Page:The nomads of the Balkans, an account of life and customs among the Vlachs of Northern Pindus (1914).djvu/293

 == Appendix IV == '''IV. SELECT TEXTS TO ILLUSTRATE THE VLACH LANGUAGE'''

he few texts here printed have been chosen to illustrate Chapter XI and the account there given of the Vlach language. With the exception of the first one, the songs and tales have been collected by us ourselves during our travels amongst the Vlachs. As regards the folk songs it is to be noted that the old songs are as a rule in short lines and do not rhyme. A song in which the lines rhyme in pairs is new and probably not more than thirty years old. We have given the such modern songs from Samarina, Nos. 10-12 below. OF these three the first has references to Samarina customs such as their fondness for wine, and their nomadic habits. The third deals with families staying in the plains and not coming up to the village for the summer, and also with the emigration of the able bodied young men to America. The second of the three is one of a large class of personal songs which are very popular at Samarina. There are two men in the village who continually compose new ones which they sing at festivals. They do this not for gain, but for amusement ; and neither of the two song writers can be said to have had much education. This song writing is not due to the Roumanian propaganda, for every now and again some one else will make up a topical and personal song, and we have heard muleteers singing them. That Samarina delights in such songs and thinks no ill of them shows how cheerfully they take life in the summer. The translations appended have been left in as simple a style as possible so that with their aid the original texts maybe understood quite easily.

A. Folk Songs

 * 1) LUNKA