  The ordinary folk songs of the country are called sivupada and can be heard sung in a drawn out melody by the peasants labouring on their fields or watching their crops at night, by the bullock drivers as they go with their heavy laden carts; by the elephant keepers engaged in seeking fodder, by the boat men busy at their oars, by the women nursing their infants, by the children as they swing under the shady trees, and by the pilgrims on their way to some distant shrine. For rhythmic noise women and girls sit round a large tambourine placed on the ground and play on it notes representing jingle sounds like the following:— Vatta katat katat t Kumbura katat katat t Vatta katat kumbura katat katat katat katat tÂ. Attaka ratumal, attaka sudumal Elimal dolimal, rÊnkitul mal Rajjen tarikita rajjen tÂ. Oxen are encouraged to labour in the threshing floor by songs On, leader-ox, O ox-king, on, In strength the grain tread out. On, great one, yoked behind the king, In strength the grain tread out. This is not our threshing floor, The Moon-god’s floor it is. This is not our threshing floor The Sun-god’s floor it is. This is not our threshing floor, God Ganesha’s floor it is. “On, leader ox, etc.” As high as Adam’s Sacred Peak, Heap the grain, O heap it up; As high as Mecca’s holy shrine, Heap the grain, O heap it up; From highest and from lowest fields, Bring the grain and heap it up; High as our greatest relic shrine, O heap it up, heap it up. “On, leader ox, etc.” The cart drivers still sing of a brave Singhalese chieftain who fell on the battle field:— Pun sanda sÊma pÂyÂl rata meddÊ Ran kendi sÊma pÎrÂl pita meddÊ MÂra senaga vatakaragana Yama yudde Levke metindu ada taniyama velc medde (Like full orb’d moon his glory shone, his radiance filled the world His loosen’d hair knot falling free in smoothest threads of gold. MÂra’s host beset him—no thought was there to yield; To-day Lord Levke’s body still holds the lonely field. The elephant keepers strike up a rustic song to the accompaniment of a bamboo whistle. Etun tamayi api balamuva bolannÊ Kitul tamayi api kotaninda dennÊ RatÊ gamÊvat kitulak nedennÊ Etun nisÂmayi api divi nassinÊ. (It is elephants that we must look after, O fellows. From where can we get kitul for them. No village or district supplies us with kitul. It is owing to elephants that we lose our lives.) The following are specimens of a river song, a sea song and a tank song. MalÊ malÊ oya nÂmala nel varen Att bindeyi paya burulen tiy varen Mahavili ganga diyayanav bal varen SÂdukÊredÎ oruva pedana varen. (Brother, brother pluck that n flower and come. The branch will break, step on it lightly and come. See how Mahavili ganga’s waters flow and come. Raising shouts of thanks row your boat and come). Tan tan tan tal mediriy Tin tin tin ti l mediriy Ape delÊ mÂlu Goda edapan YÂlu VellÊ pur mÂlu. (Tan tan tan tal mediriy Tin tin tin ti l mediriy There is fish in our nets Pull it to the shore, friends The shore is full of fish.) “Sora bora vevÊ sonda sonda olu nelum eti. Êv nelannata sonda sonda liyÔ eti Kalu karal sudu karal uy deti Olu sÂlÊ bat kannata mÂlu ne?ti. (The Sora bora tank has fine white lotus flowers To pluck them there are very handsome women After cleaning and preparing, the blossoms will be cooked But alas there are no meat curries to eat with the lotus rice). Pilgrims on their way to Adam’s Peak sing the following first verse and as they return the second. 1. Devindu balen api vandinda Saman devindu vandavanda Muni sirip api vandinda ApÊ Budun api vandinda. (To worship our Buddha, to worship His footprint, may god Saman help us, may his might support us). 2. Devindu balen api vendÔ Saman devindu vendevÔ Munisirip api vendÔ ApÊ budun api vendÔ. (We have worshipped our Buddha; We have worshipped his foot print; The god Samen helped us; His might supported us). A mother amuses her children by pointing out the moon and asking them to sing out Handa hamy apatat bat kanda rantetiyak diyÔ diyo (Mr. Moon, do give us a golden dish to eat our rice in); or she makes them clap their hands singing appuddi pudi puvathth kevum dekak devathth (clap, clap, clap away with two rice cakes in your hands); or she tickles them with the finger rhyme kandÊ duvayi, hakuru geneyi, tÔt kÂyi, matat deyi, hankutu kutu. (Run to the hills, bring molasses, You will eat, you will give me, hankutu kutu); or she swings them to the jingle “Onchilli chilli chille malÊ, Vella digata nelli kelÊ;” or she rocks them to sleep with the following lullabies:— UmbÊ amm kirata giy Kiri muttiya gangÉ giy Ganga vatakara kokku giyÂ, Kokku evith kiri bivvÂ, Umba nÂdan babÔ (Your mother went to fetch milk The milk pot went down the river The cranes surrounded the river The cranes came and drank the milk You better not cry, my baby.) Baloli loli bÂloliyÊ BÂla bilindu bÂloliyÊ Kiyamin gi neleviliyÊ Sethapemi magÊ suratheliyÊ (Darling darling little one Darling little tender one Sleeping songs do I sing Sleep away my fond little one.) RadÂgedere kosattÊ Eka gediyayi palagattÊ Êka kanta lunu nettÊ Numba nÂdan doyi doyiyÊ. (The jak tree at the washer’s house Bore only one fruit There is no salt to eat with it You better not cry, but sleep, sleep) VandurÔ indagana ambÊ liyannan Vendiri indagana hÂl garannan PetiyÔ indagana sindu kiyannan Tala kola pettiya, gangÊ duvannan. (The monkeys are engaged in cutting up a mango Their mates are engaged in washing the rice Their young ones are engaged in singing songs. The palm leaf box is drifting in the river.) The following is a specimen of a love song. “Galaknan peleyi mata vedunu gindarÊ Vilaknan pireyi ne?t kandulu enase?rÊ Malak vat pudami numba namata rubarÊ Tikakkat ned?da matatibunu ÂdarÊ. (If I were a stone my passion’s heat would have split me. If I were a pond my weeping tears would have filled me. O my darling, I shall offer a flower to your memory. Is there nothing left of your old love for me). |
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