Anthology of Tatar folklore

Maris - one of the Finno-Ugric nars in Russia. The main ethnic territory - Middle Volga region, where in ancient times that saw the formation of the Mari people. According to population census 2010 number of Mari in Russia amounted to 547,605 persons, including in the Perm region, there were 4121.

Kamwa-expedition. Tatars.
video
photo
1
Rural Tune
Atnyaguzi and Verkh-Iren villages’ ensemble
The nightingales drink at nights
Some dew from grass,
Some dew from grass.
You will remember and really miss 
The times when we were together. 
You will remember and really miss 
The times when we were together. 

I’m leaving, leaving,
I’m leaving, so they all stay,
I’m leaving, so they all stay,
They all who were unfair to me,
Let they take breathe freely.

Geese are flying away, geese are flying away,
Geese are flying away to the Donets Land,
Geese are flying away to the Donets Land.
I would fly, following them,
And would not become detached from the geese.
I would fly, following them,
And would not become detached from the geese.
2
Rural Tune
Murshida Akhkamova (born 1930), and Atnyaguzi village ensemble
I went to the lake, I put a line out,
There is no fish here.
I would flee from here,
I would be back to
The  place, where the cold autumn wind,
To my homeland,
To the cold wind,
To my homeland.
3
Guest Tune
Verkhny Syp village ensemble
Matchmakers have come to our place,
Not drowned in the sea,
Matchmakers have come to our place,
Not drowned in the sea.
If they had drowned in the sea,
Who would have come to our place then?
If they had drowned in the sea,
Who would have come to our place then?

This man is turned out to be a matchmaker, 
His fur coat is with silk lining.
This man is turned out to be a matchmaker, 
His fur coat is with silk lining.
Not every man 
Can be a matchmaker,
Not every man
Can be a matchmaker.

Matchmaker, my precious lady,
Where have you got your pocket mirror?
 Matchmaker, my precious lady,
Where have you got your pocket mirror?
Get your mirror out then,
So beautiful your face is!
Get your mirror out then,
So beautiful your face is!

Matchmakers have come to our place,
Not drowned in the sea,
Matchmakers have come to our place,
Not drowned in the sea.
If they had drowned in the sea,
Who would have come to our place then?
If they had drowned in the sea,
Who would have come to our place then?
4
Artel’s Tune
Yenapayevo village ensemble
From where have you come to us,
Save and sound?
Dear guest, dear friend from mountains,
How should I wine and dine you?
Dear guest, dear friend from mountains,
How should I wine and dine you?

There are eight legs of a table,
Our table is huge,
The guests, sitting here,
All are beautiful as if the pick of the bunch.
The guests, sitting here,
All are beautiful as if the pick of the bunch.

Friends of mine, I start my song,
Sing along all together!
If I break into a sad song,
Don’t join me,
If I break into a sad song,
Don’t join me.

Pass the door,
Reach the flowers.
I look at you and at them,
You are more beautiful.
I look at you and at them,
You are more beautiful.

On the top of the mountain
Who has built a show-booth?
 They say the world is heavy,
Who tried to raise it up?
They say the world is heavy,
Who can raise it up?

The youth, they say, is up-n-coming,
If only I could see the way it is passing!
While it is going I’d catch it
And give a whopping.
While it is going I’d catch it
And give a whopping.

One feast – and life is one,
One feast – and life is one.
One feast – and life is one,
And let life goes like the feast time!
One feast – and life is one,
Let life goes joyfully.

Is that so we don’t have our garden
To grow our apples and persimmons? 
Is that so we don’t have our friends
To live happily ever after?
Is that so we don’t have our friends
To live happily ever after?

