Il-Guvni Hasan

Lejla Maltija has published it's first official recording entitled "Il-Guvni Hasan" It is about the well known Legend connected to the cave known as "Ghar Hasan" off Birzebbugia in Malta. There is a new twist to this tale - age old enemies The Turk and the Maltese are foiled by a Romeo and Juliet tragic love affair. A Turkish youth, Hasan, falls in love with a Maltese girl. There is no way that either party will agree to such a bond, so he kidnaps her. She tries to escape, but to no avail. In the song the girl appeals to Hasan to set her free because if her father finds them, Hasan would surely be hanged. Indeed the islanders do find the couple in their cave. "Il-ġuvni Ħasan, iben l-għedewwa," 'the young man Hasan, the enemy's son,'  "il-mewt ħaqqu sewwa," 'he really deserves to die.' Hasan runs to the edge of the cave which overlooks a sheer drop to the sea and ends his life on the treacherous rocks below. The girl follows suit. "Ġrajja ta dieqa, imħabba u żgħożija." A story of sorrow, love and youth, a story of man's folly.
In Maltese the lyrics by Mario Cordina go as follows: 

Il-Ġuvni Ħasan

Ra tfajla ħelwa u żgħażugża, Ħasan.
Mill l’ewwel ħa grazzja magħha, Ħasan.
Waħħala f’rasu li jisraqha, Ħasan,
F’għar imwarrab mar ħabiha, Ħasan.

It-tfajla bdiet tibki,
“Missieri ifittixni,
U meta jsibni,
Ser jonxroq żgur, ħallini mmur.”

”Naf li togħbodu it-Torok,” qalla Ħasan,
”Imma jien lilek inħobbok,” qalla Ħasan
It-tfajla bħall-peprina,
Ħamra u samranija,
Qed nisma il-passi,
Ħasan ġejjien, Ħasan miskin.

Il-ġuvni Ħasan, iben l-għedewwa,
Il-ġuvni Ħasan, il-mewt ħaqqu sewwa

Fil-fixla imwerwer gera lejn ix-xifer, Ħasan
Qabeż għall-isfel għall-fuq il-blat kiefer, Ħasan

L’ istorja tispiċċa,
Bid-dmugħ fuq wiċċa,
Bikkmet is-sajf
Hekk kif qabżet warajh
Iva qabżet warajh.

Il-ġuvni Ħasan, u ix-xebba Maltija
Ġrajja ta dieqa, imħabba u żgħożija