The Hobbyhorse-Humpback The First Part Petr Pavlovich Ershov Poem by Yuri Starostin

Petr Pavlovich Ershov. The hobbyhorse-humpback
THE FIRST PART *


And there is the old man lived in the one village
For the mountains, behind the woods,
Behind the wide seas,
Not in the sky - on the earth.
The ancient man has the three sons:
The senior was the clever grand fellow,
The middle son was and this way and that,
The younger son was a fool at all there.
The brothers sowed a wheat
Yes carried in the hailstones-capital:
To wit, that capital was
Near from the village.
There they sold the wheat,
Accepted the account of the money
And got the full scrip
Come back home.


In a long time or soon
The grief has happened them:
Someone began to go in the field
And to stir the wheat.
A kerns did not see such grief
Since the born;
Began to think yes to guess -
As though to reveal the thief;
At last they have see in,
To stand on the sentinel,
To keep the bread at the nights,
To trap the malicious thief.

Here, as just to get dark only,
There the elder brother has begun bundle:
Has taken out the hayfork and the axe
And has gone to patrol.



The rainy night has come,
The fear has feel on him,
And our kern was dug
Under the barn from the fears.
The night passes, the day comes;
The patrol descends from the barn
And, having poured the water on himself,
He began to be knocked under a log hut:
'Hey you, sleepyheads!
Unlock a door to the brother,
All of me has got wet in the rain
From the head to the feet '.
The brothers have opened the door,
Let enter the sentry,
Began to ask him:
Whether he saw somewhat?
The sentry has prayed,
Has bowed to the right, to the left
And, having cough, has told:
'I did not sleep all night;
Besides on mine misfortune,
There was a terrible bad weather:


The rain poured and so spilled here,
Has moistened all shirt.
Wherever it was boring so! .
However, all is successfull '.
His father has praised:
'You, Danilo, good fellow
You here, so to say, approximately,
Has served me the duty truly,
That is, being at all,
Has not struck in a dirt by the face '.


Began to get dark once again;
The middle brother has gone to muster:
Took and the hayfork and the axe
And has gone to patrol.
The cold night has come,
The shiver has fell on the small one,
The teeth has shuddered to dance;
He has hit to run -


And he went to patrol all night long
At the neigbour woman under a fence.
It was terrible to the good fellow!
But here the morning is. He go to the porch:
'Hey you, sleepyheads! What do you sleep!
Unlock the door to the brother;
There was a terrible frost at night, -
I was chilled to the tummies '.
The brothers have opened the door,
Let the sentry enter in,
Began to ask him:
Whether he saw somewhat?
The sentry has prayed,
Has bowed to the right, to the left
And answered through the clenched teeth:
'I did not sleep all night,
Yes, to my unfortunate destiny,
The cold was awful at the night,
It has scolded me till the heart;
I have galloped all night;
It was too inconvenient...
Nevertheless, all is successful '.
And the father has told to him:
'You, Gavrilo, are good fellow'


To get dark began in the third time,
It is necessary to the younger one to equip;
He does not conduct and by a mustache,
Sings on the furnace in a corner
From all foolish force:
'You finest eyes! '



Well, the brothers expostulate him,
Began to send in the field,
But so long shouted,
Only have lost a voice:
He do not move from a place. At last
The father has approached to him,
Speaks to him: 'Listen,
Run in the patrol, Vanyusha.
I will buy to you the popular paints,
I will give a peas and a beans '.
Here Ivan descend from the furnace down,
Met his malahay on,



He puts the bread for a hollow,
Goes to hold the sentry.

Ivan bypasses all of the field,
Looking around,
And seat down under a bush;
Count the stars in the sky
Yes eats the crust of the bread greedily.


Suddenly midnight the horse has begun to neigh...
Our sentry has half-risen,
Has looked under a mitten
And has seen the mare.
That mare was,
All, as a winter snow, is white,
The mane is in the earth, gold,
Twisted in the small rings.
'Ehe-he! And so is what
Ours thief! . But, stay,
To joke after all, I am not able,
At once I will seat upon your neck.
Look, what is a locust! '
And, he get a minute,
Runs to the mare up,
Catch for a wavy tail,
And jumped to her on a ridge -
Only the back to front.
The young mare,
Sparkling rabidly by the eyes,
The head has twisted by the sneak
And started up, as an arrow.
That is twisted over a fields around,
Hangs as a ledge under a ditches,
Rushes as a jump on the mountains,
Goes on the raks on the woods,
Wants by a force or by a deceit,
Just only to cope with Ivan.
But Ivan and himself is not simple -
Strong keeps for the tail.


