[24] Vila (pronounced veelah) is with the Serbians a female deity (Muse or Grace) of incomparable beauty and tenderness. But she can be very hostile to mortals. (Cf. note 16. Edit.)
[25] The cuckoo (Kukavica), according to Serbian tradition, was a maiden who mourned so unceasingly for a dead brother, that she was changed into a bird, and thence continues without rest her melancholy note. A Serbian girl who has lost a brother never hears a cuckoo without shedding tears.—"I a poor cuckoo," is equivalent to "woe is me!" (S. J. B.)
[26] Ban is obviously a corrupt form of the Polish or Cech or Ruthenian title Pan, meaning "Mr." or, in direct address, "Sir." To this day that word has been conserved only by those Serbians who have lived in the Austro-Hungarian territory called Croatia, and is applied as a title to their political chief. (Edit.)
[27] Lado is the vocative of Lada, the goddess of love, in the old Slavonian mythology. Lado! is a melancholy interjection in Serbian, whereas Lele! the vocative of Lela, the god of love, has frequently a cheerful association. Polela (after love) the goddess of marriage, is also sometimes apostrophised. Talvj remarks, that Ljad, in Russian, signifies misfortune. In common parlance, Lele mene (Serbian) imports "Woe is me!" (S. J. B.)
[28] Mlinar, the miller. (S. J. B.)
[29] Wesely imagines that this expression has been introduced into Serbian poetry by the influence of the interesting ballad on the marriage of Maxim Cernojevic (see Quarterly Review for December, 1826). The intimate intercourse which existed between Serbia and Venice may account for the phraseology. (S. J. B.)
[30] This song, as also others signed "O. M.", has been transversified by Robert Bulwer Lytton (Owen Meredith), "Serbske Pesme; or National Songs of Serbia," London, 1861. (Edit.)
[31] Kolo, signifying literally a wheel, is the generic term for all the Serbian national dances in most of which the dancers, either taking hands, or united each to each by a handkerchief tied round the waist or to the girdle, form a ring and advance or retreat to and from the centre to a monotonous music, either of the voice or some very simple wind instruments. Both sexes take part in these dances, which are frequently in the open air. (O. M.)
[32] This song as also those signed "J. W. W.", has been transversified and published by J. W. Wiles, "Serbian Songs and Poems: Chords of the Yugoslav Harp," New York, 1917.
[33] Hodza, i. e. Mohammedan priest. (J. W. W.)