Where Do Songs Come From? An Attempt to Explain Some Verses of Regilaul
Where Do Songs Come From? An Attempt to Explain Some Verses of Regilaul

Summary/Abstract: The Estonian earlier folk song, regilaul, about the singer indicates that the singer had a special position in the community, but the singing skill had rather just become attached to them, and was not acquired voluntarily (similarly to the knowledge of the Tibetan singers that usually comes about on its own, irrespective of the will of the humans). The songs indicate that one learnt to sing when attending weddings, working or being in contact with nature. Occasionally the talent for singing was acquired magically. Interesting are regilaul texts in which the singer says that she cannot sing because of lack of some objects, e.g. laululeht, sõnasõlg (a sheet of song, a brooch of words), etc. In some cultures singers of long epic texts believed in the help of supernatural beings and also used some helping devices like a bronze mirror, a sheet of paper, etc. for better concentration. In the article I try to point out that some formulas of Estonian regilaul like a sheet of song, a brooch of words, and the quill of the mouth may be distant memories of the singers who needed actual helping devices, believing in which aided them in a better recreation of their texts.

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