A Tomcat And A Cook

Some Cook from his kitchen went into the tavern, meanwhile he left a tomcat at home to guard a food against mice. But what did he see upon return? There were scraps of cake on the floor; and Tom in the corner behind a barrel of vinegar,
purring and humming, was tasting a chicken.
"Oh, you glutton! Ah, villain!" -
then Cook rebuked Thomas -
"Well, are not you ashamed?
(while Tom still was eating the chicken.)
What! Until now you have been an honest tomcat,
you was considered a model of humility -
But you ... Ah! What a shame! Now all the neighbors will say:
"Tom is a thief! Tom is a rogue! Would it be possible so to say to let Tom go not just into the kitchen, but even into the yard: he is a plague of this place!"
(While Tom was listening but eating.)
There my rhetorician, giving free rein to the flow of words, could not find the end of moralizing. What next?  While he was exercising in oratory, the tomcat had eaten a dish of steak into the bargain.
My dear fellow, mark my words:
"Eloquence is useless there,
Where one need to use the power".

My Dear Uncle

My dear uncle is a regular gentleman,
When having gravely fallen ill,
He has forced to respect himself
And could imagine nothing better.
For others he’s a model case;
However, good heaven,
What a boredom for one to sit
With a patient all day and night
Without moving even a step away!
What a mean craftiness
To amuse the alive corpse,
To shake cushions up for him,
To fetch and carry sadly him medicines,
To sigh thinking to oneself:
When on earth hell will accept you!

The Spark Will Kindle A Flame

The ardor sounds of prophetic strings
have reached our ears,
our hands was about to take arms,
but found only shackles.
Still, bard, do not worry!
We are so proud of our fate,
of our iron chains, that
even behind the prison gates
we laugh at the kings
in the depth of our hearts.
Our sad work won’t be lost in vain,
the spark will kindle a flame,
already enlightened common people
will rally under the holy banner.
We will forge the swords out of our chains,
we will light the flame of freedom again.
It will catch the kings by surprise,
while the peoples will sigh of happy relief.

Keep Your Proud Patience

Keep your proud patience in the depth of Siberian mines,
both your hard labor and your thoughts' lofty striving
won’t be lost in vain.
Hope-the devoted sister of mishap
will wake vivacity and fun in your morose dungeon,
the desired time will come yet:
through the gloomy locks Love and Friendship
will reach you up as sure as my free voice does it.
Your heavy chains shall drop,
the dungeon shall break down-
meanwhile Freedom will meet you joyfully at exit
and your comrades will give your swords back.

The City Which Doesn't Exist

There are both a night
and a silence given for life,
it’s rain or maybe snow,
anyway warmed with an infinite hope,
in the distance I see
a city which doesn’t exist…

Where a spellbound pilgrim
can easily find his shelter,
where for certain
he is remembered and waited for.
Day after day now losing,
now confusing my way I head for
the city which doesn’t exist…

There a hearth is lighted
for me as an eternal sign
of the forgotten truths.
So that to reach the city
I have to walk a step yet,
but the step perhaps is a span
as long as the rest of my life…

Who can tell what my destiny
has in store for me,
let I am not to know my fate,
maybe behind a threshold
of dissipated years I will find
that city which doesn’t exist…

I Was Caught In The Net

I was caught in the net by love and poverty forever.
Even being poor wouldn't bother me,
if there were no love in the world.
Why the destiny-separator is always a hindrance for love?
And why love is a slave of prosperity and success?
After all, riches and homage bring little joy,
therefore I'm sorry for both cowards and fools
whose hearts are conquered by their force.
When your eyes shine in darkness, I lose my reason,
yet there is a piece of advice on your lips to keep prudence.
Only that poor fellow with his ingenuous love
is happy in the world who is not envy of rich class at all.
Oh why, the cruel fate is always a hindrance for love
whose flower wouldn't bloom without fame and success?

The Golden City

There is the golden city under the blue sky,
with the transparent gates and the bright star
and also in that city there is a garden,
with, more often than not, herbs and flowers,
the animals of unprecedented beauty dwell there:
One is the yellow fire-mane lion,
another is the ox full of eyes
with them there is the heavenly golden eagle,
whose unforgettable glance is so bright.
And in the blue sky one star shines.
It's yours, my angel, it's yours forever.
Who loves, that one is loved,
who is lucid, that one is holy.
Let the star leads you along the road
into that wonderful garden.
You will be met there both by the fire-mane lion
and by the blue ox full of eyes,
also with them will be the heavenly golden eagle,
whose unforgettable glance is so bright.

