Σφεντόνα [Sfentona] [English translation]

For forty years being a teenager, almost for half a century

I was white in the summer,

I got tanned in the winter.

For forty years being immature,

a disgraced Don Quixote.

Now for 40 years I am prudent and

nice as a knight.

I was born in a village

on a Wednesday noon.

No doctor assisted my birth

but a midwife.

The relatives were gathered

early at home.

How does the child look like

and such a big nose!

Sleep-sleep1, our child sleeps.

Sleep-sleep and I have ordered

sleep-sleep, from Istanbul his dowry

and his jewellery I have also ordered.

Sleep-sleep and wherever

it hurts, let it heal, sleep-sleep,

sleep-sleep to it.

But I was shirking

from my sleep.

I was stretching my sling,

I was aiming at airplanes.

And at the best moment

I was woken up with violence

to be put to sleep again

on the desks by teachers.

And while I remembered everything

and I had a sharp mind,

I forgot to grow up

and I stayed on the shelf.2

So I preserved forever

my childish image,

of that bum

who was holding a sling.

Sleep, you who take the children,

come and take also this.

Small-small I gave it to you,

bring it to me as a lord.

And hide its sling,

make it prudent for me.

My old friend, familiar,

classmate, frequent,

tonight I brought with me

that sling.

Don't let your mind think bad,

I won't hit any birds.

Why should I fight

with blackbirds and partridges?

Our childish dreams

I will sling,

accompanied by colors and music

I will sing them to you.

My old friend, familiar,

classmate, frequent,

tonight that we met,

I give you the sling.

1. "nani-nani": a word that is used in greek lullabies as a incitement for sleeping.2. stay on the self: greek idiom used for someone who never got married