FOREWORD

It is the opinion of most scholarly critics that there are no other Slavic people so rich in folk lore as the Ukrainians. The Ukrainian songs and airs are innumerable. A Ukrainian peasant is a singer in the full sense of the word; singing is his daily bread; no work, no walk, no family, social entertainment, no engagement of any kind goes without singing or “ex tempore” improvisation of some air and words; the proverb is well known that “a Cossack (a Ukrainian) laughs and sings through his tears,” which means that even in time of his woes and worry a Ukrainian sings: sighs and sings! A Ukrainian, provided he be not depraved and deprived of his original native intuition by a foreign, and especially the modern urban culture (and thanks be to the Providence the aboriginal [Pg ii]feeling, the poetry of soul still predominates and is the express characteristic of every Ukrainian of all social and cultural degrees), is a singer, nature’s own musician of no base quality. He has hundred-fold ways of expressing his hilarity or sadness in every instance,

corresponding to and depicting every motion of body and soul: whether he be bringing the muck out of his stables to his fields, or the cattle to pasture in the spring, or thrashing his corn, or his wife weaving her cloth in winter; whether he be mowing, reaping, or at some trade in fall, or resting and merry-making amid the heat, verdure and fragrant Ukrainian nature in summer—he constantly sings, alone or in company; even his prayers are mostly performed through singing.

A student well acquainted with Ukrainian geography and the beauties of her nature, will agree with the author that nature herself prompts the Ukrainian to express his very soul in spontaneous singing; by the fragrance of meadows rich with the odors of a thousand flowers; [Pg iii]by the song of the nightingales that wake the infants from their slumber in the early morning; by the rich black earth, plains, wide steppes, balmy forests and lofty hills of the Carpathians and the Caucasus; by the gentle, sweet Slavonic temper educated in the bosom of nature’s luxuries; and last but not least—by the history which fortune, otherwise so bounteous with the Ukrainians, has made so harsh and strenuous for them, making the Ukrainians a subject of almost continuous struggle with foreign invaders—Tartars, Turks and the Poles and the Russians especially.

It is to be lamented that many of us do not understand or sufficiently prize the value of the folk songs of whatever origin or language they may be; we fail to see their beauty and meaning in the life of every living national organism; we can not see why so much stress is put on them by the educators. Some regard these songs as merely a pastime or extravagant folly of youthful revelry. True, that some original, charming, pensive songs are and have been [Pg iv]adulterated and the effect soiled by wanton pornology and perverted sentences—yet these ought to be easily eliminated from the sacred treasury of the people.

It very seldom happens that the Ukrainian songs are changed in meaning and effect except it be by some foreign, usually Polish or Russian, words; sometimes even a whole, new worthless song is introduced among the Ukrainians, but on tracing its origin it is found out that it was of Polish, Russian or other foreign source brought about by men serving in foreign armies, or being in contact with other nationalities; such songs are commonly avoided with care, and traditional Ukrainian compositions are sung exclusively. This is true also regarding other Ukrainian folklore such as rural tales, ritual songs and ballads.

A noticeable decline in purity and beauty of Ukrainian folklore is observable where Polish or Russian influences have gained their access. The author of this study himself saw this decline twenty-two years ago in the western [Pg v]Ukrainian government of Kholm and Podlakhia, where he was born and brought up in his early childhood. He well remembers how in that part of the country the two foreign cultures wrangled with each other in an attempt to strangle the ancient Ukrainian culture. The Russian culture, by way of the state school system, and the Polish culture by means of the Polish Latin Catholic church wherein Polish national propaganda had its mainstay; both endeavored to deprive the Ukrainian peasantry of their nationality by forcing on them silly imitations of the alleged “higher” culture. It causes the author great pain to recall how the Polish landlords and priests have gradually made the good-natured Ukrainian peasants abandon their “pagan” ritual, Easter and Christmas folk songs and hymns; their beautiful out-of-door ceremonials, weddings, and

christenings, which are inseparably connected with singing, changed their aspect to a great extent in the above mentioned Ukrainian territories. Polish religious songs may be more numerous, [Pg vi]but the Ukrainian folk-songs thus lost under the forceful introduction of the Polish “Kultura” is a whole treasure lost to the local population—because the Ukrainian folk songs are unequalled, incomparable with any others in the world.

