The Center for Hellenic Studies

The Singer of Tales

  Use the following persistent identifier: http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:hul.ebook:CHS_LordA.The_Singer_of_Tales.2000.

Appendix VI. The Song of Milman Parry





























































































































































  Posvećeno Profesoru Universiteta Milmanu Parry   Dedicated to University Professor Milman Parry
  Bože mili, na svemu ti fala!   Dear God, praise to Thee for all!
  Što ću pjevať istina je prava.   What I shall sing is the straight truth.
  U hiljadu devetoj stotini   In one thousand, nine hundred
  I trideset i trećoj godini,   And thirty three,
5 Poletijo soko tica siva 5 A gray falcon flew
  Od lijepe zemlje Amerike.   From the beautiful land of America.
  On preleće zemlje i gradove,   He flew over lands and cities,
  Dok on dođe do morske obale.   Until he came to the shore of the sea.
  Tu ga čeka od čelika lađa,   There a steel ship awaited him,
10 Pa u lađu soko uletijo, 10 And the falcon flew onto the ship,
  I junačka odmorijo krila.   And rested his heroic wings.
  Lađa mu se zove Saturnija,   The name of the ship is Saturnia,
  I brza je kao gorska vila.   And it is as swift as a mountain vila.
  To ne bijo soko tica siva,   That was not a gray falcon,
15 Već Profesor Milman Parry slavni! 15 But Professor Milman Parry the glorious!
  Naša će ga pričať istorija,   Our history will speak of him,
  I spominjať u mnoga vremena.   And remember him for many ages.
  To je čovjek dobrih osobina,   He is a man of good qualities,
  A kiti ga mudrost i vrlina,   Wisdom and uprightness adorn him,
20 Dobra srca a pogleda blaga. 20 Of good heart and mild glance.
  A naša mu istorija draga.   And our history is dear to him.
  Pjesme naše on je zavolijo,   He has become enamored of our songs,
  I zbog njih se amo uputijo,   And because of them he has set out hither,
  U junačku našu otadžbinu.   To our heroic fatherland.
25 Put ga vodi preko oceana. 25 His path leads him across the ocean.
  Brod ga nosi Saturnija slavna,   The ship carries him, the Saturnia the glorious,
  Napravljena od čelika ljuta.   Constructed of fierce steel.
  Ne može joj ništa sprečiť puta,   Nothing can bar its path,
  Věc po moru razgoni valové,   But over the sea it drives away the waves,
30 Kao soko tice golubove. 30 As a falcon drives away doves.
  Okean je hitro preletijo,   Swiftly he flew over the ocean,
  Do jadranskog mora doletijo.   He flew to the Adriatic sea. {272|273}
  Malo pođe, našem Splitu dođe,   A little while passed and he came to Split,
  I tu se je malo odmorijo.   And here he rested a little.
35 Pa otale dalje polazijo, 35 Then from there he went further,
  Dubrovniku zdravo dolazijo.   And came safely to Dubrovnik.
  Saturnija tu se ustavila,   There the Saturnia stopped,
  I svoja je sidra utvrdila.   And hauled in its sails.
  Milman Parry s pristaništa pođe,   Milman Parry departed from the wharf,
40 Pa u hotel Imperial dođe. 40 And came to Hotel Imperial.
  Tu je sjeo pa se odmorijo,   There he sat down and rested,
  I ladna se vina napoijo,   And drank his fill of cool wine,
  I tu nađe sebi pratioca,   And there he found a companion for himself,
  Hercegovca bistroga mladića,   A keen Hercegovinian youth,
45 Po imenu Nika Vujnovića. 45 By name Nikola Vujnović.
  Sjutri danak jesu polazili   On the following day they departed
  Po junačkoj našoj domovini,   Throughout our heroic homeland,
  Da guslare naše ispitaju,   To seek out our guslars,
  Jer ga srpske gusle zanimaju.   For the Serbian gusle interests him.