At last she was tired.
'Well, Ivan, - she has told him, -
If you able to remain sitting,
So to you me and to own.
Make a room for me for the rest
Yes look for me
As many you understand. Yes look:
Release me on the will
On the three morning dawn,

To walk to a clear field.

I will give birth to you the two horses
After an outcome of a three days -
Yes of somewhat, that are not until now
And in a mention;
Moreover I born a fad hobbyhorse
By the growth only in a three inches,
On a back with a two humps
Yes with the yards ears.
The two horses if you want, sell,
But do not give the fad
Neither for a belt, nor for a cap,
Nor for the black, hear, grandma.
He will be your companion
On the earth and underground:
He will warm in the winter,
Will fan by a cold in the summer,
Will treat by bread in the hunger,
Will give to drink a honey in the thirst.
Again I will leave in the field
To try the forces at the liberty '.


'All right', - Ivan thinks
And drive the mare
In the shepherd's buffoonery ,
Closes the door by a bast mat
And, only the dawning is light,
He goes to the village,
Singing loudly the song:
'The good fellow went on the Presnya'.

Here he ascends to a porch,
Here claw for the ring,
That have a forces is knocked in the door,
That the roof does not fall a little bit,
And shouts at all market,
As soon the fire has become.
The brothers have jumped from the benches,
Have exclaimed stammering:
'Who is knocked strongly so? ' -
'This is me, Ivan-fool! '
The brothers have opened the door,
Admit enter the fool in the log hut
And begun to abuse, -
As he dared to frighten them so!
And our Ivan, no undress
Nor a bast shoes, nor a malahay,
Goes on the furnace
And conducts therefrom the speech
About the night adventure,
To all ears on an astonishment:



'All night I did not sleep,
To count the stars in the sky;
The moon, equally, shine too, -
I have not noticed to arrange.
Suddenly the devil comes,
With the beard and with the mustaches;
The physiognomy as soon as a cat has,
And the eyes-that those flat dishes!
Here that devil also began to skip
And to force the grain by the tail down.
To joke after all I am not able -
And jump to him on a neck.


He dragged, dragged,
Just has not broken a head to me,
But also after all I am not a miss,
Hear, held him as in a jam.
My sly fellow fought, fought
And has prayed at last:
'Do not ruin me from the world!
The whole year to you for it
I am promised to live quietly,
Will not to stir up an orthodoxes'.
I, hear, has not measured a words,
Yes also has believed to the imp'.
Here the story-teller has become silent,
Jawn and dozed off.
The brothers, so much have angry,
Could not - have laughed loudly,
Having grasped under the sides,
Over the story of the fool.
The old man could not restrain,
That is not to laugh to a tears,
Though to laugh - so do it
To an old men and to do it guilty.

A lot of time or a little
Has run since this night, -
Nothing about it
I has not heard from anybody.
Well, yes what is in that to us for a deal,
Whether the year, whether two has flown by, -


After all no to run for them...
We will continue a fairy tale.

Well-s, and so here is that! Once Danilo
(Remembered, that was, on a holiday,) ,
Sretched drunk a potion,
He was dragged in the buffoonery.
What does he see? - The finest
Two horses of the golden mane
Yes and the plaything-hobbyhorse
By the growth only in the three inches,
On a back with the two humps
Yes with the yards ears.
'Hm! Now I have know,
Why here the noodle slept! '-
Danilo tells himself...
The miracle knock a hop at once;
Here Danilo runs in the house
And speaks to Gavrilo:
'Look, what beautiful
Two horses of the golden mane
Our fool has got to himself:
You and have not heard by a hearing'.
And Danilo yes Gavrilo,
That was in a feet of their power,
Straight on a nettle
And blow barefoot.


