Črni Orko, beštija!
Ki će tebi na rep stat?
Ne znan s kud si, ni ne bin te znat,
ala puš’ me da gren spat!
Z oštarije se tornat,
ću li doma ja rivat?
Liva noga livo gre,
desna ne baš poli nje.

Črni Orko, hudoba!
Škura noć je, pleše put.
Dok se lelan po zdolici,
ti se smiješ i tentaš,
aš se meni duplo vidi,
oči suze, obraz žut.
Ko se staneš na me, joh!
Ko ti ujden, kataloh!

Brižan san i rovinan,
zmazan, skidan i pijan.
Ako doma ja rivan,
žena će me hitit van.
Hoj ti, Orko, do mene,
zemi moju staru ća,
drito poli vranića!

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Črni orko is a mythical creature which, according to the legends, lurks around for drunks, grabs them and flies away with them all night, going higher and higher. If the drunk gets sober before the sun starts to rise, it can get back down on earth. In opposite, Črni orko drops him from great hight and he falls into death.

Aj zelen bore, malice moja
Ojana zelen bore malice moja.

Aj da biš (j)o, aj suši(ni ni)ja,
Ojana da biš (j)o, aj suši(ni ni)ja.

Aj pod tobon, aj san malice moja,
Ojana pod tobon, aj san malice mo(no)ja.

Aj tebe po, aj ljubi(ni ni)jo,
Ojana tebe po, aj ljubi(ni ni) jo.

Poljubi, aj jo malice moja,
Ojana poljubi, aj jo malice moja.

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There was this guy who was in love with the girl and he kissed her under the pine. After an unsuccessfull love story, he sings to a tree, which, in his eyes, inpersonates the girl he once loved.

Predi predi hći moja,
svako lito jenu nit,
Ćeš se brže (j)oženit,
za koga junaka,
Za junaka ovčara.

Ovčarova glava,
na grbljači spava,
Ljubiti ga neću ja.

Predi predi hći moja,
svako lito jenu nit,
Ćeš se brže (j)oženit,
za koga junaka,
Za junaka pekljara.

Pekljar prosi i naprosi,
ča naprosi doma nosi,
Njega ću ljubit ja.

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Predi, predi hći moja is much longer song than we sing it. A girls mother tell her daughter who to marry. Mother wants her to marry shepherd, but she says he sleeps near the sheep. Then she wants her to marry various other guys from the village, but her daughter always finds something to object. In the end, she tell her to marry the begger, to which she agrees. She says that the begger begs for money all day, and brings home everything that he collected, and she will happily marry him.

Aj pošla Anka u šumu,
Aj sekiron na ramenu,
Za njon gredu tri žandara,
Sva tri naoružana.

Prvi nosi okove,
Drugi nosi noževe,
A ta treći sablju tanku,
Da zakolje Anku.

Anka jin se prosila,
Bijele ruke sklopila,
Nemojte me braćo klati,
Majka će plakati,
Aj ča će reći moja majka,
Da je zaklana Anka.

Svi su momci plakali,
Ki su Anku ljubili,
Samo onaj nije plaka,
Ki je Anku zakla.

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Anka is a sad song about young girl who was, as a legend says, escorted to the woods by three armed gendarme. First of them carried chains, the second knifes and the third sabre, all in order to kill Anka. She asked them for their mercy but her destiny was inevitable.

Biži biži maglina, Jakov teče z Pazina,
Suremi voli, aj s pikastemi konji.

I da ćemo ih nabost, na jelove kosti,
Na pletene igle, na železne vile.

I da ćemo ih ponest u onu škuru jamu,
U onu škuru jamu s trnjen zakrganu.

Kamo je to trnje, oganj ga je zgori,
Kamo je taj oganj, aj voda ga zagasila.

Kamo je ta vodica, aj golubi su je popili,
Kamo su ti golubi, aj svati su ih zeli.

Kamo su ti svatići, aj šli su po nevestu,
Kamo je ta nevestica, aj zad popoveh vrati.

BIŽI, BIŽI POPE, DA TE NE KOČKA ŠĆOPNE!

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Biži, biži maglina was a nursery rhyme which was specific for the region around the town where we all are from. It was also often sung to a melody of balun, the most famous dance from Istria.

Oj Marija, ma lipo dite,
Aj za to bon mi srce gine,
Oj Marija ča si moja.

Mene kune tvoja mati,
Da te pogled moj vajk prati,
Oj Marija ča si moja.

Kad san tebe ja prosi,
Ti si mi se rugala,
Oj Marija ča si moja.

Ni pasalo osan dan,
Po me si poslala,
Oj Marija ča si moja.

Ti si moja, a ja san tvoj,
Mi dva ćemo skupa poć,
Oj Marija ča si moja.

Oj Marija, ma lipo dite,
Aj za to bon mi srce gine,
Oj Marija ča si moja.

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Many of the songs Veja sings are about love. Marija was a girl who, influenced by her mother who didnt like her proposer, turned him off to please her. Only a week after that she called him back, because she realized what she did. They end up together.

Jene mi noći,
bila je kiša jaka.

Ali te noći,
kiša da ni močila.

Jer je ljubav,
mnogo jača bila.

Nas je dvoje,
draga razdvojila.

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Jene mi noći is yet another love song which speaks about the rainny night in which two lovers stayed together and loved eachother. There is not much more things to say about the song and it's thus sang in an almost orginal arrangement.

Dove ti vadi bela brunetta,

Cosi soleta per la cita.

Io me ne vado da la Fontana
Che la mia mamma me ga manda.

‘Speta, aspeta un momentino,
Fino che l’aqua se schiarira.

Cento ducati io te daria,
Solo una notte dormer con me.

‘Speta chi io vado da la mia mamma,
Qualche consiglio la mi dara.

O mamma mia son qua per dirti
Che un cavaliere me ha ricerca.

Cento ducati lui me daria,
Solo una notte dormir con lui.

Ciapili, ciapili o figlia mia,
I sara bonni per maridar.

E ghe daremo la medesina,
Sera il mattina lu’l dormira.

Altri cento ducati io ted aria,
Ancora una notte dormir con me.

‘speta chi io vado da la mia mamma,
Qualche consiglio la mi dara.

Non voi consigli de la tua mamma,
Cento ducati io ha magna.

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Istria, as a geographical region, spreads through three countries: Croatia, Slovenia and Italy. Both of the three languages are represented in various parts of Istra. In south, around the village of Galižana, song “Bella Brunetta” was sung in a specific way, while the same song in northern parts was sung differently. We combined those two versions while keeping original lyrics. By listening the song you will hear those two versions interlapping.

Aj mila moja, mila moja,
Aj trojega kolora.

Prvi mi kolor, prvi mi kolor,
Aj roža ošćapuna.

Drugi mi kolor, drugi mi kolor,
Aj roža rumenija.

Treći mi kolor, treći mi kolor,
Aj daje ljubav moja.

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Mila moja is a song where a poet expresses his immensive love for his girl.

Valley of the mills (Dolina mlinova) is the place where Veja creates its music. The song was written by Dario Marušić and given to Veja for further arrangements.

The song has no lyrics, it's just music which leads you through the valley and Veja’s way of interpreting music. Enjoy!