DOBRA NEVESTO
Bulgaria.
Version 1. The letters "a^" denote a sound like the "u" in English "put".
Snošti e Dobra docna sedela
Oj Dobro, Dobro, dobra nevesto
Docna sedela, poprelkuvala
Oj..
Ta e naprela devet vretena
Oj...
Devet vretena tenka osnova
Oj...
Ta e natkala tenki darove
Oj...
Da mi daruva sveka^r, sveka^rva
Oj...
Sveka^r, sveka^rva, dever, eta^rva
Oj....
Dever, eta^rva, po-mala za^lva
Oj...
Last night Dobra sat up late
Oh Dobra, good wife!Sat up late spinning.
And she spun nine spindles-full
Nine spindles-full of fine warp-thread
And she wove fine wedding gifts
To gift her father-in-law, her mother-in-law
Her father-in-law, mother-in-law, brother-in-law [husband's brother] and his wife
Brother-in-law, his wife, and her younger sister-in-law [husband's unmarried sister]
Source and translation (with permission); Martha Forsyth. This is for the version on the Balkanton album "Pirinski Pesni", BHA 10929 (Marija Tomova & Živka Gavrilova, Kiril Trajkov on tambura):
Dobra means "good", but is also the woman's name. Martha adds concerning the meaning that Dobra is not married yet as she prepares her wedding gifts; the refrain (Oh Dobra, Dobra, good bride/new wife) expresses the faith that, as her hard work suggests, she WILL be a good bride/wife.
Version 2
Snošti e Dobra, kasno sedela
Oj dobro, dobro, dobra Nevesto (this couplet repeated several times)Ta e naprela devet vretena
Devet vretena tenka osnova (this couplet at end)
Source; Jutta Weber, Paul Boizot.
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