Stumbled a three times,
Repaired both eyes,
Rubbing here and there,
The brothers enter to the two horses.
The horses neighed and snored,
The eyes burnt by the ruby;
Twisted in the small rings,
The gold tail streamed,
And the diamond hoofs
Are upholstered by the large pearls.
Likely-expensively to look!
Only the reign would be on them to sit!
The brothers so looked at them,
That do not askew slightly at just.
'Where he has got them? -
The elder son has told to an middle ones. -
But for a long time the speech is conducted,
That only the treasure is given to the noodles,
You break though a forehead to yourself,
So you will not beat out a two roubles.
Well, Gavrilo, let's take away
In that sedmitsa them in the capital;
There we will sell to the boyars,
We will exactly divide the money.
And getting the money, you know,
And you will drink and you will take a walk,
Only slap on a bag.
And a guesses will not rich
To the bliss fool after all,
Where his horsies stay;
Let searches for them here and there.
Well, friend, that`s a bargain! '
The brothers have agreed at once,
Have embraced, have crossed


And coming back home,
Speaking between themself
About a horses and about a junket
And about a wonderful animal.

The time rolls a turn,
Hour after hour, day after day.
And the brothers go to the sity-capital
On the first sedmitsa,
To sell the goods there
And to know on the wharf,
Whether have come with the ships
The Germans in a city behind the canvases
Whether and tsar Saltan going
To keep of a Muslim the Christians.
Here they prayed to the icons,
Received the blessing at the father,
Took the two horses secretly
And gone on the sly.

The evening made the way to the night;
Ivan intend a lodging for the night;
Goes lengthways along the street,
Eats the hunk of the bread yes sings.
Here he reaches the fields,
Props the arms in the sides up.


And get the caper, as the sir,
Enters sideways into the buffoonery.

All still stood,
But a horses as no happen;
Only a toy-gorbunok
Turn about his feet,
Clapped by the ears from the pleasure
Yes danced by the feet.
As Ivan will bawl the howl here,
Leaning about the buffoonery:
'Oh you, fulvous-ash grey horses,
Good horses of the golden mane!
Either I did not caress you, friends,
Yes what devil has stolen you ?
That lose to him, to the dog!
To die in the gully!
That have to him on that world
To fail on the bridge!
Oh you, fulvous- ash grey horses,
Good horses of the golden mane! '

Here the hibbyhorse has begun to neigh to him.
'Do not grieve, Ivan, -he has told, -
The trouble is great, I do not argue,
But I can help in the trouble.


You do not rivet on the devil:
The brothers have meet the horsebreeders.
Well, yes what to stir an empty thing,
Be, Ivanushka, in the rest.
Sit down on me more soon,
Only know to keep yourself;
Though I am small to a growth,
Yes I will replace an another horse:
As I will be started up yes will runaway,
And so caught a demon '.

Here the hobbyhorse lays down before him;
Ivan sits down on the fad,
Take the ears in the oars,
That has a power roars.
The fad was stirred up,
Has risen on pads, has tremble,
Has slapped by the mane, has snore,
And fly by the arrow;
Only the whirlwind was twisted underfoot
By the dusty clouds.
And our Ivan has caught the thieves
During the two instants, if not during an instant.

The brothers, that is, were frightened,
Were itched and stumbled.


And Ivan began to shout:
'It is a shame, brothers, to steal!
Though you are cleverer than Ivan,
Yes Ivan is more fair than you:
He did not steal a horses from you '.
The senior, writhing, has told here:
'Dear our brother Ivasha,
What to go - our business!
But take you into the account
That our stomach is not mercenary.


As much as we sow a wheat,
Had the daily bread just a little bit.
And if a poor harvest is,
So though get in a loop!
Here we interpreted with Gavrilo
In such big grief
All past night -
Is somewhat to help to the trouble?
We have top by that and by this,
At last here so solved:
To sell your fads
Though for one thousand roubles.
And to say in a thanks by the way,
To bring a new thing to you -
The red cap with a vertebra
Yes a boots with a heel.
Yes to that the old man can not,
To work cannot any more;
And after all it is necessary to moo a century, -
You are indeed the clever person! '-
'Well, if indeed so go, -
Ivan speaks, - sell
The golden mane two horses,
Yes take yet and me '.
The brothers painfully were lop-sided,
Yes it is impossible! Have agreed.

Began to be dark in the sky;
The air begun to grow colder;
Here, to no lose the way,
To stop decided.


