Originally posted by wormwoodNuapurista kuulu se polokan tahti
yeah that's what happens in it.
jalakani pohjii kutkutti.
Ievan äiti se tyttöösä vahti
vaan kyllähän Ieva sen jutkutti,
sillä ei meitä silloin kiellot haittaa
kun myö tanssimme laiasta laitaan.
Salivili hipput tupput täppyt
äppyt tipput hilijalleen.
Ievan suu oli vehnäsellä
ko immeiset onnee toevotti.
Peä oli märkänä jokaisella
ja viulu se vinku ja voevotti.
Ei tätä poikoo märkyys haittaa
sillon ko laskoo laiasta laitaan.
Salivili hipput.
Ievan äiti se kammarissa
virsiä veisata huijjuutti,
kun tämä poika naapurissa
ämmän tyttöä nuijjuutti.
Eikä tätä poikoo ämmät haittaa
sillon ko laskoo laiasta laitaan.
Salivili.
Siellä oli lystiä soiton jäläkeen
sain minä kerran sytkyyttee.
Kottiin ko mäntii ni ämmä se riitelj
ja Ieva jo alako nyyhkyytteek.
Minä sanon Ievalle mitäpä se haittaa
laskemma vielähi laiasta laitaa.
Salivili.
Muorille sanon jotta tukkee suusi
en ruppee sun terveyttäs takkoomaa.
Terveenä peäset ku korjoot luusi
ja määt siitä murjuus makkoomaa.
Ei tätä poikoo hellyys haittaa
ko akkoja huhkii laiasta laitaan.
Salivili.
Sen minä sanon jotta purra pittää
ei mua niin voan nielasta.
Suat männä ite vaikka lännestä ittään
vaan minä en luovu Ievasta,
sillä ei tätä poikoo kainous haittaa
sillon ko tanssii laiasta laitaan.
ENGLISH TRANSLATION
The sound of a polka drifted from my neighbor's
and set my feet a-tapping oh!
Ieva's mother had her eye on her daughter but
Ieva she managed to fool her, you know.
'Cause who's going to listen to mother saying no
when we're all busy dancing to and fro!
Ieva was smiling, the fiddle it was wailing
as people crowded round to wish her luck.
Everyone was hot but it didn't seem to bother
the handsome young man, the dashing buck.
'Cause who's going to mind a drop of sweat
when he's all busy dancing to and fro!
Ieva's mother she shut herself away
in her own quiet room to hum a hymn.
Leaving our hero to have a spot of fun
in a neighbor's house when the lights are dim.
'Cause what does it matter what the old folks say
when you're all busy dancing to and fro!
When the music stopped then the real fun began
and that's when the laddie fooled around.
When he took her home, when the dancing was over
her mother angrily waiting they found.
But I said to her, Ieva, now don't you weep
and we'll soon be dancing to and fro!
I said to her mother now stop that noise
or I won't be responsible for what I do.
If you go quietly and stay in your room
you won't get hurt while your daughter I woo.
'Cause this fine laddie is a wild sort of guy
when he's all busy dancing to and fro!
One thing I tell you is you won't trap me,
no, you won't find me an easy catch.
Travel to the east and travel to the west but
Ieva and I are going to make a match.
'Cause this fine laddie ain't the bashful sort
when he's all busy dancing to and fro
[ Ievan Polkka Lyrics on http://www.lyricsmania.com/ ]
Originally posted by pawnhandlerthe story is roughly right, but the details are all wrong. then again, the original is so heavy dialect even most finns have trouble understanding it, so I guess the translation is close enough. 🙂
ENGLISH TRANSLATION
The sound of a polka drifted from my neighbor's
and set my feet a-tapping oh!
Ieva's mother had her eye on her daughter but
Ieva she managed to fool her, you know.
'Cause who's going to listen to mother saying no
when we're all busy dancing to and fro!
Ieva was smiling, the fiddle it was wailing
as people crowded round to ...[text shortened]... cing to and fro
[ Ievan Polkka Lyrics on http://www.lyricsmania.com/ ]
Originally posted by wormwoodIs it really about spinning rather than tapping, and they mixed up "feet" and "leek"?
the story is roughly right, but the details are all wrong. then again, the original is so heavy dialect even most finns have trouble understanding it, so I guess the translation is close enough. 🙂
1 edit
Originally posted by NordlysI'll translate the first verse as an example:
Is it really about spinning rather than tapping, and they mixed up "feet" and "leek"?
The sound of a polka drifted from my neighbor's
and set my feet a-tapping oh!
Ieva's mother had her eye on her daughter but
Ieva she managed to fool her, you know.
'Cause who's going to listen to mother saying no
when we're all busy dancing to and fro!
then the accurate translation (ignoring rythm, smooth english etc.) :
that beat of polka was heard from the neighbour's
(no sound nor difting mentioned)
the soles of my feet itched
(no tapping mentioned)
eeva's mother she guarded her daughter
(no eyes)
well sure enough eeva fooled her
('fooled' isn't really accurate, 'pulled' or 'jerked' would be closer, as in 'pulled her leg'. 'jutkuttaa' is very thick dialect, and probably impossible to translate accurately)
for (then) we are not bothered by nos
(is there an english noun for forbid? like a 'forbidion'? 🙂 because the plural of that is what's needed instead of the 'nos' I put there.)
when we are dancing from edge to edge
(to and fro would be 'sinne ja tänne' which is different)
no leeks there, sorry.