Dear mother, wake up in the morning,
Set the samovar to boil.
For me to live in homeland,
Pray for me.
For me to live in homeland,
Pray for me.
5
Lullaby
Farduna Khayazova (born 1932), Koltayevo
Bayu-bayushki-bayu
Soon my daughter will grow up,
When she grows up,
She will get married.
Living married
She will bring up babies.
Lots of kids in the family,
I will become a grandmother.
6
Game Tune
Ust-Turka village ensemble
One ruble, two rubles, two rubles and a half, 
One ruble, two rubles, two rubles and a half.
Comes a ruble, left a ruble to go from hand to hand,
Comes a ruble, left a ruble to go from hand to hand.
One ruble, two rubles, two rubles and a half, 
One ruble, two rubles, two rubles and a half.
Comes a ruble, left a ruble to go from hand to hand,
Comes a ruble, left a ruble to go from hand to hand.
One ruble, two rubles, two rubles and a half, 
One ruble, two rubles, two rubles and a half.
Comes a ruble, left a ruble to go from hand to hand,
Comes a ruble, left a ruble to go from hand to hand.
One ruble, two rubles, two rubles and a half, 
One ruble, two rubles, two rubles and a half.
Comes a ruble, left a ruble to go from hand to hand,
Comes a ruble, left a ruble to go from hand to hand.
7
Dancing Chastushka
Maysara Karimova (born 1933), Agafonkovo
Dance, dance,
You haven’t done it yet.
I didn’t see 
The way you dance.
Dance, dance,
You will get a lamb,
For such a dance
Everything is grudged.
8
Maryam
Farikha Mubarakshina (born 1937), Atnyaguzi
At the factory
Maryam got poisoned.
They took her to a hospital,
They took her to a hospital,
Put her on a bed,
Put her on a bed.
On the first day to see her
Her beloved one came.
The doctor says him:
‘Everything is fine with Maryam’.
On the second day to see her
Her mother came. 
The doctor says her:
‘Everything is bad with Maryam’.
On the third day to see her
The beloved one came again.
The doctor says him:
‘Maryam has already died’.
Open, Maryam, open, Maryam, 
Open, Maryam, your eyes!
If you don’t open your eyes, Maryam,
I will kill myself!
If you don’t open your eyes, Maryam,
I will kill myself!
9
Shawl
Maly Sars village ensemble
My shawl is knitted, my shawl is knitted,
My shawl is knitted, my shawl is knitted,
My shawl is not round at all,  
My shawl is not round at all,  
Enne-geder, genne-geder genneam,
Enne-geder, genne-geder genneam.*

I would bounce and dance, 
I would bounce and dance, 
My soul is not a butterfly,
My soul is not a butterfly
Enne-geder, genne-geder genneam,
Enne-geder, genne-geder genneam.
10
Street Tune
Rashit Kabirov (born 1946), Gakif Royanov (born 1942), Maly Sars
In our land there are high mountains,
Willows are growing at their foot.
The willows have leaves, we have sorrows,
How are you doing?
The willows have leaves, we have sorrows,
How are you doing?

Beneath the mountain there is a cold brook,
The cold brook is running. 
I would tell you about my sorrow,
Even the wind doesn’t blow to my homeland.
I would tell you about my sorrow,
Even the wind doesn’t blow to my homeland.

If an apple is taken from a branch,
It will dry far away from its branch.
If my heart was not on fire,
I would bear the sorrow.
If my heart was not on fire,
I would bear the sorrow.

On the bank of the cold brook
If only I could water my horses
In my homeland,
If only I could live my life
In my homeland,
If only I could live my life.
11
Jocular
Zalifa Akhmadiyeva (born 1949), Berdykayevo
I used to have two shawls,
One has been drifted by water,
Madina, my blooming girl,
One has been drifted water,
Madina, my blooming girl,
One has been drifted, darling.

We all were thrown to different parts
By the waves of life.
Madina, my blooming girl,
Thrown by the waves of life.

An apron is on your slender waist 
Is streaming in the wind.
Even nightingales are not singing,
In any place without you, darling.

And I will be scarlet,
And I will be a flower.
Not yesterday, but today.
We are meant to be together, darling,
Not yesterday, but today, darling.
12
Lyrical Song
Verkhny Syp village ensemble
Hey, be a scarlet flower
And meet your happiness,
Hey, be a scarlet flower
And meet your happiness.
If you don’t meet your happiness,
You will become a ripe apple.
If you don’t meet your happiness,
You will become a ripe apple.

Apples and persimmons 
Will become red and ripen.
Apples and persimmons 
Will ripe soon.
If you don’t remember me now
You will remember me later. 
If you don’t remember me now
You will remember me later.

I have made home brew, put sugar in it,
Gathered a whole sack of hops,
I have made home brew, put sugar in it,
Gathered a whole sack of hops.
Song will not end – 
At home there is another sack of hops,
Song will not end – 
At home there is another sack of hops,

Say: ‘Sing along!’. Say ‘sing along!’ –
And I am not singer’s daughter.
Say: ‘Sing along!’. Say ‘sing along!’ –
And I am not singer’s daughter.
But if I sing loudly,
I will be as good as singers. 
But if I sing loudly,
I will be as good as singers. 
13
Dancing Chastushkas
Ust-Turka village ensemble
There’s a crest on cock’s head,
There’s a crest on hen’s head,
There’s a crest on cock’s head,
There’s a crest on hen’s head.

