Origins: Underneath Our Cottage Window (Czech)

Subject: Origins: Under Our Cottage Window
From: MaireSmith
Date: 18 Jul 06 - 04:10 AM

Hi,

I'm new to this forum, so please forgive any errors I make in posting (but do let me know, so I can avoid them in future).

I'm trying to trace further information about a song my mother sings.

She learnt it in school in New Zealand in the 1950s. She was told it was a folk song, but it may be Victorian parlour music.

I think it may be a translation from another language than English, as the lyrics are a little stilted, as if they've had trouble fitting them to the melody.

There's a PDF of the tune up at http://diaspora.gen.nz/~maire/Music/index.htm

The lyrics are:

Under our cottage window
Frost is on the ground
And the water in the fountain
Now is icy bound.

With a hatchet, I'll come over
And break through the glistening cover
Then the water, free from bondage,
Will be once more found.

Under our cottage window
Snow-white roses grow
Tell me dear one, 'midst this beauty
What can bring you woe?

I need something more than flowers
In this dreary world of ours
For my heart is sad and lonely
And my hot tears flow.

I'd love to hear from anyone who is able to give me further information about the song.

Thanks very much.

Maire

Subject: ADD: Underneath Our Cottage Window
From: Joe Offer
Date: 18 Jul 06 - 04:52 AM

Hi, Maire - on your Website, you said you had found a Bohemian song, "Underneath Our Cottage Window." That was the lead I needed. It's in a little songbook from World Around Songs of North Carolina - title of the books is Happy Meeting: Folk Songs from Czechoslovakia. The title of the song is "Underneath our cottage window," or "Pod tim
nasim okeneckem."

Underneath Our Cottage Window
(Pod tím naším okénečkem)

Underneath our cottage window
Frost is on the ground,
And the water in the fountain
Now is icy bound.
With a hatchet I'll go over
And cut through the glistening cover,
Then the water, free from bondage,
Will be once more found.

Underneath our cottage window
Snow-white roses grow,
"Tell me, dear one, midst this beauty
What can cause your woe?"
"I need something more than flowers,
In this dreary world of ours,
For my heart is sad and lonely,
And my hot tears flow."

Underneath our cottage window
Grows a lily tall,
"Tell me, fair one, do the young men
Often come to call?"
"No one ever thinks of calling,
No one ever thinks of calling,
Everybody shuns a maiden
With a dowry small.

original source: Twenty-Two Bohemian Folk Songs

---

Click to play

Subject: RE: Origins: Under Our Cottage Window
From: GUEST
Date: 18 Jul 06 - 05:17 AM

How marvellous of you!

And a whole other verse!

Thank you very much indeed for this.

Subject: RE: Origins: Under Our Cottage Window
From: Joe Offer
Date: 18 Jul 06 - 05:42 AM

Hi, again, Maire - you'll find a clarinet recording of most of the tune here (click).

Now, the song title is on this page, in what looks like the first line of some lyrics. Is it the song in question??

Pod tím naším okénečkem

Pod tím naším okénečkem bývá velký mráz
a v té naší studénečce není vody zas.
Vezmem si já sekérečku,
prerubem tu studénečku
a v té naší studénečce bude vody zas.

Subject: RE: Origins: Under Our Cottage Window
From: Joe Offer
Date: 18 Jul 06 - 06:11 AM

Just Without Our Little Window

Just without our little window all is bitter cold
And our little well of water winter's frosts enfold.
With my hatchet— none is better—
I'll go break each icy fetter,
Then our little well of water shall flow as of old.

Just without our little window, white a rose-bud peers;
Tell me why, my little darling, why the sky ne'er clears?
No,the world is not so dreary,
Nor am I a wee bit weary,
Yet within my heart is pining, freely flow my tears.

Just without our little window leans a lily tall;
Tell me truly, oh my darling, why no lovers call?
No one ever comes to meet me,
No one ever comes to greet me,
Poor and lowly they all shun me, seeking riches all.


