Fruit basket
I wrote the first melody of my “Fruit Basket” song cycle, “Altatódal” (Lullaby), for my son András’s first birthday. The humor, subtle emotionality, and occasional grotesque grimaces of Sándor Weöres’s children’s poems make them equally delightful for adults. They inspired me to write more songs. Thus, the twelve songs of my cycle were created in rapid succession. — Ferenc Farkas
The twelve very short songs of “Fruit Basket” are entitled :
1. Káspár :
He went off, he went off, Caspar, to a far away land, three letters of his fell behind, and became the village Cas, three letters of his made it there, and they became a pair, and gave birth to five children, two sons and two daughters, and the fifth a pope-pauper.
2. Ládika (The magic box) :
There was a lovely casket an apple tree grew from it. On the apple tree 1 too picked melons in the afternoon. Sarika jumped upon it and there ended the casket.
3. Marasztalás (Sunbeams) :
Don’t take away with your two eyes the light of the sun. Don’t go, stay on: Because the land will only darken.
Branches won’t sway, Swallows won’t fly, farmhands won’t sow com. Don’t take away with your two eyes the light of the sun.
4. Falusi reggel (Morning in the village) :
Striking - it’s striking now – the steeple in the morning! Time is painted white by the early calling cock-cry, a wild melody floating.
Little donkey, shout aloud, it’s good to hear you honk! If you are drowned out by this cranky cackling cock-cry, you’ll forfeit your rank.
5. Mondóka (Ditty) :
In the deep wood a violet patch, hung over by a juniper branch. Why must the branch hide? Come now, the world is wide! In the deep wood a violet patch.
6. A kőbéka (Stone-frog) :
The stone-frog went slowly, the stone-frog went slowly. Midnight’s fur was torn away the skin of dawn was stripped away The stone-frog went slowly.
7. Altatódal (Lullaby) :
Hush shush-hush rosehip, Hush hush cowslip …
On a moon-sheathed road, on a star-sheathed road, two dogs dawdle on the stony windy road.
Hush shush-hush rosehip, Hush hush cowslip …
The big-eared doggy asks you: Rosehip, rosehip, what’s your game? The big-nosed doggy asks you: Cowslip, cowslip, what’s your game?
Rosehip lays, cowslip lays a blue pearl in a velvet casket, as long as slumber reigns it stays.
Hush shush-hush rosehip, Hush hush cowslip …
8. Száncsengő (Sleigh-bells) :
Deep in the night ringing round - ching ding ding – sleigh-bells resound Sleigh-bells resound - ching ding ding – A silent drift on winter’s wing.
Two horses come throbbing through - clop clop clop - of eight horseshoes Eight horseshoes - clop clop clop – robbing sound from silence pouch.
Mouldering forest of sound - ching ding ding – sleigh-bells resound Sleigh-bells resound - ching ding ding – A distant drift on winter’s wing.
9. Békakirály (Frog-king) :
Beneath the reed, beneath the haze song rises from the water palace, in the palace on green stone the Ung king sings –
Outside the smooth meadow hears the song of Ung king coming near and towards the melody bend butterfly and grassblade.
10. A tündér (The fairy) :
Plumicom, Plumicorn dancing, around her the angels are listening, bullfrog-armies play on pan-pipes cricket-armies on violins.
Plumicorn, Plumicom playing conjures up wings on a piglet, sits on her, promises her kisses, and flies her away as she giggles.
Plumicom, Plumicorn building, the walls of her castle of dawn mist, visitors fill up her hallways, daughters and sons of the dwarf-king.
Plumicorn, Plumicorn sleeping, resting on the autumn leaves, she slumbers in thickets of branches, and two snails watch over her dreams.
11. Paprika Jancsi szerenádja (The clown serenade) :
A weak breeze ripples on the lake, a pearlstring of lights billows. My sigh - orphan bird-fluff - escapes and rests on your sweet pillow. In my open breast the straw shivers: for you this clown does suffer.
Your beautiful eyes make the sky bleed, its many wounds are a starry road. A lock of your hair is enough for me: to bandage my many wounds. The sawdust spills, the straw falters: this clown will not be much longer.
Your bowl the rose, your mirror the Moon, and twilights burn on your lips. My delight into thick grief swoons, the song entreats and implores. And if my heart, my straw, ignites, for you this down will die.
12. Déli felhők (Noon clouds) :
At the hill’s root where the rabbits run and the foxes dig a burrow: in the summer light in the sunshine Katóka watches the c1ouds.
A green grassblade between her lips her chin rests in her palm … and drowsily she wonders at the wandering cloudlands.
There King Mog swims up ahead with his two pronged beak, and his crown above his head poised like a cream cake.
There behind him runs the fool grinning from ear to ear - a grey snake stretches to the sky from his hunched rear.
On a broken-down trolley travels a shorn bear, and the princess Berryblood is tearing out her hair.
Behind them on a hundred wheels rolls a gaudy house: inside the lady of the circus is putting on her c1othes.
Her many clothes and all her jewels she would swap happily to run around for just a week down on the summer fields.