcìte se strigàd znàči ud girg’òvden znàči kәm šèsti desèti màj

Sheep are shorn around St. George’s day, the sixth or tenth of May.

Belica 3

83 (a) šta lìsna tàa vòda šta sìpa drùga i ako sɤ̀m go iskàrala

I’ll splash out the water and pour more on, and if I’ve made it

84 (a) na okolo gèrg'ovden čàk do nàprolet do gèrg'ovden šte si ìmam

to St. George’s day, even till spring, to St. George’s day, I’ll [still] have some.

Brŭšljan 3

11 (c) ə nə g'òrg'udèn' št'à zèmeme ut tùkə kulàtə

And on St. George’s day we’d set off from here [with] the cart,

12 (c) št'à də ìdeme è nə dòlu krəj mur'ètu

and we’d go all the way down to the sea,

Dolno Draglište 3

32 (a) suberè̝m se ut məəlàtə kòlkutu xòrə ìma

We get together, as many from the neighborhood as have [food to cook]

33 (a) osòbenu gàtu ìmə kurbàn nə gerg'òvdèn

particularly when there’s a celebration. On St. George’s Day

34 (a) soberè̝m se pet šès dùši upàlime fùrnətə

five or six of us gather together, and fire up the large communal oven,

35 (a) tam peštà i izmetèm jə mùšneme təvìte vɤ̀tre

the oven there. We sweep it out, and then shove the pans inside

36 (a) də se ispekà jàgnetàtə vèčer izvàdimè i gutòvi

so the lambs will roast. In the evening we take them out [when] ready,

37 (a) nòsime f čèrkvə pòpu i prekàdi [laughter]

and carry [them] to the church for the priest to bless them. [laughter]

Drjanovec 1

13 (a) i uvɤžàwɤ mɤ obàče tɤ̀j sa pulùči či mòjtɤ màjkɤ umr’à

And she had high regard for me. But it so happened that my mother died

14 (a) tòčnu nɤ g’urg’òwd’en b’èšə̥ bilà brèminnɤ às ni gù znàjew tùj n’èštu

on the very day of St. George’s Day. She’d been pregnant, but I didn’t know that.

36 (a) tòj rikɤ̀l či nìj ni zimàxmi i màjkɤ tàm izdɤ̀xvɤ

He said that we hadn’t brought any, and mother gave up the ghost right there.

37 (a) i vɤ̀rnɤ jɤ nɤdzàt’ i nɤ sɤmìjɤ dèn’ nɤ gerg’òwden’ bèš’e tùj

He brought her back the same day. And that was on St. George’s Day.

38 (a) òrɤtɤ sɤ ràdvɤt nɤ àganca nɤ tùj unùj pɤ̀k nɤ nàs zl’è

People were celebrating, [roasting] lambs, this and and that, but for us bad [times]

39 (a) dòdi i prebràwme sɤ bràtt’ȅ fsìčkit’ȅ kɤt zɤròviwmi màjkə prɤbràwmi sɤ

had come. And all the brothers came together when we buried mother.

Hvojna 2

15 (a) əmi rɤ̀š’ sə s’àvə jèseno vr’èm’e rəštɤ̀ i vəf pu gèrg’uvdèn

Well, rye is sown in the autumn. By the time of St. George’s day

16 (a) č’ɛ̀kət hòrətə berik’èta kləsʌ̀ də sə jəvì

people expect the resulting crop: that the spikes appear.

19 (a) hɤ̀ jəvì sə berek’ètə i sə ràdvət č’e ìmə klàs nə gèrg’uvden

Hah. When the crop appears all rejoice that there are spikes on St. George’s day.

20 (a) tvà e trəd’ìcijə də ut’ìdət stupànite də si ubikul’ʌ̀t n’ìvite

That’s the tradition – for the owners to go about the fields

21 (a) də vìd’ət dəlì sə iskləsìli i rəštɤ̀ stàvəše jèdrə è čuv’èš’ki bòj

to see if the spikes have come out. Rye would grow strong, the height of a man –

Iskrica 3

27 (c) ilì pək ku ìmə n’àkvu təkòvu də rčèm vilìgden gerg’òvden

or when there’s some occasion such as Easter or St. George’s Day.

