CRADLE SONGByRAPHAEL PATKANIAN(1830–1892)MotherSweet slumber now creeps o’er thee slow,Sweet breezes rock thee to and fro:My baby sleeps, so soft and lowWith sweetest songs I’ll singoror.1BabyO Mother dear, thou art unkindMy sleepless eyes so long to bind.2Anon I’ll rest, and sleep resigned;—Release me now, sing notoror.MotherWhy dost thou shed those tears that flowDown thy sad cheeks with pearly glow?Thou’lt break thy heart with sobbing so,—Whom wilt thou have to singoror?BabyAt least my hands and feet unbind—My tender limbs are all confined;That gentle sleep my eyes may find,Then tie me in, and singoror.MotherThat tongue of thine is passing sweet,Yet with thy yards I cannot mete.Thou wilt not sleep, but at thy feetWouldst have me sit, and singoror.BabyAll piteously I raise my prayer,I sob and cry, thou dost not hear.Thy sweet voice seems to charm thine ear—I weep, thou singest stilloror.MotherHush, hush, and sleep, my baby dear.My love shall guard thee, year by year,Until my rose-tree blossoms fair,Then ‘neath his shade I’ll singoror.BabyThy heart is made of stone, I see.I wept and wept, all uselessly.Now I shall sleep, I can’t be free,All night, all night sing meoror!Ara and SemiramisAra and Semiramis“She thought to bring Ara back to life by witchcraft and charms, for she was maddened by the intensity of her desires.”Moses of Khorene.1Oror—lullaby.↑2Armenian babies have their eyes bandaged when they are put to sleep, and they are tied into their cradles.↑
CRADLE SONGByRAPHAEL PATKANIAN(1830–1892)MotherSweet slumber now creeps o’er thee slow,Sweet breezes rock thee to and fro:My baby sleeps, so soft and lowWith sweetest songs I’ll singoror.1BabyO Mother dear, thou art unkindMy sleepless eyes so long to bind.2Anon I’ll rest, and sleep resigned;—Release me now, sing notoror.MotherWhy dost thou shed those tears that flowDown thy sad cheeks with pearly glow?Thou’lt break thy heart with sobbing so,—Whom wilt thou have to singoror?BabyAt least my hands and feet unbind—My tender limbs are all confined;That gentle sleep my eyes may find,Then tie me in, and singoror.MotherThat tongue of thine is passing sweet,Yet with thy yards I cannot mete.Thou wilt not sleep, but at thy feetWouldst have me sit, and singoror.BabyAll piteously I raise my prayer,I sob and cry, thou dost not hear.Thy sweet voice seems to charm thine ear—I weep, thou singest stilloror.MotherHush, hush, and sleep, my baby dear.My love shall guard thee, year by year,Until my rose-tree blossoms fair,Then ‘neath his shade I’ll singoror.BabyThy heart is made of stone, I see.I wept and wept, all uselessly.Now I shall sleep, I can’t be free,All night, all night sing meoror!Ara and SemiramisAra and Semiramis“She thought to bring Ara back to life by witchcraft and charms, for she was maddened by the intensity of her desires.”Moses of Khorene.1Oror—lullaby.↑2Armenian babies have their eyes bandaged when they are put to sleep, and they are tied into their cradles.↑
CRADLE SONG
ByRAPHAEL PATKANIAN(1830–1892)MotherSweet slumber now creeps o’er thee slow,Sweet breezes rock thee to and fro:My baby sleeps, so soft and lowWith sweetest songs I’ll singoror.1BabyO Mother dear, thou art unkindMy sleepless eyes so long to bind.2Anon I’ll rest, and sleep resigned;—Release me now, sing notoror.MotherWhy dost thou shed those tears that flowDown thy sad cheeks with pearly glow?Thou’lt break thy heart with sobbing so,—Whom wilt thou have to singoror?BabyAt least my hands and feet unbind—My tender limbs are all confined;That gentle sleep my eyes may find,Then tie me in, and singoror.MotherThat tongue of thine is passing sweet,Yet with thy yards I cannot mete.Thou wilt not sleep, but at thy feetWouldst have me sit, and singoror.BabyAll piteously I raise my prayer,I sob and cry, thou dost not hear.Thy sweet voice seems to charm thine ear—I weep, thou singest stilloror.MotherHush, hush, and sleep, my baby dear.My love shall guard thee, year by year,Until my rose-tree blossoms fair,Then ‘neath his shade I’ll singoror.BabyThy heart is made of stone, I see.I wept and wept, all uselessly.Now I shall sleep, I can’t be free,All night, all night sing meoror!Ara and SemiramisAra and Semiramis“She thought to bring Ara back to life by witchcraft and charms, for she was maddened by the intensity of her desires.”Moses of Khorene.