A Crow And A Fox

How many times it was repeated to the world that flattery is both nasty and harmful,

but all in vain and therefore some flatterer can always worm oneself into your favor.

Once God sent a slice of cheese to a Crow; having perched on a spruce it was about to have lunch,

but holding cheese in its beck the Crow got into the pensive mood. As bad luck would have it in the vicinity a Fox ran about;

all of a sudden the smell of cheese made it halt: the Fox had seen the cheese and had been seduced with it,

the rogue approached to the fir-tree on tiptoe; it wagged its tail and was all eyes.

Holding its breath it pleasantly said: "My dear, you are so exquisite! What the nice feathers!

And what the lovely beck! As a matter of fact they are truly fantastic! Perhaps you have an angelical voice!

Sing, darling, be not ashamed! If into a bargain with such beauty you are capable to sing splendidly,

well, then you must be a diva!" Out of the praise the head of the prophetic bird had started spinning,

in pleasure the breath was caught in its craw, -

there the Crow cawed with might and main in reply to the friendly words of the Fox:

the piece of cheese dropped out - and the Crow ever beheld neither it, nor the cheat again.

The Prophet

Being eager to quench my spiritual thirst I trudged in the gloomy desert as out of nowhere a six-winged seraph appeared suddenly before me at the crossroads. It touched my eyes with its fingers as light as a dream. There and then I have got my clairvoyance gift. After that it touched my ears, - and they were filled with some ringing and noise: in consequence I have heard both the shudder of sky and the angel's heavenly flight, and the underwater moves of the marine reptiles, and the vegetation's process of a vine of the dale. Then it rooted out my sinful wicked talkative tongue and with its bloodstained right hand put a sting of the wise snake into my speechless mouth. Thereupon it cut my chest with its sword, took out my quivering heart and replace it with a fire-brand. I lay like a corpse in the desert and the voice of God called to me: «O prophet, get up, both behold and hear, please execute my will without fail: go round lands and seas, exciting with your words the hearts of people».

An Angel Was Flying In The Northern Sky

An angel was flying in the Northern sky
and singing his quiet song;
both the crescent moon and the stars,
and the crowd of clouds -
all of them listened to that sublime song.
He sang about the bliss
of the innocent Holy Ghosts
at the abode of Paradise;
he sang of the great God,
in the meanwhile his praise was
neither affected nor insincere.
In his arms he bore a young soul
for the world of tears and sorrow,
in consequence the sound of his carol
though without words but alive
remained in the young breath of life.
And then the soul full of some wonderful hope
had been languishing for a long time in the world;
therefore boring songs of the earth
could not be like the heavenly sounds to it.