41 (c) kòledə nə gerg’òvden tr’àvə də zəkòlim àgənce tuvà bèše zəkòn tugàvə

On Christmas and St. George’s Day we slaughter lambs, that was the rule then

42 (c) zə sèl’ənite dè nàj xùbəvutu àgne səs nə gerg’òvden že dòət

for villagers. The best lamb would be for St. George’s day. They’d come up:

50 (c) i nə gerg’òvden c’àlutu s’èlu sə səbìrə:me̝ nə pluštàt

On St. George’s Day we’d gather, the entire village, on the village square.

51 (c) ìmə idìn gul’àm pluštàt c’àlutu s’èlu tàm sə səbìrət nòs’ət àgneàtə

There’s a big square where the entire village gathers. They bring in the lambs –

62 (KK) [А Гергьовден какъв праздник беше?]

[So what kind of a holiday was St. George’s Day?]

63 (c) emi pràət gerg’òvden bèše pràznik nə čubà nə ufčàr’ə

Well, when they celebrate St. George’s Day, it’s shepherds –

64 (c) ilì nə pəstìr’ə dè dètu̥ gu tòj s’à dàže gu iskàrvət

it’s really the holiday of shepherds, but now they’ve dressed it up as

65 (c) i tàm nə svetì g’òrgi pràznik əmə i səbìrət sə tàm xòrətə

this “holiday of St. George”. People gather together,

66 (c) idɤ̀t i pìjət igràjət xurà rəčenìci du vičirtɤ̀ i vičirtɤ̀ vèče

they eat and drink and dance the round dance and rŭchenitsa until evening,

Petrov Dol 2

1 (a) drùgi pràznici pràet sɤbìrəmi sə

For the other holidays they celebrate – we get together

4 (GK) gerg’òvden

St George’s day?

5 (a) gerg’òwd’en’ pò rànu pràeme gerg’òwden nə šèstij tòj nə šèstij

St. George’s day. Earlier we observed St. George’s day on the sixth. It’s on the sixth.

6 (e) pàk si e na šèsti

It’s still on the sixth.

7 (a) i e tɤ̀j màj

Of, uh, May.

10 (a) a pɤk ə nɤ n’id’ɛ̀l’e də kla nəprìmer ftòrnik e gerg’òwdèn’

So on Sunday if we – for instance, [if] St. George’s Day is on a Tuesday,

11 (a) n’id’ɛ̀l’eta si pràewme zbòr zbòr sə vìkə pə̀k s’gà

we’d observe the village celebration –that’s what it’s called – on Sunday. And then [with]

12 (a) èm gerg’òwdèn’ èm zbòrɤ nɤjnò a gu pràviš inò àgn’i

both St. Georges’ day and the village celebration at once, you’d [roast just] one lamb

13 (a) dèt wìkɤt s idìn kuršùn dvà zàjəka

[and kill], as they say, two birds with one stone! [laughter]

15 (a) [laughter] səs inò àgni sigà nə gerg’òwdèn’

[laughter] A single lamb now on St. George’s day.

16 (a) emi mòjta màjka inò vr’ɛ̀mi stàwələ hɤ

So in the old days my mother would get up – Huh.