[Pg 1]

CHAPTER I What are the Folk Songs in General and the Ukrainian Folk Songs in Particular?

Various peoples have different traditions and beliefs as to the origin of the folk songs. The ancient Greeks thought that songs were composed by the gods themselves, and all the famous singers claimed their parentage from the gods.

The author of the ancient Ukrainian-Ruthenian⁠[1] poem—“Slovo o Polku Ihorevi” (The Lay of the War-Ride of Ihor⁠[2]) relating the expedition of Prince Ihor upon the Mongolian Polovtzi—mentions some great singer Boyan,⁠[3] “the grandson of god Veles,” who composed beautiful epic poems about the activities of the [Pg 2]ancient Ruthenians. The renowned Ukrainian Kobzar⁠[4], that is, a singer (composer) and player on the bandore, Ostap Veresay, who sang with profound emotion the beautiful historic songs, was wont to say that songs come from God Himself.⁠[5] Even in most recent times the Kobzars and singers, whether feeble old men or cripples, when they appear at bazars and church festivals are treated with highest respect. The people believe that the singers, especially the composers, are exceptionally beloved and endowed by God with talent to express the feeling of a rational human soul, common to all mankind; to move men to pity, charity and love of God and one’s neighbor; to proclaim the manifold human activities and

[Pg 3]thus instruct and educate weak human nature, uplifting men mentally and morally.

There is something in Ukrainian songs that attracts the entire being of those who understand the words; nay, those who happen to hear Ukrainian melodies are captured by the force of their expression of mirth and gayety, but principally by that of sadness and resignation. They teach us meditation concerning ourselves and appreciation of others’ dispositions and ailments; they teach us to love the truth and abhor falsehood; they teach us to love mankind, one’s native tongue and country; they produce noble aspiration, a spiritual conception of man’s existence; they develop the sense of beauty and art.

FOOTNOTES:

[1] Ruthenian or Ruthen is the Greek form for Rusin or Rusitch—the original name for Ukrainian; for the last few decades it was applied to the Ukrainians of Galicia, Bukovine and Hungary. It now becomes obsolete.

[2] Translation of the Word of Igor’s Armament was made by Prof. A. Petrunkevitch of Yale University; published in “Poet Lore,” 1919.

[3] Prof. John D. Prince of Columbia University wrote a dissertation on Troyan-Boyan, published by Am. Phil. Society.

[4] Kobzar is a player on kobza or bandura which is a Ukrainian national instrument being used most frequently in the accompaniment of recitations; derived from Lat. pandura, Gr. πανδοῦρα; an instrument of the god Pan. Usually a blind elderly man, lover of the people, nature and song, gifted with great talent for emotional singing. Kobzars knew the songs by heart.

[5] Ostap Veresay, one of the many famous Kobzars from whom Kulish, Rusov, Chubinsky, Lysenko, etc.—the Ukrainian scientists, ethnologists and composers—copied the historic songs—epics, called Dumy in Ukrainian. Dr. Filaret Kolessa: “Ukrainski Narodni Dumy,” Lviv, 1920, p. 58.

[Pg 4]

CHAPTER II The Influence of the Ukrainian Folk Songs

Throughout the vast Ukrainian territory—irrespective of various forceful political allegiances, foreign influence and domination in the past—the same motives, airs, wording and other peculiarities are found in all Ukrainian folklore, although there may be some dialectal differences, which, however, are the least noticeable in songs. This of course only goes to affirm the one Ukrainian national soul of the forty-five million Ukrainians who in the past unfortunately were divided for centuries by surrounding foreign powers. A Ukrainian may have forgotten his native language and may speak the Russian, Polish, Slovak, Rumanian, Madyar or German—but he expresses his soul in his native, incorrupt language of song; the songs were so deeply impressed upon his soul by his mother at the cradle that he never forgets [Pg 5]them; on the contrary we notice such an anomaly that these beautiful, affectionate songs are being sung by Russians and Poles, who otherwise may hate everything that savors of Ukrainism; one may hear these so-called “Little

Russian”⁠[1] songs chanted in the heart of Warsaw, Petrograd and Moscow by the foreigners themselves. It is said that wherever the Ukrainian song is once heard its charm enchants the listeners and creates in them the desire to learn the air at least. Other Slavic nationalities are well acquainted with Ukrainian songs and melodies; it is said that in Canada, where Ukrainians are quite numerous, a great many of the English and French speaking population love to sing Ukrainian songs.

