The Quail
Translation details
Model:mistral-large-2512.Translated text
Section titled “Translated text”A game widespread throughout Poland, most commonly as a component of wedding ceremonies, existing in many variations. Suitable, in simpler forms, for primary schools and the lowest grades of secondary schools, and in more challenging variants—for grades three to five of girls’ secondary schools. It is most often danced with a mazurka step.
a) The most widespread way of dancing The Quail involves all participants, except two, forming two lines facing each other while holding hands. These lines make small forward and backward movements, while one of the separated dancers (the “hunter”) chases the other (the “quail”) between and behind the lines. When the hunter catches the quail, the next pair takes their turn, and so on until the end. The chorus of both lines sings along during the dance.
b) In Łuków County (Mazovia), each pair dances along both lines (which move closer together) before the chase, so that the hunter runs on one side of the lines and the quail on the other, both holding their joined hands above the heads of those standing in the lines. During the chase, the lines hinder the hunter and help the quail, who claps her hands while fleeing. When the hunter catches his prey, the roles reverse: the quail becomes the hunter and vice versa.
c) In Sierpc County (Mazovia), the dance is performed differently: During the first verse of the song, all participants form two lines that move toward and away from each other. In the second verse, each dancer pairs with their vis-à-vis, and they dance pair by pair. In the third verse, the movement returns to that of the first, and so on until the end. Here, The Quail ceases to be a game and becomes a playful dance figure or amusement.
Transcription scope: Musical notation and song lyrics omitted as material outside the corpus scope; exact boundaries recorded in the extraction report.
Source scan: Kujawsko-Pomorska Digital Library, marked “Public Domain.” View PDF — page 81.
Metadata
Section titled “Metadata”- Type: game
- Traits: Not stated in the source
- Source: Eugeniusz Piasecki, Zabawy i gry ruchowe dzieci i młodzieży (1922)
- Printed pages: 76–79 / PDF 81–84
- Digital edition: Digital edition · Source record
- Open the edition at the relevant page: p. 76
- Read the source text: zgr-022