50 Pro Hrvatske jesu polazili, 50 Across Croatia they travelled,
  I njezine ljepote vidili.   And they saw her beauties.
  Tu mu pjesme pjevaše guslari,   There guslars sang songs for him,
  što činiše vitezovi stari.   Of what the knights of old had done.
  Iz Hrvatske tad se uputijo   From Croatia he then set out
55 Kroz lijepu našu Slavoniju, 55 Across our beautiful Slavonia,
  Dok on dođe u zemlju Srbiju,   Until he came to the land of Serbia,
  U Beograd našu prestolnicu,   To Belgrade our capital,
  Od uvijek našu perjanicu,   Since time immemorial our crest.
  I tu kupi pjesme od junaka,   And there he gathered songs of heroes,
60 Što činiše jade od Turaka. 60 Of what sorrows they had given the Turks.
  Kad tu mnogo pjesama kupijo,   When he had gathered many songs there,
  Otole se zdravo uputijo   Thence he set out safely
  Kroz junačku našu Šumadiju,   Across our heroic Šumadija,
  Što proslavi srpsku istoriju,   Which makes famous Serbian history,
65 I u Bosnu profesor doŠao, 65 And the professor came to Bosnia,
  I tu mnogo pjesama skupijo.   And there he gathered many songs.
  Od sve Bosne u najlepŠem gradu,   In the most beautiful city of all Bosnia,
  Gİzdavome seher Sarajevu,   The lovely city of Sarajevo,
  Profesor se bješe ustavijo,   The professor stopped,
70 I divno se junák odmorijo. 70 And wondrously the hero rested.
  Kad je divnu Bosnu ostavijo,   When he left wondrous Bosnia,
  Uputi se u Herceogvinu,   He set out for Hercegovina,
  U junačku nasu pokrajími.   For our heroic borderland.
  Do Mostara grada dolazijo,   He came to the city of Mostar,
75 I tu se je málo odmorijo. 75 And there he rested a little.
  Odmori se u hotel Vilsonu.   He rested in Hotel Wilson. {273|274}
  Onda reče pratiocu svomu:   Then he said to his companion:
  “Tu je lepo, tu ćemo sjediti,   “It is beautiful here, here shall we sit,
  I ladna se vina napojiti.”   And drink our fill of cool wine.”
80 Tu je jedan danak predanijo, 80 There he spent one day,
  A sjutri dan rano uranijo,   But the next day he arose early,
  I Mostara grada ostavijo,   And he left the city of Mostar,
  Jer do Stoca ‘oće putovati,   Because he wanted to travel to Stolac,
  I nekoje pjesme napisati.   And to write down some songs.
85 U Stocu su danak predanili, 85 In Stolac they spent a day,
  I dosta su pjesama skupili,   And many songs they gathered.
  Pa otale Milman Parry pođe,   Then thence Milman Parry departed,
  Pa u divno Nevesinje dođe.   And came to wondrous Nevesinje.
  Kada dođe Nevesinju ravnu,   When he came to level Nevesinje
90 Koje ima istoriju slavnu, 90 Which has a glorious history,
  Od junačkih svojijeh sinova,   Of its heroic sons,
  A našije’ slavnih prađedova,   And of our glorious forebears
  Tu pregleda varoš Nevesinje,   There he looked over the town of Nevesinje,
  I tu ga je očaralo milje.   And there it enchanted him.
95 Tu pregleda divne okoline, 95 There he looked over the wondrous surroundings,
  Gleda polje a gleda planine.   He looked at the plain, and gazed at the mountains.
  Tu najviše sastavi pjesama   There he gathered most songs
  Od guslara Voj’čić Milovana.   From the guslar Milovan Vojičić.