A Fairy Tale About A Priest And His Worker Big Dick

Once upon a time there lived a priest
which was the finished skinflint.
The priest had gone to market to search for some wares.
He met Big Dick there, who went where his fancy took him.
"Why, father, have you got up so early?
What are you looking for?"
The Priest said to him in reply:
"I need a hand - the jack of all trades.
But where could I find such worker at a reasonable price?"
Big Dick said: "I shall serve you splendidly, diligently
and properly for three flicks a year on your forehead,
by the way, I shall eat the boiled spelt".
The priest had become thoughtful,
he began to keep scratching his forehead.
After all, there is a flick and a flick.
However he had made up his mind to take a risk.
The priest said in reply to the worker,
" Agreed! It will not be unprofitable for both of us.
Just live for a while at my farmstead
and show me both your zeal and agility".
And so the worker lived at the priest home.
He slept the sleep of the just on straw.
He ate as much as four men did,
though he worked for seven ones to fill in.
By daylight he already had all things coming right.
He would harness a horse and plough a field,
heat the stove, buy up everything and stock up with all,
boil an egg and then peel it, cook porridge and mind a baby.
The priest's wife could not praise Big Dick enough,
the priest's daughter merely longed for him,
at the same time by the priest's son he was called Daddy.
Only the priest, thinking quite often of payment,
did not like the worker and never said a good word to him.
The time went by and the due date
was already round the corner.
The priest neither ate nor drank, nor slept at night.
His forehead was cracking in advance.
At last he admitted all of this frankly to his wife:
"So and so, what have to be done? I am at a loss!"
Female wits are very ingenious
and capable of all sorts of tricks.
His wife said: "I know a way
how to remove such disaster from us:
give an order to the worker which he could not exactly fulfill.
It will save your forehead from punishment
and leave Big Dick without his payment".
It became a bit more cheerful at the priest's heart
and he began to look at his worker rather bravely.
Then he called out, "Come here,
my faithful manservant Big Dick.
Listen to me: devils are obliged to pay me
a rent for the duration of all my life.
It could not be found better income than that
but there are arrears for three years on them.
As soon as you'll fill yourself with your spelt
then collect their debt in full".
Without arguing in vain with the priest
his worker went and sat by the sea.
He began twisting a rope and wetting its end in the water.
There and then the old devil had got out of the sea:
"Big Dick, why have you, bastard, come here?"
-"You know, I wish to wrinkle the sea with the rope
so that you, cursed tribe, to have cramps in pain".
The old devil had become gloomy.
"Tell me, why such disfavor?"
-"How do you mean? You do not pay your rent.
Just you wait! I'll get you dogs yet!"
"Big Dick, please stop wrinkling the sea.
You will receive the rent in full soon.
Wait a bit, I will send my grandson to you".
The worker thought to himself:
"To cheat that one, it's a piece of cake!"
The messenger imp had come up
and began to mew like a hungry kitten:
"Hail, Big Dick! What on earth the rent do you wish?
We have not ever heard of any rent,
never there was such grief for us devils.
Well, so it be - take it, but on condition
that you will overtake me in the run round the sea."
The worker had given a laugh craftily:
"What really are you up to?
How can such one like you compete with me the very Big Dick?
What a competitor they have sent!
Just wait for my younger brother."
The worker headed for the nearest woods,
there he caught two hares and put them into his bag.
He came to the sea again, by the sea he met the imp.
Big Dick held up one hare by its ears:
"Imp, you are too young
and weak as water to compete with me,
it's just the waste of time.
At first overtake my brother. Ready, steady, go!"
The imp and a hare had started running:
the imp ran along the coast of sea,
still the other ran home into the forest.
And so having run around the sea,
with its tongue hanging out,
lifting up its muzzle the imp had come running,
being out of breath and all wet from head to hooves,
with its paw wiping its forehead
and thinking to itself: it's in the bag.
Lo and behold - Big Dick was stroking his "brother":
"My favorite brother, poor thing,
you're tired! Please take a rest, rogue".
The imp was taken aback.
With its tail between its legs
it had fairly quieted down.
It glanced askance at the "brother".
"Wait a minute, - it said, - I'll go after the debt".
The imp went to see its grandfather and said:
"We have got into trouble!
I was outrun by the younger Big Dick!"
Then the old devil began brooding.
Meanwhile the worker had kicked up such a racket
that the whole sea was agitated.
The imp had got out, "All right, Big Dick,
we will send the debt to you - just listen.
Do you see this stick?
Who throws it further that will get the rent.
Why? Are you afraid to dislocate your arm?
What are you waiting for?"
-"Well, I wait for that cloud.
I am going to fling your stick there
and at once to get into a fight against you devils".
The imp was frightened and ran to its grandfather
so that to tell about the Big Dick's victory.
Meanwhile that one made a noise again
and threatened devils with his rope.
The imp had got out another time,
"What do you exert yourself?
There will be the rent to you, if you want..."
- "No, said the worker, - now it is my turn to make conditions.
I am going to appoint you a very difficult task.
Let's see how strong you are.
Look, there is a gray mare over there.
Lift up the mare and bear it.
If you carry she half-mile, the rent will be yours.
The poor devil crawled under the mare,
made an effort, lifted the mare up,
two steps had stepped, on the third one
had fallen and stretched out its legs.
Big Dick told it: "Silly devil,
how can you compete with me?
You could not carry the mare on your arms,
but then I am going to bear she between my legs".
The worker mounted the mare and so galloped a mile away
that even there was a pillar of dust.
The imp was frightened and had gone to its grandfather
to relate about the new victory of Big Dick.
There was nothing to be done -
the devils collected the rent and charged
the worker's shoulders with a sack of gold.
Big Dick walked quacking now and then.
Meanwhile the priest, having seen him,
leaped to his feet and hid squatting behind his wife.
The worker found him there.
He had given the rent and began to demand his payment.
The poor priest had laid his forehead open to attack.
From the first flick the priest had jumped up to the ceiling.
From the second flick the priest stayed speechless.
From the third flick the skinflint was left without his wits.
Whereas Big Dick was speaking with reproach:
"You priest should not pursue cheapness".