# Ob bistrem potoku je mlin

"Ob bistrem potoku je mlin" ("By the Clear Brook Stands a Mill") is a well-loved Slovenian folk song sung by the miller's son, whose heart dances to the clatter of the mill — and who knows that a silent mill means no bread.

## 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 | traditional, playful |
| Page | https://littlesongbook.com/songs/ob-bistrem-potoku-je-mlin/ |

## Lyrics

### Verse 1 (sl)

Ob bistrem potoku je mlin,
a jaz sem pa mlinarjev sin,
ko mlinček ropoče in voda šumlja,
srce mi veselo igra, igra (2x)

### Verse 2 (sl)

Če mlinček pri miru bi stal,
bi mlinar in kmet žaloval,
in otrok bi jokal in tožil glasno,
kako je brez kruha hudo, hudo.

### English translation (en)

By the clear brook stands a mill,
and I am the miller's son;
when the little mill clatters and the water rushes,
my heart plays merrily, plays merrily. (×2)

If the little mill were to stand still,
the miller and the farmer would grieve,
and the child would weep and loudly lament
how hard it is with no bread, no bread.

## Common questions

**What is "Ob bistrem potoku je mlin" about?**

A mill and the miller's son. By a clear brook stands a mill, and the singer is the miller's son; when the mill clatters and the water rushes, his heart plays merrily. The second verse gives it weight: if the mill stood still, the miller and the farmer would grieve and children would cry, because a stopped mill means no bread.

**Why does "Ob bistrem potoku je mlin" matter if the mill stops?**

Because the mill grinds the grain into flour for bread. In the old rural world the song comes from, a working watermill meant food on the table, so its busy clatter is a happy, reassuring sound — and its silence would mean hunger.

**Where is "Ob bistrem potoku je mlin" from?**

It is a Slovenian folk song ("ljudska pesem") with no known author, long sung as part of the country's traditional and children's repertoire.

## Sources

- [Slovenske narodne pesmi — Ob bistrem potoku je mlin](https://besedilo.si/ljudska/ob-bistrem-potoku-je-mlin)