Translation by
John Mokrejs

Source: Botsford Collection of Folk Songs, Volume 3, Southern Europe
Copyright YWCA, 1921
Copyright G. Schirmer, 1933

---

Click to play

Subject: ADD: Pod tim nasim okeneckem
From: Joe Offer
Date: 18 Jul 06 - 06:17 AM

Mr. Scanner didn't like the original version, and I don't even know what language it's in. The Botsford book says the song is from Slovakia.

Here's the original version, as close as I can get it:


Pod tím naším okénečkem

Pod tím naším okénečkem bývá velký mráz,
A v té naší studenečce neni vody zas;
Vezmu si já sekerečku,
Prosekám tu studenečku
A v té naší studenečce bude voda zas.

Pod tím naším okénečkem z bilé růže květ;
Pověz ty mi, moje milá, proč tě mrzí svět?
A mně svět ten nic nemrzí,
A mně svět ten nic nemrzí,
Jen mně moje srdce bolí, plakala bych hned.

Pod tím naším okénečkem bilá lilija;
Pověz ty mi, moje milá, kdo k vám chodívá?
A k nám nikdo nechodívá,
A k nám nikdo nechodívá,
Nebo každý se obává, že jsem chudobná.

---

And, for the record, here's what Mr. Scanner came up with:

Pod tz ná okenecvkem

Pod Elm na okeneZkem b4vá velkj rnrá:,
A V Éé na studene neal vody zas
Vezmu si fá sekere&u,
Prosekám Eu sEudene
A v to na studene bude voda zas.
Pod tim na okene z bilO r kr
Pov ty mi, moje mu pro tè mrzisv
A mn sv ten nb nemrzz
A mn sv ten nbc nemrzi,
.Ten mn mo/c srdce bo1 bych lined.
Pod Elm na okene bitO him/a;
Pov ty mi, moje miiá, kdo k v chodlcá?
A k nOm nikdo miechodivO,
A k nOm nbkdo nechodicO,
Nebo ka se obOvd, le 3 chudobnd.

Subject: RE: Origins: Under Our Cottage Window
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 18 Jul 06 - 06:57 AM

You're doing a good job there, Joe, single handedly. Is everyone else on holiday?
Quack!
GtD.

Subject: RE: Origins: Under Our Cottage Window
From: Joe Offer
Date: 18 Jul 06 - 02:55 PM

I used this page as a source of letters for the text above. I wonder what the page is about - I know it has something to do with songs....
Uh, oh - look what I found here:

Pod tým naším okénečkem, bývá velký mráz, a v tej našej studánečce, mrzne voda zas.
Vezmem si já sekérečku, prerúbem tu studánečku,
a v tej našej studánečce, bude voda zas,
vezmem si já sekérečku, prerúbem tu studánečku,
a v tej našej studánečce, bude voda zas.

Pod tým našim okénečkem, roste z růže květ, pověz Ty mně, moja milá, proč Ťa mrzí svět.
A mňa ten svět nic nemrzí, len mňa velmi hlava bolí,
len mňa velmi hlava bolí, plakala bych hned,
a mňa ten svět nic nemrzí, len mňa velmi hlava bolí,
len mňa velmi hlava bolí, plakala bych hned.

Pod tým našim okénečkem, roste oliva, pověz Ty mě, moja milá, kdo k vám chodívá.
A k nám nikdo nechodívá, lebo o mě nestojívá,
lebo mě nestojívá, že su chudobná,
a k nám nikdo nechodívá, lebo o mě nestojívá,
lebo mě nestojívá, že su chudobná.

---

That could have saved me a lot of transcription work.

Subject: Czech songs, also Moravian & Slovenian - link
From: Joe Offer
Date: 18 Jul 06 - 03:18 PM

So, for the record, this page (click) has a lot of information about the Czech Republic, and it has a link to a huge collection of Czech and related songs (click).

Subject: RE: Origins: Underneath Our Cottage Window (Czech)
From: GUEST,MaireSmith
Date: 21 Jul 06 - 04:26 AM

Joe,

Thank you very, very much indeed for this. I love this song, and so does my mother, and finding out the full lyrics and where it is from has been wonderful.

