{504.} Rural Workers’ Songs

The poorest social layers in the Hungarian village contracted in groups for share harvesting in the summer (cf. pp. 82–4). They often worked far away from their own village, under very hard conditions. This is reflected in their characteristic songs, sung during breaks in the work:

All the summer I was reaping,

Rarely lay in bed a-sleeping:

Now I slept in field or greenwood,

Now on stubble, best as I could.

Oh, my Lord, say, why you keep me?

Why was I born poor and needy?

Had I not been such a poor lad,

I would reap and eat my own bread.

Bodrogköz (former Zemplén County)

The major part of these songs is known country-wide. It is noteworthy that among them relatively many are composed, artificial songs. Since the foremen came mostly from among those who could read and write, they themselves made up and wrote lyrics to existing melodies, and these show relationship primarily with the news-verse. The songs object not so much to the poor provisions, as to the mean treatment. Special songs developed about concluding the work and are generally the most light-hearted in tone:

Now that harvest is completed,

Harvest-home is celebrated.

Supper, goodwife! Call your guests in!

Give us, God, a good night’s restin’.

Gerencsér (former Nyitra County)

At the same time, harvesting was regarded as providing an important chance for finding a mate. Many marriages came about from harvesting together:

When I go a-reaping to the farmstead land,

She will be the lass to set the sheaves on end.

After we have gathered in the corn so ripe,

I shall take that lassie for my wedded wife.

When I go a-reaping to the farmstead land,

He will be the lad to come and lend a hand.

After we have gathered in the corn so ripe,

I shall be that laddie’s lawful wedded wife.

And I’ll fry him tarhonya*Granulated dried pastry made of flour and eggs. so nice and crisp

If he eats it, I shall kiss him on the lip.

Apátfalva (former Csanád County)