Singing Around the Table In Lithuania

Jonas Atkociunas is the beer maker from the village of Medeikiai, Birzai County. Photo by Klaudijus Driskius

As ne gert atejau
Ne uliuot atejau
Savo miela kaimyneli
Aplankyt atejau

I did not come to drink
Nor to party
My dear neighbor
I came to visit

Visitors are constantly urged to eat and drink. Tradition forbids touching the food or drink without the hostҳ urging.

During parties, Lithuanians take pleasure in singing about the host. They also sing to request more beer and cheese.

Gaspadoriau cia nameliu
Susimildyk ant sveteliu
Duok duok to alaus
To putuojancio gardaus

Maser of this house
Take pity on your guests
Give, give some beer
That foaming goodness

Some songs discourage overdrinking. Other songs greet guests or ask them to leave.

Namo, namo sveteliai namo
Suvalget pyraga
Primindet po stalu
Vaziuoki namo

Home home, dear visitors home
You knew to come, know to leave
You ate the cake, you dirtied the floor
Go home!

Visitors would continue to sing so that they could stay longer. At last the host would bring the plug from the beer barrel and place it on the table, to show that the beer was gone.