18 (a) a št’èli ə ut’ùət mɤl’čàna vudà mu kàzwat ut’ùət dunàs’ət

They’d be off [to get] what you call “silent water”: they go [at night] and bring back

19 (a) pr’àsnə vudà ut ču̥šmàta um’ès’et p’ìt’i xl’àp

fresh water from the well. They knead up loaves of bread –

21 (a) i m mòjta màjka sùtrin kətu stànim ə tò inò vr’ɛ̀mi

And my mother – in the morning when we get up, back in the old days –

22 (a) tɤ̀j gu kuprìwa nəbìrɤt kòlkut čuv’èkɤ sni nəprìm’er’ d’èsit’ ču

for every one of us [in the house] they’d pick a nettle stalk, for instance if we’re ten –

23 (a) kòsur’i kòsər’u [laughter] i ə kòlkut čuwèkɤ nəprìmer’ nìj si b’àwmi čèt’ir’i

[Like] blackbirds! [laughter] – anyway, however many people. For instance there were four of us

24 (a) i d’v’è šès šès strɤ̀ka kuprìva utkɤ̀svə màjka nər’è nər’ɛ̀ždə je

and [then] two [more, that’s] six. So my mother would cut six stalks of nettles, and arrange them

25 (a) nə p’ištà nə p’i̥štà d’ètu p’i̥č’èm xl’àp nə fùrnata

on the stove – on the stove where we bake bread, on the large oven.

27 (a) nər’ɛ̀ždə nə ker’em’ìd’it’ȅ udgòr’e tɤ̀j i sutrintà ut’ùwa də gl’èdə

She’d arrange them on the tiles on top [of the oven], and in the morning she’d go to look.

28 (a) nə gerg’òwdèn’ də gl’èdə kujà kuprìva e uv’àxnala

On [the morning] of St. George’s day [she’d] look to see which nettle stalk had wilted.

30 (a) kojà uv’àxnala nàči č’e

And whichever one had wilted, that meant that –

32 (a) bul’edùwə d’et’ètu il’ n’ɛ̀štu š’e e tɤ̀j

[someone’s] child would be ailing, or that something else would come about.

33 (a) mə m’ɛ̀s’eše xl’èp pɯ̀stri pìt’i sɤs ə è kùkata ufčàrskəta kùka

So she’d make bread – round breads decorated with – well, a hook, a shepherd’s hook,

34 (a) uscète nə pìtkit’ȅ pràjət slàgət i tòpč’ənca ufcè

or sheep, on the breads. They make sheep out of little balls of dough and put them there.

40 (a) d’àutu stànəl i i təkìə gerg’òwdèn’ xu

It appears Grandpa’s gotten up! So such things on St. George’s Day, dances –

42 (a) e ma gerg’òwdèn’

So on St. George’s Day –

43 (e) a àgneto kato go zakòl’at

But [how about] when they slaughter the lamb?

44 (a) za àgn’itu i kòl’əvmi vɤfkɤ̀šti n’è e tɤ̀j sə vìkəli

We would slaughter the lamb at home. Not like [those] who call [someone else to do it].

45 (a) vɤfkɤ̀šti nə inò kur’ìtu slàgəvmi kòl’im àgn’itu i na samàta krɤ̀f

[We do it] at home. We’d put the lamb in a trough and slaughter it, and from the blood –

72 (a) i gerg’òwdèn’ kətu upič’è zəkàrəmi àgn’itu

And on St. George’s day, after it’s roasted, we bring in the lamb

74 (b) u.kɤ̀šti

Into the house.

75 (a) i ut krɤftà u.kɯ̀šti

And [some] of the blood into the house –

76 (b) u.kɤ̀šti duòdəə

They came into the house

77 (a) i na samàta st’enà pràimi è tɤ̀j krɤ̀s

and we make a cross right on the wall, right here.

79 (a) krɤ̀s i màlki d’ecà kət ìmət z’èmət ut krɤftà

A cross. And if people have small children, they take some of the blood

80 (a) slàgət nə č’èlutu im də stàvəli č’erv’èni

and put it on their foreheads, so they’ll be red.

82 (e) kətu àgəncata

Like the lambs.

83 (a) dà kət nə krɤ̀w i č’erv’èni d’ecàta napɤ̀streni

Yes. The children are decorated in red, from the blood.

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St. George's Day

Babjak 3

Baskalci 1

Belica 3

Brŭšljan 3

Dolno Draglište 3

Drjanovec 1

Hvojna 2

Iskrica 3

Petrov Dol 2

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St. George's Day

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