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The first recording of the lyrics and the melody dates from 1893, when Vjekoslav Klaić recorded it in the Hrvatska pjesmarica (lit. Croatian Songbook). He wrote down the first verse based on Vjenceslav Novak's rendition of how the people of Senj sang it. The original author remains unknown, but it was sometimes ascribed to the poets Danilo Medić or to Lavoslav Vukelić, while some sources claim the melody was written by the composer Mijo Majer.
While vila is often translated as "fairy" (as below), vilas are supernatural beings in Slavic folklore quite different from English fairies.
| Oj ti vilo, vilo Velebita, Ti našeg roda diko, Tvoja slava jeste nama sveta, Tebi Hrvat kliko:
Velebite, vilovito stijenje,
| Oh fairy, fairy of Velebit, The pride of our kin, Your glory is holy to us, A Croat exults to you:
Velebit, the rocks of fairies,
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