The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

SEJAU RUTOZ (PLANTING "RUTA")

THE CHILDREN STAND IN CIRCLES BY FOURS. (FOUR TO A
CIRCLE). EVERYONE'S HANDS ARE ON THEIR HIPS.
SINGING, "SEJAU RUTAZ," THEY HOPPING, PUT OUT THEIR
RIGHT FOOT IN FRONT WITH TOES POINTED.
SEJAU META--THEY DO THE SAME THING WITH THEIR LEFT
FOOT. "SEJAU LELIJELE"--THEY REPEAT THE SAME MOVEMENTS
TWICE (RIGHT, LEFT AND AGAIN RIGHT, LEFT).
SINGING THE WORDS "SEJAU SANO" THE CHILDREN,
STANDING, CLAP TWO TIMES WITH THEIR HANDS. "JAUNAS DIENAS
KAIP ZALIOZ RUTELE"--THEY TURN TO THE RIGHT AND WALK
SIX STEPS. THEIR HANDS ARE HELD IN THE CENTER.
REPEATING "SEJAU SANO JAUNAS DIENAS KAIP ZALIG
RUTELE," THEY REPEAT THE CLAPPING, 6 STEPS TO THE LEFT
THIS TIME.
THIS IS A CHLDREN'S SONG-DANCE GAME. GRADE SCHOOL
STUDENTS DANCE THIS FROM AROUND THE FIRST OR SECOND
GRADE. "RUTA" IS THE LITHUANIAN FLOWER. THE SONG
DOES, THAT THEY PLANTED A "RUTA," THEY PLANTED A "META"
(A MINT SMELLING PLANT, ALSO FOUND ONLY IN LITHUANIA),
THEY PLANTED THEIR YOUNG DAYS, JUST LIKE THEY DID THE
"RUTA."
THEN IT DOES ON HOW THE FLOWERS (RUTA & META) GREW
AND THAT THEIR YOUNG DAYS GREW JUST LIKE THEM (THE
PLANTS). THEN HOW THE FLOWERS (REALLY PLANTS) GOT
TALLER AND BLOSSOMED OUT INTO BEAUTIFUL PLANTS,
AND SO DID THEIR YOUNG LIVES.

Submitter comment: THIS IS A FAVORITE AMONG THE LITTLE KIDS.

Where learned: LITHUANIA

Date learned: 03-27-1972