FOOTNOTES:

[1] Little Russian is an artificial name introduced by Peter the Great, Czar of Russia, in order to Russianize the Ukrainians the more effectively.

[Pg 6]

CHAPTER III The Theme of the Ukrainian Folk Songs and Their Kinds

Quite many among the songs treat about the Ukrainian Cossack life, their love affairs, heroic deeds, courage and raids on Russians, Poles, Tartars and Turks. There are songs about general heroic deeds—the epopees—which are much older than the Cossack period. There are ritual and religious songs, the Kolyady or Christmas and New Year carols, the Eastern songs; the occasional holiday and festive songs; the spring, Kupalo and Obzhynkovi; political and patriotic songs; soldier, Cossack and recruit songs; the songs of the Cossack Sitch and Sokol (Falcon), hymns and marches which are stately and martial in character; historic and traditional songs; the Chumak songs composed by waggoners or drivers who traded in salt and fish; professional songs and ballads; Kolomeyky⁠[1] [Pg 7]or the brisk, lively tunes and love words, originated in the vicinity of the city of Kolomya, Ukrainian East Galicia; wedding songs; burial songs; baptismal songs. But most numerous and diverse are the love songs; their multitude of airs, difference of shades and depth

of sentiment is as varied and beautiful as the fragrant flowers of Ukraine. We must certainly distinguish the religious from the secular songs, for there are many of the former ones used exclusively in the church and home by the faithful. Their purpose is the glory of God and of his faithful servants—the saints—whose good works or miracles are being celebrated.

It is only in the rarest cases that the author of a celebrated popular song may be traced; as a rule the authors of Ukrainian folk songs are unknown, but the beauty, strength and popularity of their words and airs demonstrate that they were real masters of human souls who [Pg 8]either lived themselves through what they afterwards sang or else their intelligent, susceptible minds keenly felt the heart’s emotions of others; they were the nation’s long forgotten philosophers, although the simplicity of their verse and contents show that these authors were simple, kind-hearted, themselves. It may be that some of them were accomplished scholars, but through many centuries their productions underwent such a metamorphosis through oral transmission by the people that they no longer show signs of erudition.

It quite often happens that because these songs reflect so much individual and national suffering, the singers, particularly women and girls, sob while they sing; they cry while singing about a dramatic love affair which usually ends with death of the lover Cossack or with the captivity of his fiancee.

There are some ancient songs antedating Christianity officially introduced in Ukraine by St. Vladimir in 988, and these songs are sung with as great an interest as if they were recent [Pg 9]compositions. They have to do chiefly with the pagan worship of the natural forces and celestial bodies, by the ancient Ukrainians; some of them are sung side by side with the Christian productions of later date, on various religious occasions. Ukrainian philologists and ethnologists such as Maxime Drahomaniv, Pantaleymon Kulish, P. Chubinsky, Michael Maximovitch, A. Metlinsky, I. Holovatsky have recorded many hundreds of these songs, most of which have been published; but it is said that at least another half of these popular songs have not been as yet collected and written down.

FOOTNOTES:

[1] Kolomeyka, a short form of song, composed of two verses, fourteen syllables; it makes up a complete thought; it is being produced continually by the common people. Sometimes a few of these stanzas are linked together. Most of the truths of life are expressed in this form of people’s poetry.

[Pg 10]

CHAPTER IV A Brief Review of Ukrainian Folk Songs A.

(a) Most of these songs are from the obscure pre-Christian era—expressing the adoration of natural forces, especially of the celestial bodies. Svaroh was the god of heaven and earth. Dazhboh was god of the sun; Perun was god of the thunder bolt; Stryboh was god of the winds; Zoria, the star goddess, and numerous other gods in whose honor hymns were sung at the appointed time. About the most important were the Kolyady in honor of the birth of the sun in the spring, as the life-giver to all. The deification of the sun as the most potent factor in the Universe was the fundamental religion. The word Kolyada⁠[1] is derived from Kolo or Koleso, meaning a wheel, because the sun appears [Pg 11]to be a round, shining wheel. These songs were recited about the end of December at the winter solstice when the god-sun begins to prevail over the darkness. They are generally sung now as the Christmas carols, both at home and church, by troups of boys and girls carrying a beautifully decorated star with a lighted candle inside, going to the windows of every home in

the village, and expressing their wishes to all inmates, whereupon many gifts are handed in response therefor:

