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| The basic story of the ballad is simple: three shepherds are driving their flocks into the valley. Two of the shepherds decide to kill the third, for he is more beautiful, richer, stronger, his flock is bigger. A yearling sheep – the Mioriţa – from his flock reveals the murder plan to him. The shepherd does not think to defend himself, he only prepares his funeral. He wants to be buried near his flock, not far from the hut; above his grave flutes of reed and a bucium (alphorn) shall hang on which the wind plays. He asks the Lamb to seek and comfort his mother, for he found a wonderful bride, "the bride of the world". In this context, death (which is feminine in Romanian) appears as a wedding in which all nature - animals, plants, stars - participate.
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