Kupalinka ‡ Belarusian folk song (+ English translation)

“Kupalinka” is a well-known Belarusian folk song. It tells about a girl who gathers in the garden of roses and turns them into a wreath. Lyrics related with the traditional Slavic holiday of Kupala Night (“Купалле” in Belarusian) that was originally celebrated on the shortest night of the year, which is on 21-22 or 23-24 of June (Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia) and in Eastern Slavic countries according to traditional Julian calendar on the night between 6 to 7 July (Belarus, Russia and Ukraine). On this day the youth lights a large bonfires on the banks of rivers, lakes, and then jump over the flames. It is a symbol of youth and health. Girls making wreaths and let them float down the river. If the wreath drift away far away, the girl will marry. If the wreath back to shore, the marriage will not be. If the wreath will drown, then the girl gets sick. And at night the people went into the woods to look for “Paparats-kvietka” (fern flower). People say that a man who finds a flower, would understand the language of birds and animals, will find all the hidden treasures, open all the secrets of the earth.

There were many versions of this song. Current version is brought to us by poet Michaś Čarot and composer Uladzimir Teraŭski in early 1920s.

The internal affairs authority of Soviet Uninon, NKVD, arrested the Belarusian poet Michaś Čarot in 1937, and sentenced him to be executed by a firing squad. Composer Uladzimir Teraŭski met the
same fate one year later.

♫ Lyrics

Купалінка, купалінка,
Цёмная ночка
Цёмная ночка,
Дзе ж твая дочка?

Мая дочка у садочку
ружу, ружу поліць,
Ружу, ружу поліць,
Белы ручкі коліць.

Кветачкі рвець,
кветачкі рвець,
Вяночкі звівае,
Вяночкі звівае,
Слёзкі пралівае.