This volume gathers translations of folk poems and ballads from Romanian oral tradition, accompanied by a prefatory essay that praises the simplicity and emotional truth of popular song. The selections range from short lyrical pieces about love, longing and domestic life to narrative ballads with dramatic incidents, rites, and natural imagery; recurring motifs include rural landscape, rivers, family ties, and grief. The presentation emphasizes direct expression, melody, and the social bonds forged by shared songs, with translations aiming to preserve tone and immediacy.