There is no need for calling dancers,
They start dancing by themselves.
There is no need for calling dancers,
They start dancing by themselves.

I went to a river, to a small river,
A frog is washing and having baths,
I went to a river, to a small river,
A frog is washing and having baths.

Your beloved is anxious,
When he goes he stumbles,
Your beloved is anxious,
 When he goes he stumbles.

This your dress is so gorgeous – 
And American galoshes.
This your dress is so gorgeous – 
And American galoshes.

You are dancing on the floor
Like a magpie on a fence pole,
You are dancing on the floor
Like a magpie on a fence pole.
14
Tune for Gathering Presents
Atnyaguzi and Verkh-Iren village ensemble
Open the gates, I will come in,
Go up the stairs.
There is no need for bitter tears,
Let me see your slender body.
There is no need for bitter tears,
Let me see your slender body.

The doors are open,
How nicely she is entering!
To see her just once
Is the most precious thing for me,
To see her just once
Is the most precious thing for me.

Play, play, accordion,
The tunes of our village.
Let them enter each window,
Let them enter each house.
Let them enter each window,
Let them enter each house.
15
Ashkazar
Berdykayevo village ensemble
On the bank of the Ashkazar river
They say, there was a beauty.
On the bank of the Ashkazar river
They say, there was a beauty.
The one whom she loved
They say she married.
The one whom she loved
They say she married.
One day her husband went
To the river for fishing.
One day her husband went
To the river for fishing.
The beauty waited, but he wasn’t back,
So a night passed.
The beauty waited, but he wasn’t back,
So a night passed.
In the morning the beauty was ready
To go and search for his traces.
In the morning the beauty was ready
To go and search for his traces.
She followed the tracks and learnt:
Her husband drowned in the river.
She followed the tracks and learnt:
Her husband drowned in the river.
About her darling the beauty 
Started crying bitterly.
About her darling the beauty 
Started crying bitterly.
This sad song 
She wrote, they say.
This sad song 
She wrote, they say.
16
Tune For Sending Off to the Army
Agafonkovo village ensemble
A cock climbed the fence,
‘Cock-a-doodle-doo’ – it cries.
The cock got the news
He had to go to the army.

The cock replied: ‘I won’t go!’.
And the hen said from the porch:
‘If the cock goes to the army
I won’t have an egg’.

A speckled hen will go for water
To a draw-well right over,
The cock is looking at her
As if it is the first time.
17
Guest Tune
Bashkultayevo village ensemble
My guests, you have come,
Knowing that you are welcomed.
My guests, you have come,
Knowing that you are welcomed.
You are like scarlet poppies
It seemed to me so,
You are like scarlet poppies
It seemed to me so.

Sing, maidens, sing along,
Earrings are in your ears.   
Sing, maidens, sing along,
Earrings are in your ears.   
While we’re together, let’s sing,
Forever we won’t be together.
While we’re together, let’s sing
Forever we won’t be together.

Just for a while we are together,
And this time will pass soon,
Just for a while we are together,
And this time will pass soon,
Just for a while we are together,
But we don’t appreciate the time,
Just for a while we are together,
But we don’t appreciate the time.

The wall-clock is striking,
Counting minutes,
The wall-clock is striking,
Counting minutes.
I will see you in my dreams
Only with smiles your faces.
I will see you in my dreams
Only with smiles your faces.

Hey, dear friends, let’s sing along,
While we are together,
Hey, dear friends, let’s sing along,
While we are together,
Soon we will rush away 
Wherever in different ways,
Soon we will rush away 
Wherever in different ways.
18
Street Tune
Minnevagiza Murakayeva (born 1922), Bateryaki, Raisa Garyayeva (born 1935), Vankino
In our Shauba everything’s nice 
The grain elevator is built. 
If you feel sad go to the field,
The birds will console you, 
If you feel sad go to the field,
The birds will console you, 

Even a sharp reaping-hook can’t cut
The reeds of Shauba.
At sunrise I wake up, in evening I sadden
Listening to the nightingale warbles.
At sunrise I wake up, in evening I sadden
Listening to the nightingale warbles.

