Original
Nejpřód zroböm dášek a potym ruky tež ze słamy potém oblečóm košulku bruślek a potym mazelonki i jedna na druhu coby byŭa šéroká bo jedna na druhu strójóm kera bydże pekńejšá karton śe i zapáše teraz śe i založi šatka na kyrk. teraz śe i dá na hłavu bandle a teras śe i dá véńec na hłavu teraz i śe dajóm kokotky take bandlički — a teraz po całé ńé bandle poprišivajom křiž na nakřiž potym styrčum do řicí ḿelač (co při młynku je) abo jaku żerdku i potym jóm ńešóm na tè żerdce — látko, látečko — látečko to jest ze švérkoveho dřeva steho hójá stym špendličém (te listečki te mały igły) a to bandle u faborki (vstążki) pospřivazujóm do koła všudźe a potym z jajec (z vajęc) co kusek povéšajóm na té hałuže abo śé kańé na ńići (šečka) postyrkajom a do koła povéšajom.
O před tym farářem jargany hrajóm
a tén naš pón farář bardzo pékńe odprávajóm
A před tym rektorem tam voda huči
a tén naš pón rechtor bardzo pékńe džeći uči.
Tak dva tydńi to bandce żbérajóm po vśi kaj vedzóm že ich majém té dżevki a jak tydżeń před tym to jóm strojóm a jak přijdże čárná ńedżela jak přijdže śe do połedńa s kośćeła to zaraz idóm napředy do páństva bo śe ty dżochy předbihajóm jedna druhé — bo kerá pyršá to vacy dostańe a potym jag od páństva to chodzóm po vśi i śpevajóm dżevkóm — a nejpředy farářovi a rektorovi jak pozobchodzóm všudźe po vśi to odstrojóm mařénu i schovajóm té šaty ś ńé i dášek dajóm na bok — a veznóm látečko i chodzóm śpevać pachołkóm — předźi idóm do kośćeła dżochy ze synkami i jak po kośćele to idóm i veznóm ten dášek idóm ś ńim do pola kaj vuóda je i tóm cestóm śpivajóm rozmańite pesnički i tež řikajóm jak přidóm ku vodże to rostyrchajóm tén dášek počepnóm ho do vody — to pyrvy to my hrali na dłuheho ogóna i na rozmańte dżivy — to śe pochytajóm za ko pudroki za řić i modz ich co ich je velki kluč e tęn pirši to má kij abo šatku skrucenu ve dvoje a to potym ten předńi létá za tym zadńim a to ho bije tóm šatkóm tak dycki mušóm do koła chytać a hóńić jedón druheho. Jak po ty hračce to idóm dódom a potym śe podżelóm témi péńǫndzami dóma bo dostanom od ńekerych péńǫndze od ńekerych jajca.
Translation
The source is recorded as continuous, unpunctuated speech. Sentence breaks and punctuation below are editorial, added for readability; no wording has been changed.
First we make the little board, and then arms too out of straw, then we dress her in a little shirt, a bodice, and then the mazelonka [the fitted bodice-skirt piece of Silesian folk costume] — one over another, so it becomes wide, because they layer one over the other to make it prettier; a bit of card is fastened on now, and a kerchief is tied round the neck; now a bonnet is put on the head, and now a wreath is put on the head too, and now little cockerels are added, small ribbons too — and now they sew crosses crisscross all over the bonnet. Then they mount it on a stirring-stick (the kind used at the mill) or some pole, and carry her on that pole — a little effigy, a little effigy — the little effigy is made of fir wood, stuck all over with pins (little leaves, small needles), and the bonnet with its little ribbons is tied on all round, and then bits of eggshell are hung here and there on the branches, or threaded on string and hung all round.
Before that priest, hurdy-gurdies play,
and our dear priest sees them off very kindly.
And before that schoolmaster, there the water roars,
and our dear schoolmaster teaches the children very nicely.
For two weeks beforehand the girls go round the village collecting for it, wherever they know there are girls, and the week before they dress her up; and when Black Sunday [Passion Sunday] comes, as soon as they come from church around midday, they go straight first to the manor house, because the girls race each other there — whichever gets there first also gets your [the others'] share too. Then, just as at the manor, they go round the village and sing to the girls — and first to the priest and the schoolmaster, going round everywhere in the village — then they undress the Marzanna and put away her clothes, setting the little board aside, and they take the little effigy and go round singing to the farmhands. First the girls go to church with the lads, and after church they take the little board and go with it to the field where the water is, and along the way they sing various songs, and they say too that when they reach the water they'll pull the little board apart and throw it in the water. Before that, we used to play "long tail" and various other games — they grab each other round the backside, near the cheeks, and whoever has the biggest key [advantage], the first one has a stick or a kerchief twisted double, and then the one in front runs after the one behind and hits him with that kerchief; so they always have to catch each other going round in a circle and chase one another. After that game they go home, and then they share out the money at home, since they get money from some and eggs from others.
Translator's note
Several dialect and costume terms in this text were clarified with reader input: mazelonki (mazelonka, the fitted bodice-skirt piece of the historical Upper Silesian women's folk costume, worn under an apron); ko pudroki (read as koło pudroki, "around/near the pudroki" — pudroki being a dialect word for sugared or powdered sweets, used here as a playful, euphemistic term for the backside/cheeks in the children's game); and vacy (read as a dialect form of wasze, "yours/your share," rather than więcej, "more" — an aside spoken to the children explaining that whoever arrives first also collects the share of those who lag behind).
More
Main Page Villages & Social-Life All entries Editorial method Sources & collectors