# Čuk se je oženil

"Čuk se je oženil" ("The Little Owl Got Married") is a humorous Slovenian folk children's song about a little owl's wedding, with a comic dowry of a gourd of wine and a sprig of parsley, sung to a merry "tralala, hopsasa".

## At a glance

| | |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Slovenia |
| Sung in | Slovenian |
| Words by | Traditional |
| First known | Slovenian folk song; author unknown |
| Best for ages | 2–7 |
| Mood | playful, traditional |
| Page | https://littlesongbook.com/songs/cuk-se-je-ozenil/ |

## Lyrics

### Verse 1 (sl)

Čuk se je oženil, tralala,
sova ga je vzela, hopsasa.

### Verse 2 (sl)

Čuk sedi na veji, tralala,
sova na vereji, hopsasa.

### Verse 3 (sl)

Sova čuku miga, tralala,
češ, pa se vzemiva, hopsasa.

### Verse 4 (sl)

Čuk pa sovo vpraša, tralala,
kol'ko dota znaša, hopsasa.

### Verse 5 (sl)

Eno bučo vina, tralala,
en'ga peterlina, hopsasa.

### Verse 6 (sl)

Vino bova spila, tralala,
bučo pa ubila, hopsasa.

### English translation (en)

The little owl got married, tralala,
the owl took him for a husband, hopsasa.

The little owl sits on a branch, tralala,
the owl on the doorpost, hopsasa.

The owl winks at the little owl, tralala,
as if to say, let's marry, hopsasa.

But the little owl asks the owl, tralala,
how much is the dowry, hopsasa.

One gourd of wine, tralala,
one sprig of parsley, hopsasa.

We'll drink the wine, tralala,
and smash the gourd, hopsasa.

## Common questions

**What is "Čuk se je oženil" about?**

An owl wedding, told as a joke. A little owl (a "čuk", the tiny little owl) marries an owl (a "sova"); they perch on a branch and a doorpost, she winks and proposes, and he asks about the dowry — which turns out to be a gourd of wine and a sprig of parsley. They decide to drink the wine and smash the gourd. The nonsense refrains "tralala" and "hopsasa" carry the fun.

**Where is "Čuk se je oženil" from?**

It is a Slovenian folk song ("ljudska pesem") and one of the most popular Slovenian children's songs. No author is recorded; it is a traditional comic song handed down by ear.

**Why do children love "Čuk se je oženil"?**

For its silliness and its bounce. The tiny owl couple, the absurd dowry and the sing-along "tralala / hopsasa" make it easy and funny to sing, and it is often danced to as well.

## Sources

- [Slovenske narodne pesmi — Čuk se je oženil](https://narodne-pesmi.si/pesmi/kje-so-moje-rozice/ez-tri-gore-ez-tri-vode-3/)