Ya saves ke so niña kurnasa, no kero ke pases por mi kasa, pasas para hacerme inates, yo no komo estos malumates. Trava, no kero sintir boda. Trava, teneke a la koda. El vistido ke yevas tú es mío, por pagarlo empeñí l’ anillo, benadam te hici yo en primero, te pagué hasta el kunduriero. Trava vre manga ke alani, Trava, ke aptopa salimani. Yo no so de estas niñas bovas ke se dejan tomar por eskovas ke por no kayer en la vergüensa vos subaš enriva la kabeza. Vate! ke mangas topo muchos no puedo ver los averuchos no me merkates por esklava mostrame la espalda, trava! Tomas novia sin tener de vente, vos das aire ke vean la ĝente, ama la niña ke sea ezvelta no se deje tomar por hapeta. Trava! por no tener mas pleito tomates del serme a kuento. Vate! hilal ke te se haga Trava! del Dio tengas la paga. (greek text) .... Komerikos buenos kon vianda, a mi kaza tomates por lokanda, y a todos tomates endipla, y a tu esfuegra por dičipla. Trava, no kero sintir boda. Trava, teneke a la koda. Trava vre manga ke alani, Trava, ke aptopa salimani.
You know I’m but a playful girl,
I don’t want you passing by my door.
You pass to stir my peace again —
I’m not like those with wicked hearts. Hold back, I’ll hear no talk of weddings.
Hold back, keep your tail behind you. The dress you wear was once my own,
I pawned my ring to pay its price.
It was I who made you into someone,
I even paid the shoemaker. Hold back, don’t pull upon my sleeve.
Hold back, don’t make a scene. I’m not one of those foolish girls
who let themselves be swept like brooms,
who, fearing shame, bow down in silence,
I lift my head and face the world. Go! I’ve seen too many wrongs,
I cannot bear your petty ways.
Don’t buy me as your slave or prize
turn your back and walk away. You take a bride without a thought,
pretending so the crowd may see.
Love a girl who stands her ground,
who will not yield to trickery. Hold back,no more of this quarrel,
count the words that you have spoken.
Go now, may the moon judge fairly,
hold back, and may God repay you. Good merchants bring their meats and wine,
they lodge within my humble home.
I feed them twice, and teach your mother
to mind her place, as I do mine. Hold back, I’ll hear no talk of weddings.
Hold back, keep your tail behind you.
Hold back, don’t tug upon my sleeve.
Hold back, and let me be.
From Ventanas Altas de Saloniki, 2013. From Sadik and Gazoz's booklet XI, sung to the melody of the Greek song "Trava, vre manga ke alani" by an unknown composer, under the description of how girls should respond to their capricious suitors.
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