%0 Journal Article %T Time, Sense and Meaning in Three Votic Songs (with Reference to Estonian and Setu Additions) %A Madis Arukask %J Folklore : Electronic Journal of Folklore %D 2004 %I Estonian Literary Museum, Estonian Folklore Institute %X The article investigates Votic, Estonian and Setu Kalevala-metric folk songs, which describe a dialogue between a living person and his or her deceased relative. The analysis centres on religious truth in poetic texts, relying on corresponding approaches by ¨¹lo Valk and Aado Lintrop. As the observed texts are no longer mytho-epic stories or laments, the question about the meaning in lyro-epic discourse is discussed and particular attention is paid to the changes in concepts of time, the plot and characters of the songs. The author introduces the key concept ¡®epiphany¡¯ as a tool constructing meaning and merging the actual situation, the song text and personal emotions into a creative whole for the singer and/ or the audience. %K Folk belief %K Estonian folk song %K Votic folk song %K Kalevala metre %K Lyro-epic discourse %K Epiphany %U http://www.folklore.ee/folklore/vol28/songs.pdf