[55]. Wechernyci: evening party or assembly.
[56]. Falcon: beloved one.
[57]. In Bukowina it used to be too often the fate of the girl of sixteen or thereabouts to be “thrown to a lover” of her mother’s choice regardless of her own passion for another. “Mothers in Austria are like step-mothers,” said a Ruthenian girl to the writer in explanation of this poem. Many a young girl has drowned herself when she found that her dreams of happiness might not come true.
[58]. Hromada: the whole parish.
[59]. Holub: he-pigeon.
[60]. The rapid river: River of Youth.
[61]. Widra: pails.
[62]. Mila: dear one.
[63]. Verbatim: “likha,” fem. of “likho.” The adjective “likho” has two opposite meanings, sometimes signifying what is evil, hurtful, malicious; sometimes what is bold, vigorous, and therefore to be admired. As a substantive “likho” conveys the idea of something malevolent or unfortunate. But the peasantry also describe by Likho an evil spirit, a sort of devil—“When Likho sleeps, awake it not” is a Polish and South Russian proverb.—Ralston.
The music for this song is captivating and haunts one; the first two lines are slow, the rest of the measure being in quick, lively time.