  Tu je bijo tri bijela dana.   He was there for three white days.
100 Kad četvrti danak osvanuo, 100 When the fourth day dawned,
  Uranijo Milman profesore,   Professor Milman arose early,
  Prije dana i bijele zore.   Before daylight and white dawn.
  Na noge je lagane skočijo,   He leaped to his light feet,
  Nevesinje grada ostavijo,   Left the city of Nevesinje,
105 Gacku ravnu pravo odlazijo, 105 Went straight to level Gacko,
  Jer tu mnogo imade pjesama,   For there are many songs there,
  A i dosta srpskije’ guslara,   And plenty of Serbian singers.
  Tu je sjeo, pa se odmorijo,   There he sat and rested,
  I pjesama dosta nakupijo.   And gathered plenty of songs.
110 Onda Gacko grada ostavijo, 110 Then he left the city of Gacko,
  U Bileću tad se uputijo.   And then set out for Bileća.
  Tu on sjede nekoliko dana,   There he stayed for several days,
  I sasluša priče od junaka.   And he listened to the tales of heroes.
  Kad profesor iz Bileće pođe,   When the professor departed from Bileća,
115 Pravo zdravo u Trebinje dođe, 115 He went sound and straight to Trebinje,
  I trebinjske ljepote vidijo,   And he saw the beauties of Trebinje,
  I Trebinje ostavijo grada.   And he left the city of Trebinje
  Dubrovniku uputi se sada.   Now he set out for Dubrovnik.
  Vozom pođe, u Dubrovnik dođe.   He went by train and came to Dubrovnik.
120 Divnog grada na moru razgleda, 120 He surveyed the lovely city by the sea, {274|275}
  I njegove starine pregleda.   And looked over its antiquities.
  Zanima ga, milo mu vidjeti,   He was interested, pleased he was to see it,
  Jer će ovu zemlju ostaviti.   For he will leave this land.
  Kad je naše krajeve vidijo,   When he had seen our country,
125 Ljepoti se nji’noj začudijo, 125 And had wondered at its beauty,
  On se divi, i vrlo mu žao,   He was amazed, and he was very sorry,
  Što još dalje ne ostade amo.   That he was not staying longer here.
  Kad iz grada Dubrovnika pođe,   When he left the city of Dubrovnik,
  On na divno pristanište dođe,   He came to the wondrous quay,
130 Đe pristaju lađe i đemije, 130 Where stop the ships and galleys,
  Koje nose pro mora delije.   That carry champions across the sea.
  Kad tu dođe Milman Profesore,   When Professor Milman came there,
  Divno naše pregledava more   He surveyed our wondrous sea.
  Jadran plavi naša slava stara,   The blue Adriatic is our ancient glory,
135 Đe naš mornar divni sanak sanja. 135 Where our sailor dreams a wondrous dream.
  Našeg mora razgleda krasote,   He looked at the beauties of our sea.
  Rijetke (su) ovake ljepote.   Rare are such beauties as these.
  Onda našu zemlju ostavijo,   Then he left our land,
  I putovat’ dalje naumijo.   And thought to travel further.
140 Kad profesor putovati htjede, 140 When the professor was about to depart,
  On u lađu Saturniju sjede.   He took his place in the ship Saturnia.
  Saturnija poleće pro mora,   The Saturnia flew across the sea,
  Kao soko pro zelenih gora.   As a falcon across the green hills.
  Profesora tamo čeka dika,   There his pride awaits the professor.
145 Domovina dična Amerika. 145 The beloved homeland America,
  Zbogom pošo Milman Profesore!   Farewell, Professor Milman!
  Zdravo sinje prebrodijo more,   Safely may you cross the deep blue sea,
  I u svoju došo domovinu!   And come to your homeland!
  Pošten bijo i ko te rodijo!   Honor also to him who begot you!
  Spjevao   Composed by
  Milovan Vojičić   Milovan Vojičić
  Nevesinje, dne 20 septembra   Nevesinje, on the twentieth day of
  1933 god.   September 1933 {275|}