Have adhered all horses
Under the canopies of a branches,
They have brought with the eating a bast basket,
Have hope a little bit
And gone, that God will give,
Who is easy in anywhat from them.

Here Danilo has suddenly noticed,
That the fire has lighted in the distance.
He has looked at Gavrila,
Has winked by the left eye
And cought slightly,
Showed the fire quietly;
Here scratched the nape,
'Eh so dark! - he has told. -
Though the moon would had so
Appeared for a fun for a minute to us,
All would be easier. And now,
Right, we are worse than a cloth ears blackcock...
Yes stay on... To me surrenders,
That there the light smoke is twisted...
You see, there! . So and indeed! .
Here kindle a tobacco!
The miracle would be! . And listen,
Run on, brother Vanyusha!
And, to admit, I have
Neither a flint, nor a flintstone '.
Danilo thinks had yet:
'That you has damned down there! '
And Gavrilo speaks:
'Who-sing knows that burns!


If the villagers have stuck,
Remember him, called somehow! '

All is a trifle for the fool.
He seats down on the fad,
Kicks in the abrupt sides by the feet,
Keep tugging by the arms,
Bawls from all forces...
The horse stand up, and the trace has cool.
'Will be with us the cross force! -
Gavrilo has cried then,
Fenced by the sacred cross. -
That is a something demon under him! '

The spark burns is more light,
The hobbyhorse runs more faster.
Here he is before the fire.
The field shines soon in the afternoon;
The wonderful light streams around,
But does not heat, does not smoke.
Ivan gave to a miracle here.
'What is, - he has told, - the shaitan for!
The caps will be to find about five the light,
And a heat and a smoke is not present;
So a wonder- spark! '



The fad tells him:
'Here really have that to marvel!
Here the feather of the Fire-bird lies,
But do not take to yourself it
For your happiness.
It is a lot of, much to no a rest
It will bring with itself '. -
'Speak you! How is not so! ' -
The fool grumbles inwardly;
And, having lifted a feather of the Fire-bird,
Has wrapped it in the rags,
Has put the rags in a cap
And turn the fad on.
Here he comes to the brothers
And demand on their answers:
'When there I have rided,
Seeing the burnt stub;
I fought, fought over him,
So I has not strained out just;
I inflated it about one hour -
No after all, devil take, it has ashed away! '
The brothers did not sleep the whole night,
Loudly laughed on Ivan;
And Ivan sat down under the cart,
Snore up to the morning.

Here they harness the horses
And arrive in the capital,


Standing in a horse number,
In front of the big chambers.

There was a custom in that capital:
If the governor of a town will not tell -
To buy nothing,
To sell nothing.
Here the mass comes;
The governor of the town drives
In the shoes, in the fur cap,
With the one hundred city guards.
Nearby the herald goes with him,
Having a long mustache, bearded;
He blows in the gold pipe,
Shouts by the loud voice:
'Visitors! Unlock a benches,
Buy, sell.
And got the supervisors to sit
Beside the benches and to look,
That was not a robbery,
A throng, a uproar,
And that no a freak
Did not deceive the people! '
The visitors unlock a bench,
Hail the cross people:
'Hey, fair misters,
We welcome here in!
Whether we have a tars-bars,
Anyway the different goods! '
The buyer go,
Take the goods from a visitors;


The visitors consider a money
Yes blink to the supervisors.

Meanwhile the town group
Comes to a horse number;
Looks - the throng from the people.
Is not present neither an exit nor an enter;
So here and teem to teem,
And laugh, and shout.
The governor of the town was surprised,
That the people have cheered up,
And the order has given to the group,
To clear the road.


'Hey! You, fareboot devils!
Move way out! Move way out! '
The men with the big mustache have cried
And struck in the scourges.
Here the people have begun to move,
Take off the caps and move aside.

The horse number is before the eyes;
The two horses stand in the row,
Are young, black,
The gold manes are twisted,
The gold tail streams
Twisted in the small rings...


Our old man was ardent so,
Long rubbed the nape to himself.
' The god world is wonderful, - said, -
So what miracles are not present in it! '
All group has bowed here,
Has marvelled to the wise speech.
Meanwhile the governor of a town
Has punished all strictly,
That did not buy a horses,
Did not yawn, did not shout;
That he goes to the court yard
To report about all for the tsar.
And, having left a part of the group,
He gone for the report.

