Listen
Shine, bright moon of mine,
light my way to school
so I can learn to read and write
and get an education,
which is a godly thing.
Dear moon, so big and round
like a florin from the City
light my way
so I can get myself to school
and learn to read and write
and get an education,
which is a godly thing,
and love my mum and dad
and aim high, just as high as I can.
Translated by Michael Eleftheriou
Φεγγαράκι μου λαμπρό
Φεγγαράκι μου λαμπρό
φέγγε μου να περπατώ
να πηγαίνω στο σχολειό,
να μαθαίνω γράμματα,
γράμματα, σπουδάγματα,
του Θεού τα πράγματα.
Φεγγαράκι μου γεμάτο
σα φλουρί κωσταντινάτο,
φέγγε μου τώρα στη στράτα,
στο σχολειό να κατεβώ,
να μαθαίνω γράμματα,
γράμματα, σπουδάγματα,
του Θεού τα πράγματα,
τους γονείς μου ν’ αγαπώ,
και τρανό να ’χω σκοπό.
This children’s song has been identified with the popular legend of the ‘secret school’, a national myth articulated by Greek scholars after the 1821 revolution which every generation since has taken in with their mother’s milk. According to oral tradition, children would sing it on their way to and back from schools, which, being banned by the Ottoman authorities, they had to attend in secret at night. The image is supposed by some to have helped raise children’s awareness of Greek letters. Miranda Terzopoulou (2007)
Translated by Michael Eleftheriou
Recorded in a studio in 2005.
