Northern Albanian
1. Gheg: Legendary Heroic Epic
Muji and Halili (Shetuni, 2011)
All mighty God, to him we are indebted
We are merely people, and the Almighty has shown us mercy!
When Harapi emerged from the sea,
Young warriors he demanded from the king,
A deep sadness the king experienced,
Three hundred warriors he did find,
All boys without mother and father,
Boys not engaged nor married,
He sent them to Harapi in the battle field,
Three hours, no longer than that,
All with sword Harapi murdered,
A deeper sadness the king experienced,
At that moment his daughter tells him,
“If you seek brave warriors, I can find them,
Brave warriors are Muji and Halili,
People say they’re together in Jutbinë”
Muji’s Strength
Look what Gjeto Bashe Muji did!
Early in the morning the brave one got up,
He wore and fastened his battle suit,
His outfit for war he put on,
Then he fastened his battle sword,
And he readied his battle horse,
Up and at ’em, he jumped on his horse,
And he boldly gazed at the vast highlands,
With Halili he travelled the mountains,
“Did you know, Halil o brave one?
Today we step on the battle field,
There will come Krajleviç Marki,
If we can, with a rifle we kill him,
Or alive we capture him,
To escape we will not let him.
2. Gheg: Kânge Kreshnike’
Mark e Musa (Lord, 1937)
sung:
Glory to the Lord, the blessed Lord
Kraljevic Marko arose
and Marko rose to his feet
he mounted onto the back of Sharan
and Marko set out mounted on Sharan
Marko went toward Stambol
recited:
when Marko was on his way to Stambol
to appear before the Emperor
to appear before the Emperor
three battalions surrounded him
three battalions surrounded him
and they besieged Marko
Southern Albanain
3. Tosk: Pastoral
Sons of Shepherds We Are: (Shetuni, 2011)
Sons of shepherds we are,
Goats and sheep we have tended,
By those hills and by those shadows,
Where the girls look pretty as stars,
Girls-oh stars-oh,
In those mountains in those paths,
Where the partridge sings its song!
II
Together, amongst crags with bushes,
We’ve had and overcome troubles,
In those mountains of rocks,
Climb the boys like deer,
Boys-oh, brave ones-oh,
In those fields of shamrocks,
Where the nightingale sings its songs!
III
Sons of shepherds we were,
Under tents we slept,
Snow and rain we have endured,
Sometimes fed and sometimes hungry,
Whoever dared encroach our land,
We have shot in the forehead,
Not one step could they take,
Muzzles over their faces we imposed!
4. Lab: Epic
Tafil Buzi Moon Moon (Translated from my recording 2022)
I remember
I remember the name of a man
Oh you chieftain Tafil buzi
Tafil The Sword
Tafiloooo
Tafil Buzi moon moon
The Man
The man with a heavy shadow
Carried the sword with his teeth
Tafil The Man
Tafiloooo
Tafil Buzi moon moon
I Hear
Through the valleys echoes a call to arms,
He Calls for the men to come, the greatest hero
Tafiloooo
Tafil Buzi moon moon
I sing
The song of the brave one with great deeds
Who shook an empire
Tafiloooo
Tafil Buzi moon moon
5 .Lab: Pastoral
Show yourself you nightingales (Translated from my recording 2022)
And if I catch fire
Let me burn like the candle
To leak like the breast’s button
Show yourself you nightingales, show yourself
And if my patience fades away
Mad you’ll raise me
Bring me to your songs
Show yourself you nightingales, show yourself
I’ll open up like a pebble
I’ll give you water to drink
So your suspension fades
Show yourself you nightingales, show yourself
I’ll open up like a pebble does
So, your twinkling fades
Show yourself you nightingales, show yourself