He comes to the palace.
'You pardon, tsar-father! -
The governor of the town exclaims
And fell by the all body. -
Do not order to execute me,
Order me to speak! '
The tsar desired to say: 'It is fine,
Speak, yes only do harmonious '. -
' As I am able, I will tell:
I serve the governors of the town;
I correct
This post by the belief-truth... '-' I Know, I know! '-
'Here today, taking the group,
I have gone in the horse number.
I come - the crowd of the people!
Well, neither an exit nor an enter.



What is here to do? . Has ordered
To drive the people that did not disturb.
So and became, tsar-reliability
And I drive on - and what is?
The horse number is before me;
The two horses stand in the row,
Are young, black,
The gold manes are twisted,
Twisted in the small rings,
The gold tail streams,
And the diamond hoofs
Are upholstered by the large pearls '.

The tsar could not remain sitting here.
'Should to look the horses, -
He speaks, -
And to asquire such miracle yes no poor.
Hey, a vehicle to me! 'And here
The vehicle is at the gate.
The tsar washed, dressed up
And troll on the market;
The archers group have for the tsar.

Here he arrive in the horse number.
Here all fallen on the knees
And shouted 'hurrah' to the tsar.
The tsar greet bow and spring in a moment


As a good fellow from the vehicle...
He does not reduce the eyes from the horses,
Comes on the right, at the left to them,
Calls by the tender word,
Beats on the back them silently,
Comb their abrupt neck,
Irons the gold mane,
And, to look enough,
He ask, turning
To the surrounding men: 'Hey, gays!
Whose such foals are?
Who is the owner? 'Here Ivan
With the arms akimbo, as the sir,
Acts out of the brothers
And, inflated on, answers:
'This pair, tsar, is main,
And the owner - too I am'. -
'Well, I buy the pair!
Do you sell? '-' No, I change '. -
'What is to exchange you take the goods? ' -
'The two-five caps of a silver'. -
'That is, it will be ten'.
The tsar immediately ordered to give
And, on his favour,
He given in the increases a five rubles.
The tsar was magnanimous!


The ten grey-haired grooms
Have lead the horses in the stables,
All are in the gold stripes,


All are with the colour belts
And with the morroco scourges.
But going on the road, as on a laughter,
The horses have brought down them from the feet of all,
Have broken off all bridles
And have come running to Ivan.


The tsar gone back,
Speaks to him: 'Well, brother,
The pair is not given to ours men;
Do nothing, you should
In the palace to serve.
You will go in the gold,
To dress up in the red dress,
As the cheese roll in the oil,
All mine stable
I give to you in the order,
The tsar word in that bail.
Do you agree? '-' That a piece!
I will live in the palace,
I will go in the gold ,
To dress up in the red dress,
As the cheese roll in the oil,
All stable factory
The tsar gives to me in the order;
That is, I am from a kitchen garden
I will become the imperial commander.
Miraculously deal! Well, let it be,
I will be, tsar, to you to serve.


Only, chur, no to fight with me
And to allow to me to sleep enough,
Otherwise I am that was! '

Here he clicked the racers
And gone long the capital,
Waving a mitten himself,
And under a song of the fool
The horses dance the trepak;
And his fad - humpback -
So and breaks in the squatting position,
To an astonishment to all of the people.

Meanwhile the two brothers
Received the tsar money
Sewn up its in the belt,
Have knocked by the valley
And gone home.
They have shared amicably at home,
Both of they married at once,
Began to live yes to live
Yes to remember Ivan.

But now we will leave them,
Again we will amuse by the a fairy tale
The orthodox Christians,
That our Ivan has done,

Being in the imperial service,
At the state stable;
As he got in the neighbor woman,
As has overslept his feather,
As has artfully caught the Fire-bird,
As has stolen the Tsar-maiden,
As he went for the ring,
As was the ambassador in the sky,
As he do in the sun settlement
Has elicited the excusal to the whale;
As, to number of other inventions,
He has rescued the thirty ships;
As he has not cooked in the coppers,
As he got a rank of the handsome man;
By the word: our speech about that,
As he become the tsar.