Pavlika
Child, go home,
at home you have another mother,
another mother – a stepmother.
She is not as gentle
as you once were,
mother.
When she washes my feet,
she scolds me –
the stepmother.
You washed me gently,
singing softly as you did,
mother.
When she combs my hair,
she combs until it bleeds –
the stepmother.
You combed my hair
and kissed me at the same time,
mother.
The gentle child lay down,
lay down upon a little mound,
for his mother.
The dawn reddened,
but did not wake him,
did not wake him in his little bed.
This song on the recording was sung by my grandmother Pavla. She knew many old folk ballads and was a true gem of the folk singing tradition. As a fun detail, I’d like to mention that on this recording, which you are about to hear, my grandmother Pavlika and I are celebrating our birthday, which is on January 1st.
This folk song is a heartfelt homage to my grandmothers, honoring their strength and legacy while breaking the cycle of generational tragedies caused by war. It celebrates their musical heritage and the joy, resilience, and stories they carried, connecting past and present through song. It is both a tribute and a healing gesture, preserving memory while transforming inherited pain into strength.
Music and lyrics: Slovenian folksong
Music and Arrangement: Zvezdana Novaković ZveN