OY KOLYADA—KOLYADYCIA⁠[2]

VSELENNAYA VESELYSIA

(b) The Shchedrivky were also the sacred lyrics, hymns to honor and entreat the god of warmth. Shchedry means liberal, bounteous, as the god-sun was considered such. Nowadays these carols are sung at the New Year’s Eve, and during the coming week, when various customary celebrations are taking place, and a rich feast is served; it is as it were a repetition of the Christmas Eve. The forces of nature and heavenly objects are usually personified, and even often referred to as opulent husbandmen or landladies, who give bounteously to all that sing them a pæan:

SHCHEDRYK⁠[4]

(c) The Vesnyanky, or spring songs (Vesna-spring) are the celebration of the radiant god over the dark ones. They are sung at the Easter time and in Spring generally and imply a great amount of love, courtship (romance), common instincts in life of mankind and nature’s influence on man. In some parts of Ukraine an effigy representing the god of cold and winter, Kostruboh, is burned on top of a hill with spring songs (Easter songs), dances and general rejoicing accompanying the rite. Some ethnologists think that the Ukrainians worshipped the goddess of spring, Vesna [Pg 14](Spring) being analogical to the ancient Indian Vasana or Huli (changed into the Ukrainian Hala), hence another name for the spring songs Hahilky:

OY, CHY YE, CHY NEMA*⁠[6]

VINKU MIY ROZHEVIY*

OY TY IVANCHIKU—TARABANCHIKU*

[Pg 16]

VESNO, SOLODKA VESNO!

(d) The Kupalsky Pisny—are songs sung in commemoration of Kupalo, a festivity dating from immemorial pre-Christian times. It is not certain whence the word comes, but etymology would show that it is derived from kupaty—to bathe or to swim. The feast of Kupalo is observed on the 24th of June, which falls on the Christian birth of St. John the Baptist, according to the Julian calendar. The bathing here has reference to the sun and its rays; the spring and summer rain, the thunderstorm, the lightnings, etc., during which time the earth, as it were, bathes and will surely produce abundant fruit in the autumn as the result of their action. Although primarily it is the adoration of the god-sun and all the good forces, yet secondarily, [Pg 17]it is the worship of Marena, the goddess of the clouds, waters and death, for now she gradually prevails over the god-sun who decreases in his power after the twentieth of June. Christian piety has connected this pagan festival with St. John the Baptist, introduced names of some saints in the lore and in some instances even

changed the name of goddess Marena into christianized name Maryna (Mary). At Kupalo’s ceremonies the effigies representing the god-sun and goddess Marena are usually thrown into the water and a great entertainment follows: the girls in wreath dance with the boys around a fire, all sing and foretell their fortune:

HEY, NA IVANA, HEY NA KUPALA

OY, PIDU YA DO MLYNA, DO MLYNA

(e) The Obzhinkovi pisni—the harvest songs, from obzhinaty—to harvest around, to reap [Pg 19]around, and finish the harvest—are the expression of thanksgiving to gods of bounty and harvest for the benefits received; they are sung both on thanksgiving days and on the way to and from the work of harvesting, while it lasts; these gods have been consequently changed into hospitable husbandmen and house-wives:

VECHIR⁠[8]

FOOTNOTES:

[1] Some claim that “Kolyada” is composed of the word “ko”—to, and the name for the goddess Lada, which denotes the turning of one’s prayers towards goddess Lada.

[2] Diminutive. The translation of the following cycle of songs and folklore are my own and original, unless stated otherwise. Some of the quoted songs are those I remember from my childhood in Ukraine; others were suggested by friends, or translated from books of references or song books.

[3] Kutia is the boiled wheat with honey for Christmas Eve; one of the indispensable dishes.

[4] Shchedryk, one who sings Christmas or New Year’s carols.

[5] Diminutive, feminine for Shchedryk.

[6] * Songs marked thus were suggested to me in Ukrainian by a lady sixty-five years of age, a Pole by origin married to a Ukrainian; Madame Zazulak of 951 Washington Ave., Bronx, New York City.

[7] Lviv—Lemberg, Capital of Ukrainian Galicia, written in other Slavic languages—Lvov.

[8] The evening.

[Pg 20]

CHAPTER V B. Historic and Political Songs