ByRAPHAEL PATKANIAN
(1830–1892)
MotherSweet slumber now creeps o’er thee slow,Sweet breezes rock thee to and fro:My baby sleeps, so soft and lowWith sweetest songs I’ll singoror.1
Mother
Sweet slumber now creeps o’er thee slow,
Sweet breezes rock thee to and fro:
My baby sleeps, so soft and low
With sweetest songs I’ll singoror.1
BabyO Mother dear, thou art unkindMy sleepless eyes so long to bind.2Anon I’ll rest, and sleep resigned;—Release me now, sing notoror.
Baby
O Mother dear, thou art unkind
My sleepless eyes so long to bind.2
Anon I’ll rest, and sleep resigned;—
Release me now, sing notoror.
MotherWhy dost thou shed those tears that flowDown thy sad cheeks with pearly glow?Thou’lt break thy heart with sobbing so,—Whom wilt thou have to singoror?
Mother
Why dost thou shed those tears that flow
Down thy sad cheeks with pearly glow?
Thou’lt break thy heart with sobbing so,—
Whom wilt thou have to singoror?
BabyAt least my hands and feet unbind—My tender limbs are all confined;That gentle sleep my eyes may find,Then tie me in, and singoror.
Baby
At least my hands and feet unbind—
My tender limbs are all confined;
That gentle sleep my eyes may find,
Then tie me in, and singoror.
MotherThat tongue of thine is passing sweet,Yet with thy yards I cannot mete.Thou wilt not sleep, but at thy feetWouldst have me sit, and singoror.
Mother
That tongue of thine is passing sweet,
Yet with thy yards I cannot mete.
Thou wilt not sleep, but at thy feet
Wouldst have me sit, and singoror.
BabyAll piteously I raise my prayer,I sob and cry, thou dost not hear.Thy sweet voice seems to charm thine ear—I weep, thou singest stilloror.
Baby
All piteously I raise my prayer,
I sob and cry, thou dost not hear.
Thy sweet voice seems to charm thine ear—
I weep, thou singest stilloror.
MotherHush, hush, and sleep, my baby dear.My love shall guard thee, year by year,Until my rose-tree blossoms fair,Then ‘neath his shade I’ll singoror.
Mother
Hush, hush, and sleep, my baby dear.
My love shall guard thee, year by year,
Until my rose-tree blossoms fair,
Then ‘neath his shade I’ll singoror.
BabyThy heart is made of stone, I see.I wept and wept, all uselessly.Now I shall sleep, I can’t be free,All night, all night sing meoror!
Baby
Thy heart is made of stone, I see.
I wept and wept, all uselessly.
Now I shall sleep, I can’t be free,
All night, all night sing meoror!
Ara and SemiramisAra and Semiramis“She thought to bring Ara back to life by witchcraft and charms, for she was maddened by the intensity of her desires.”Moses of Khorene.
Ara and Semiramis
“She thought to bring Ara back to life by witchcraft and charms, for she was maddened by the intensity of her desires.”
Moses of Khorene.
1Oror—lullaby.↑2Armenian babies have their eyes bandaged when they are put to sleep, and they are tied into their cradles.↑
1Oror—lullaby.↑2Armenian babies have their eyes bandaged when they are put to sleep, and they are tied into their cradles.↑
1Oror—lullaby.↑
2Armenian babies have their eyes bandaged when they are put to sleep, and they are tied into their cradles.↑