

God bless,
god bless, good evening
Oh John, oh John,
Beloved saint John the Baptist,
Beloved John the Baptist,
Baptiser of God.
(Midsummer Night song from Metlika)

St John’s bonfires
“Fly, wheel, fly,
Flower, fern, flower,
Splash, girl, splash,
Hey, hey, hop!”
(song of Styrian Slovenes in the 19th century, sung when realeasing a wheel down a slope)

Wash for a man
“My dear boy is strong,
He’s a handsome washer,
And my girl –
Is a strong bather.”
(Styrian song for boys and girls pouring water on each other at a St John’s bonfire)

Magic solstice
“We slept little last night,
Protecting the fields…”
(Text from the Midsummer Night rounds)
