Mężczyzna w litewskich ludowych pieśniach wojennych

There are about 760 types of war-historical songs in the catalog of Lithuanian folk songs. There are about 25 000 variants recorded. There are no accurate reflections of history, periodic sequence of events in the old war songs. Only the songs of the 18th- 19th century have more names of places, historical names, wars are already mentioned in it. War songs sing about riding to the war and not coming back from it. These songs have a lot of lyricism inherent for all verbal creation of Lithuanian folk songs. War-themed songs are characterized with sadness associated with the soldiers farewell to the house, his leaving to a distant and unknown country, and with the doubt whether it will be destined to come back healthy and alive. A young boy does not want to show his anxiety and fear. The future soldier shown in the songs is trying to encourage himself and others, to chase away the idea of the danger lying in the war. There are songs which include soldiers words of regret that he was born, that he came into this world and now he has to ride in the war, from which he is unlikely to come back alive. Soldier is usually called in diminutive word forms karelis, kareivėlis (little soldier). Parents, brother, sister, girlfriend call the soldier in various diminutive forms. White clover - this is how a young man, soldier is often called in songs. The songs display special relation between the soldier and the horse. Far from the home the horse serves as the best friend. With it, a soldier shares memory about a previous life, his most secret desires. One desire is special - to bring back home the news of his masters death. After the death a soldier becomes the bloom of a flower, a tree, a bush. In this way the songs show that the connection of the dead man with the world of people who loved him continues.