The river in our Shauba
Has twelve curves,
So hard it turns out to live
Far away from each other.
So hard it turns out to live
Far away from each other.
19
Chastushkas
Rafiga Nasipova (born 1940), Yenapayevo
Guests have come to the neighbors,
But then what should I do?
Guests have come to the neighbors,
But then what should I do?
I will slaughter a ram
And cook it for the guests,
I will slaughter a ram
And cook it for the guests.

You are playing the quray*
And lying under a willow,
You are playing the quray
And lying under a willow.

If you don’t make hay in summer – 
In winter you will starve,
If you don’t make hay in summer – 
In winter you will starve.

Have you seen the hare tracks?
I have seen the hare tracks.
Have you seen the hare tracks?
I have seen the hare tracks.

Do you want to see the guest?
Take you quray and come.
Do you want to see the guest?
Take you quray and come.
20
Rural Tune
Salikha Azmukhanova (born 1937), Sorokino
Hello, mother, from the faraway lands,
From the depth of my soul,
From your daughter, whom you loved and hugged in her childhood.
Dear mother, the light of my eyes, 
Don’t leave – I will come.

Don’t feel hurt ‘cause I write you not often,
Although you have the reasons to feel it
Much pain I have brought you,
Your forehead is covered with wrinkles. 
Dear mother, the light of my eyes, 
Don’t leave – I will come.
21
Guest Tune
Verkhny Syp village ensemble
Ivan and Ichtypandyr are sitting 
At the table, it is fine.
To escape the boredom,
Let’s empty the glasses.
To escape the boredom,
Let’s empty the glasses.

On the table there are books,
Shade’s under the table.
Similar to each other
The friends are sitting like grandees.	
Similar to each other
The friends are sitting like grandees.

Is there fire in the stove,
Is the home-made wine getting ready?
Drink not only today –
Leave some for tomorrow.
Drink not only today –
Leave some for tomorrow.

I will go to Ufa,
When the road is open.
I won’t sigh bitterly,
When my heart becomes cold.
I won’t sigh bitterly,
When my heart becomes cold.

There are eight legs of a table,
Our table is huge,
The guests, sitting here,
All are beautiful as if the pick of the bunch.
The guests, sitting here,
All are beautiful as if the pick of the bunch.

Moscow blankets
I put on myself.
If you couldn’t see you friends for half a hour
You missed them.
If you couldn’t see you friends for half a hour
You missed them.
22
Street Tune
Sorokino village ensemble
Our broad street
Will become narrower, when divided,
Will become narrower, when divided.
Your face, pink-cheeked like an apple 
Will become yellow.
If you couldn’t see you friends for half a hour
You missed them.

My motherland is far away,
I long for my homeland,
I long for my homeland,
When I am longing for my motherland,
I shiver like a bird.
When I am longing for my motherland,
I shiver like a bird.

Nightingales have come to our land,
Will the fly away in autumn?
Like the nightingales with songs
Will we leave?
Like the nightingales with songs
Will we leave?
23
Sarman
Baytulla Gimranov (born 1933), Sariya Gimranova (born 1939), Byrma
Only by being in water
We learnt that it was cold.
Only saying good-bye, I learnt
That I am lonely.
Only saying good-bye, I learnt
That I am lonely.

In the running water they never throw
White bark of birches.
All the rest walk in couples,
Why are we apart?
All the rest walk in couples,
Why are we apart?
24
Spiritual Song
Marziya Khallillina (born 1931), Chayka
I go out and look at the Moon.
Where are my children?
If my son’s letter comes,
My heart will assuage.

I go out and look at the Moon
On the fifteenth day.
We meet together so rarely,
My son has gone far away.

My son woke up in the morning,
Put on his dress to travel,
Said: ‘Good-bye, my mother’.
My soul is anxious.

Let us be patient, patience gives strengths,
Many people suffer.
Let their souls  
Be blessed by the God!

Let us be patient, let us be patient,
What else should we do?
If we are patient,
The God will help us.
25
Street Tune
Baytulla Gimranov (born 1933), Byrma
I thought I wouldn’t take water from a draw-well,
I thought, when we parted,
I wouldn’t bear a minute.
I thought, when we parted,
I wouldn’t bear a minute.
26
Dance-folk tune on the accordion
Mullahmatova Fakiya born in 1932 Village Yulaev, Suksun area.