I've been rather amazingly busy at work the last day or so, so was not able to respond properly until now (not enough computer access), or I would have responded more fully earlier.

I'm absolutely amazed at all you found.

If it's all right with you to use your research like this, I'll update my page sometime in the next week or so with the information you've found. I'd like to add your MIDI as well (again, if that's all right with you).

The tune is exactly the same as Mum's (any difference in my transcript is due to my own low level of skill as a transcriber).

Thanks again.

Maire

Subject: RE: Origins: Underneath Our Cottage Window (Czech)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 21 Jul 06 - 04:45 AM

Hi, Maire - you're welcome to use this information and MIDI on your Website. It was great fun tracking it down.
Drop by again, next time you're looking for a song or if you have a song to share with us.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Origins: Underneath Our Cottage Window (Czech)
From: GUEST,MaireSmith
Date: 28 Jul 06 - 12:24 AM

Hi there,

Just thought I'd say that I've now revised my page on the song to include the information you've given me. The new page will go up in about two weeks.

Thank you again and again.

Maire

Subject: RE: Cottage Window MIDI files
From: GUEST,Arthur Pazo
Date: 10 Jan 11 - 11:51 AM

Hey Joe,

Greetings from another corner of the world! We were taught "Under Our Cottage Window," back in the 1960's in Darjeeling by our Western missionary music teacher.

I downloaded both the MIDI files linked on this page but they don't seem to play. Is there a particular program need to play these?

Also downloaded the clarinet piece, and that works.

Thanks,

Arthur Pazo
[e-mail]

Subject: RE: Origins: Underneath Our Cottage Window (Czech)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 11 Jan 11 - 01:55 AM

Hi, Arthur-
I'm surprised you were able to download anything, because the links to thos MIDIs led to a location that was closed. I updated the links and e-mailed the MIDI files to you.
All the best to you.

-Joe Offer, Colfax, California-

Subject: RE: Origins: Underneath Our Cottage Window (Czech)
From: GUEST,richie bruce staveley new zealand
Date: 18 Dec 11 - 04:04 AM

thank you folk for all the info on under our cottage window! this song has been stuck in my head since 1950 when my family moved into the foot hills of the southern alps. I learned the song at school(it was my first romantic awakening) It was also a hellish cold winter, which froze the stream in the bush near our home so the words suited the time.(It has never frozen over since!) Now all from that time are departed and the song still resonates in my mind with all the joy of years long gone.Thank you all.! Merry xmas    [e-mail]

Subject: RE: Origins: Underneath Our Cottage Window (Czech)
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 18 Dec 11 - 10:11 PM

Thanks for the MIDI, Joe. I've downloaded this to play on the piano. It's not Rachmaninoff, but I like the way its timing differs from the usual.

Subject: RE: Origins: Underneath Our Cottage Window (Czech)
From: GUEST,richie bruce staveley new zealand
Date: 12 May 13 - 04:37 AM

The song was part of NZ school musical appreciation series @1950 it really seemed to stay down the years, I met up with some old classmates , started a few bars & away they all went 60 years yet it was still there! All had a memory attached to it also! Sad the most popular memory died partying a wee time back!So it goes happiness is a song. Thank you. R

Subject: RE: Origins: Underneath Our Cottage Window (Czech)
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Aug 17 - 02:25 PM

My New Zealand childhood musical memories also hold this beautiful song. School singing on a Thursday afternoon with Mr Errington at South Wellington Intermediate School.I now live in a cottage in England and this song came to me as Icontemplated what to grow in the from garden. Thank you for all the right words and I will be buying the music to play on the piano.

Subject: RE: Origins: Underneath Our Cottage Window (Czech)
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Dec 18 - 10:45 AM

Subject: RE: Origins: Underneath Our Cottage Window (Czech)
From: leeneia
Date: 15 Dec 18 - 09:14 PM

Thanks, all. I have downloaded this tune to play on my accordion.